A Study Of Deviated Rhetoric Based On Conceptual Integration Theory

Deviated rhetoric is a language phenomenon deviating from the conventional use, the purpose of which is to aggrandize the communication effect by applying the unconventional linguistic forms. Comprehension of language meaning in deviated rhetoric is always an important subject in the linguistic research. Conceptual Integration Theory, as a new cognitive theory, can clearly account for the creative and innovative meaning construction in deviated rhetoric. Based on the framework of CIT, the emergent meaning construction of deviated rhetoric is analyzed from three main aspects respectively, namely, meaning construction mechanisms, mappings and meaning construction, factors influencing meaning construction of deviated rhetoric. Therefore the generation of online emergent meaning construction is explained.The process of conceptual integration is considered to be a dynamic process of meaning construction. With the illustration of some examples, this paper points out that the process of meaning construction is actually the process of conceptualization, and the linguistic units only serve as the prompts for the array of conceptual operations. Consequently, the linguistic units themselves cannot encode meaning, and the effective understanding of the deviated language can be obtained only when the mechanisms of emergent meaning construction could be achieved. Under the framework of two-space model and multi-space model of CIT, the meaning construction mechanisms of deviated rhetoric are respectively discussed. The meaning construction mechanisms refer to the mechanism of conceptual connecting, the mechanism of conceptual mapping, and the mechanism of emergent meaning construction.Furthermore, this paper finds out that the online meaning construction in the process of understanding deviated rhetoric is a dynamic unconscious cognitive process and conceptual mappings play a vital role in the process of emergent meaning construction in deviated rhetoric. Moreover, the four basic sub-networks of conceptual integration network (simplex networks, mirror networks, single-scope networks and double-scope networks) are the core of CIT. It points out that all these four networks can work according to their operation principles to help people form emergent structure in their minds according to their own operation mechanisms so as to generate the emergent meaning in deviated rhetoric. Since the types of conceptual integration networks are different, the features of cognitive process of meaning construction are different. However, no matter which type of sub-network, the three operational processes (composition, completion and elaboration) in the Blend are always at work in the process of constructing emergent meaning.This paper insists that context, culture and individual cognitive competence play a crucial role in the process of conceptual integration in deviated rhetoric since they may influence the online meaning construction in deviated rhetoric. Therefore, the paper puts forward some methods and suggestions to facilitate readers understanding of deviated rhetoric with the hope that some guidance can be offered for the use and understanding of deviated language in communication.