Cognitive Interpretations Of Transformations In English Idioms

Idiom is a special phenomenon in the English language. And English idiom variations are more special and have long been the major concern for many linguists. Their studies about them have covered a wide range from the fields of lexicology and lexicography to the syntactic and semantic properties; from the mental processing to the classifications and functions. But English idiom variations is such a complex phenomenon that these studies only skim the surface and can not gain insights into the nature of English idiom variations, that is, what is the real cause or motivation for the variation. This thesis employs a new approach to exploring the nature of English idiom variations, that is, a cognitive approach. Cognitive linguistics is a brand-new subject which can explain many complex linguistic puzzles and problems. English idiom variations not only reflect language users'proficiency and creativity in using the language but also represent their cognitive ability. In the realm of cognitive linguistics, language is regarded as a cognitive activity and is based on our experience of the world. Human experience comes from the interactions between human beings and between human beings and nature; from the way human beings perceive and conceptualize the nature. It is in these interactions and exchanges that the cognitive ability of human beings is used and developed. Human beings gain experiences through their bodies and brains. Such experiences are conceptualized in their brains and are embodied in the language structure in a peculiar pattern. Human experience plays an important role both in the formation of idioms and the use of idioms. English idiom variations are produced in the process of using idioms. Idioms are the results of human experience about the world. So are English idiom variations. This thesis tries to probe into the cognitive nature of English idiom variations from a conceptual approach. Some different aspects of the theory of frame semantics of cognitive linguistics are first employed. A FRAME is any system of concepts related in such a way that to understand any one concept it is necessary to understand the entire system; introducing any one concept results in all of them becoming available. Several notions of the frame theory are applied to illustrate the motivations of English idiom variations. They are frame system, sub-frame system, extrinsic entities, profile-base organization. These notions are exploited to show that certain words in the orginal English idioms can evoke the frames or sub-frames or extrinsic entities denoted by the word concepts when language users use idioms creatively. Another cognitive linguistic theory, conceptualization and construal operations is applied in this thesis to interpret English idiom variations. Some of the notions in this theroy are cited to support the interpretation. They are selection, viewpoint, common ground and gestalt. This theory analyzes English idiom variations through the construal operations of word concepts. A word concept can be construed in different ways which can lead to different understanding about the concept. When language users construe an idiom in different ways, different kinds of manipulation of the idiom can be produced. This thesis shows a new direction to the study of English idiom variations which can provide better understanding about the cognitive nature of the phenomenon.