A Study Of Metaphor In Soldiers Sortie From The Perspective Of Relevance Theory

Metaphor is an important linguistic phenomenon and it is pervasive in everyday communication. It plays a significant role in the comprehension of literature and art, such as poems, novels, and plays. TV series, a kind of comprehensive art, are full of metaphors. This study carries on an analysis of metaphors in TV series with reference to Relevance Theory proposed by Sperber and Wilson. This study aims to explore the multi-level function of metaphor in communication and the factors affecting the construction of contextual assumptions in the process of metaphorical interpretations.To achieve these goals, an exploratory analysis is carried out in respect of the importance of context extension and activation of mutually manifest assumptions, individual differences in metaphor comprehension and misunderstanding in interpreting metaphor.In this study, the data collected are from the authentic lines of the TV series Soldiers Sortie. The data obtained are mainly analyzed from three levels, morphological level, syntactic level and discourse level. Morphological metaphors are analyzed from conventionality and novelty to study the differences of the construction of contextual assumptions. Syntactic metaphors, by means of two metaphorical episodes, focus on the significance that the individual differences produce on metaphor comprehension. Discourse metaphors lay much emphasis on the inevitability of misunderstanding in communication.Based on the analysis of the collected data, the major findings are as follows:First, the multi-level function of metaphor in communication is reflected on morphological level, syntactic level and discourse level. Metaphors activate referential, relational and experiential background information to activate mutually manifest assumptions. Moreover, individuals have diversified interpretations in terms of one metaphor from the perspective of cognitive factors, motivational factors and domain specific factors; Second, metaphors are basically context-dependent. Context is constructed as an indispensable part of the comprehension process. In search of optimal relevance, the context extends to construct an appropriate hypothesis about the intended contextual assumptions; Third, the features of metaphor help to direct the hearers to achieve optimal relevance according to the similarities and differences between the source domain and the target domain.This study also sheds some light on cultivating students’metaphorical ability in language learning. However, owning to the complex nature of metaphor, the factors affecting the construction of contextual assumptions explored in the study are not enough. Limitations of the study and recommendations for future studies are finally provided.