A Cognitive Study Of Novel Metaphors In Fortress Besieged From The Perspective Of Conceptual Blending Theory

Metaphor is pervasive in daily life. In fact, it is not only a rhetorical device but also a basic way of cognition. Generally speaking, there are two kinds of metaphor in daily speech, namely conventional metaphor and novel metaphor. Conventional metaphor, entrenched in ordinary conceptual system, is unnoticed in our daily communication, while novel metaphor is more conspicuous since it can generate new perceptions and explanations by reconceptualization of human experience.Fortress Besieged is one of the representative works of Qian Zhongshu. Metaphors in Fortress Besieged have been studied by many researchers. Yet most of them focus on conventional metaphors from the perspective of Conceptual Metaphor Theory with few exploring the dynamic construction and cognitive mechanism of novel metaphors.Conceptual Blending Theory, proposed by Fauconnier and Turner, has a great explanatory power in elucidating the on-line meaning construction of language, which breaks through the limitation of metaphor studies. Blending is a creative and dynamic cognitive process, which lays a theoretical foundation for exploring the reasoning mechanism of understanding novel metaphors. Therefore, within the framework of Conceptual Blending Theory, the research intends to explore the process of meaning construction of novel metaphors in Fortress Besieged, aiming at revealing the cognitive mechanism hidden behind that. By the research methods of qualitative research and case study, the present study will make an elaborate analysis of the selected novel metaphors, hoping to answer the following questions:Firstly, what is the exact blending process of meaning construction of novel metaphors in Fortress Besieged?Secondly, what is the mechanism of comprehending novel metaphors in Fortress Besieged in blending networks?The findings of the study are as follows:Firstly, the meaning construction of novel metaphors in Fortress Besieged is a cognitive psychological process involving three steps: the establishment of input spaces and generic space; the achievement of cross-space mappings and selective projections; the development of emergent structure.Secondly, based on the types of blending networks, novel metaphors in Fortress Besieged can be one-sided and two-sided. In the one-sided network, the blend inherits frame from one input space. In the two-sided network, the blend inherits parts of each frame from the two input spaces.The thesis involves five chapters. Chapter One begins with a brief introduction of the research background, research objectives, research significance and the organization of the thesis. Chapter Two is the literature review. It reviews the previous studies on metaphor and Fortress Besieged and introduces the theoretical foundation of the thesis. Chapter Three is about the research design, which is comprised of research questions, research methods and procedures. Chapter Four is the key part of the research. It analyzes the meaning construction of novel metaphors based on Conceptual Blending Theory with specific examples, which gives a detailed description of the dynamic cognitive process. It also explores the blending patterns of novel metaphors in Fortress Besieged, which reveals the cognitive mechanism of novel metaphors. Chapter Five is the conclusion. It summarizes the major findings and implications of the study.Moreover, its limitations and prospects for future study are also presented.The research uses Conceptual Blending Theory to analyze novel metaphors in Fortress Besieged. On the one hand, it supplies a new perspective to the studies of metaphors in Fortress Besieged. On the other hand, it expands the research scope of Conceptual Blending Theory.