A Study Of Chinese And English Expressions Of Learning From The Perspective Of Conceptual Metaphor Theory

This thesis takes Conceptual Metaphor Theory as its theoretical framework. Chinese and English conceptual metaphors of learning are researched by analyzing their experiential bases,cross-domain mappings and metaphorical expressions so that the reader will know how these conceptual metaphors structure the concept of learning. In this thesis, qualitative method is employed.Research shows that conceptual metaphors which use other concepts(source domain)to structure the concept of learning(target domain)exist both in Chinese and English.In these conceptual metaphors,there are ontological correspondences which map entities in the source domain onto entities in the learning domain,and there are also epistemic correspondences which map knowledge about source domain onto knowledge about learning domain.The results of these correspondences are metaphorical expressions.For example,“???????????(climbing up the summit of self-study)”which refers to achieving the learning goal as getting to the traveling destination is the metaphorical expression of one epistemic correspondence in“LEARNING IS TRAVELING”.“Some books are to be tasted,others to be swallowed,and some few to be chewed and digested”which refers to books as food is the metaphorical expression of one ontological correspondence in“LEARNING KNOWLEDGE IS EATING FOOD”.Conceptual metaphors are metaphorical concepts which are deeply rooted in people's minds and hardly used in daily language.However,their metaphorical expressions are commonly used in people's daily communication.This thesis firstly classifies collected expressions into different conceptual metaphors.Each conceptual metaphor is an independent conceptual system. Therefore, this thesis will study them one by one. By analyzing their experiential bases, this thesis tries to explain whythese source domains are chosen to conceptualize the learning domain. Cross-domain mappings and metaphorical expressions will then be researched to show how conceptual metaphor structures learning domain. Experiences affect cross-domain mappings a lot. Same Chinese and English metaphorical expressions are based on their same experiences. Although people share many similar experiences, some of their experiences differ. Different experiences will influence the cross-domain mappings, which finally leads to some different Chinese and English metaphorical expressions. Therefore, this study will also concentrate on different Chinese and English metaphorical expressions in these conceptual metaphors. Reasons for these similarities and differences will also be given. Different conceptual metaphors emphasize different aspects of learning. These emphasized aspects are also pointed out.Chinese and English conceptual metaphors of learning are divided into three types: same conceptual metaphors, semi-same conceptual metaphors and conceptual metaphors only used in Chinese or English. There are four same conceptual metaphors of learning in Chinese and English. They are “LEARNING KNOWLEDGE IS EATING FOOD”, “LEARNING IS RACING”, “LEARNING IS GETTING”, and “LEARNING IS LISTENING”. Semi-same conceptual metaphors of learning in Chinese and English are “LEARNING IS TRAVELING”and “LEARNING IS BUILDING”. “HUMAN LEARNIG IS PLANT GROWING” is only used in Chinese. “LEARNING IS TRAVELING” is based on correlations in experience. The experiential basis of “LEARNING IS BUILDING”, “LEARNING IS RACING” and“HUMAN LEARNIG IS PLANT GROWING” is perceived structural similarities.“LEARNING IS GETTING” and “LEARNING KNOWLEDGE IS EATING FOOD” are based on perceived structural similarities induced by basic metaphors. The experiential basis of “LEARNING IS LISTENING” is in such a situation where source domain of the conceptual metaphor is the origin of its target domain.This thesis tries to help the reader know Chinese and English conceptual metaphors oflearning comprehensively and grasp their metaphorical expressions quickly and correctly, and this thesis also intends to assist the English who study Chinese as a foreign language or the Chinese who study English as a foreign language. Besides, this thesis can enable the reader to develop a better understanding of conceptual metaphor itself about its experiential basis,cross-domain mappings, metaphorical expressions and its function to structure other concepts.