A Cognitive Contrast Between English And Chinese Synaesthesia

Based on humanity's common physiological mechanism,synaesthesia is not only a kind of language phenomenon,but also a psychological phenomenon.In recent years,with the deepening development of metaphor and rhetoric studies,the domestic and foreign scholars have been showed great enthusiasm on the study of synaesthesia.From cognitive linguistics,this thesis uses conceptual integration theory to illustrate synaesthesia in English and Chinese language.Different from the traditional rhetoric point of view,this thesis carries on the comparative study from the perspective of cognition.There are lots of similarities because of the common physical,mental structure and cognitive way.But due to the different image schemas formed on the basis of life experience,there is certain difference on the specific meaning.The application of synaesthesia is closely associated with human culture and cognition so it is widely used in all aspects of social life.Therefore,the cognitive study not only has theoretical value but also social and cultural significance.This thesis is divided into six parts.Introduction introduces the subject,theory basis and comparison with previous studies.Chapter one introduces synaesthesia from its definition,production and major sensed.Chapter two introduces relevant research achievements of scholars at home and abroad.Chapter three takes conceptual integration theory as the theoretical basis of cognitive study,providing the theoretical guidance of the cognitive study.Chapter four is the contrast of English and Chinese synaesthetic phenomenon,and uses a case study to illustrate the contrasts.The conclusion briefly summarizes the achievements and limitations of the thesis.Through the research,we can have a rather clear understanding of the similarities and differences of the phenomenon of synaesthesia and its cognitive reasons.