Metaphorical Conceptualization Of Emotions In German And Chinese Phraseology

As constitutive phenomena for human life and experience,emotions exist in all languages and cultures.Nevertheless,it is not easy to conceptualize and express this abstract and subjectively experienced phenomenon,to which Metaphor offers an important access.In the light of conceptual metaphor theory of Lakoff/Johnson,the metaphor concept in this thesis is essentially a cognitive phenomenon and characterized by universality and cultural relevance.Based on these characteristics,metaphor is a suitable analytical unit for decoding the concept system and the socio-cultural backgrounds in different language communities.So the conceptual metaphor of emotion is a valuable research topic.The previous German-Chinese comparative research on metaphorical conceptualization largely dealt with concepts from source domain,such as animals,body parts and orientation etc.The concept of target domain is not sufficiently researched,which also includes the concept emotion.The existing theses on emotion metaphors in China are primarily English-Chinese comparison,and in German scientific community only a few German-Czech,German-Polish analysis can be found.So this thesis carries out a German-Chinese comparative analysis of emotion metaphors with the example of anger,fear and joy and focuses on the following questions: How are these three emotions metaphorically conceptualized and expressed in German and Chinese phraseology? Which similarities and differences can be observed? Which factors account for the similarities and differences?Using linguistic data collected from phraseological dictionaries,the writer tries to identify the source domain of all emotion-expressions listed and to systematize the conceptual emotion metaphors.On this basis,the Germany and Chinese emotion metaphors and their linguistic embodiment will be comparatively analyzed.Finally,the writer tries to offer an explanation for the similarities and differences.The research shows that emotion metaphors in German and Chinese correspond largely to each other.1.In both languages,the source domains HEAT or FIRE,GAS,RISING or EXPLOSION,COLOR(red),ENEMY BEING and DISEASE(SYMPTOM)are available to ANGER metaphor.2.The Metaphors FEAR AS COLD,MOTIONLESSNESS,DEFECATION,COLOR(white),ANIMAL and ENEMY BEING are same.3.Concepts UP,DANCE/CHEERING,SMILING and DISEASE(SYMPTOM)can be projected onto HAPPY in both languages.4.In general,the conceptual metaphors EMOTION AS TEMPERATURE,COLOR,ENEMY BEING,ORIENTATION,DISEASE(SYPMTOM)and BODY AS CONTAINER FOR EMOTION are not only cross-lingual but also trans-emotional.Despite these similarities,there are also some differences.1.In terms of the ANGER metaphor,the source domain of TASTE(sour),FLUID and the appearance of multiple colors under the same source domain COLOR are typical for German.The metaphor ANGER AS GAS is more common in Chinese than in German.2.In the metaphorical conceptualization of FEAR,the source domain LOSS THE CONTROL OF SOUL occurs exclusively in Chinese.The common source domain ANIMAL is realized in German through Rabbit,but in Chinese through Mouse.Compared with the Chinese corpus,the German has more representatives for FEAR AS DEFECATION.3.HAPPY can be expressed in German additionally through the concept of LIGHT and in Chinese through FLOWER.However,these two metaphors are not typical in each other's language.4.On the whole,more internal organs are used in Chinese emotion metaphors than in German.The similarities show that metaphors are rooted in common bodily experiences.The differences are constrained by socio-cultural backgrounds.Some Chinese particularities are related to Yin-Yang theory and the five elements theory of traditional Chinese medicine.The research results confirm that the human concept system,including the conceptualization of emotions,is fundamentally metaphorical.Furthermore,the universality and cultural relevance of metaphor are also affirmed.