晋中学院本科生毕业论文(设计)
ⅣThe Analysis of English and Chinese Conceptual Metaphors of \Love\
English poems are collected from the time of Edward de Vere (1550---1604) in English history to the early 20th century. Chinese poems are collected from the Pre-Qin Period to present time, mainly from the Classic Poetry, partly from the The Story of The Stone and typical poems. Due to the limitation of ability and time, the author cannot collect all the poems but the most classical and typical English and Chinese love poems.
4.1 General conceptual metaphors of \love\
Charles Fraker pointed out that language is often seen as an important tool in the study of cognitive systems. Only through language can we describe things. This proposition has greatly affected the thought of the relationship between language and cognitive understanding. Due to the interaction of cognition and emotion, the study of human emotions constitutes an important part of our exploration of human cognition. A systematic correlation exits between the human emotions and the experience. The following section will discuss in detail how we use language to express love, an abstraction. \is the most common human emotions and most important part of our experience. Although love can be divided into different categories: \family\\and love\\of religion\爱情\
In this section, there will be a detailed analysis of the common metaphor of love in the love poems in English and Chinese. Metaphor is deeply rooted in physical experience. Therefore, similarity of the body experiences leads to the same metaphor in different cultures. Love is a universal phenomenon, either in Chinese or English, for people have similar experiences and physical reactions of love. Therefore, it is easy to find similarity among English and Chinese love metaphors. This section will describes the four common metaphors in English and Chinese and has a detailed analysis. 4.1.1 Love is a journey
\(1)Lyke as a ship that through the Ocean wyde, By conduct of some star doth make her way; (2)Love, shall we start or stay, or sail or row?
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晋中学院本科生毕业论文(设计)
Our way lies where God knows, And love knows where;
\
(1)行行重行行,与君生别离。道路阻且长,会面安可知。 (2)所谓伊人,在水一方。溯洄从之,道阻且长;
Several examples are described above, in which love is mapped to the journey. Firstly, lovers will be mapped to passengers in one trip. Secondly, the relationship of lovers can be seen as the same vehicle on the way. Thirdly, couples who share a common goal is just as travelers' common destination. Finally, the difficulties encountered in the map for obstacles in the journey of love relationships. In a love relationship, a happy ending of love between lovers seems like travel and tourism destination. In short, the concept of love is so clear and easier to understand throughout the concept of the journey. 4.1.2 Love is plant
\” in English Love poems: (1) O my luve's like a red, red rose. That's newly sprung in June;
(2) GO and catch a falling star, Get with child a mandrake root,
\(1)红豆生南国,春来发几枝? (2)涉江采芙蓉,兰泽多芳草。
Several examples are described above, in which love is mapped to the plant. Firstly, lovers will be mapped to plants such as rose, lotus and red been and so on. The beauty and sweer fragrance map the beauty of lover. Secondly, the progress of growing also refers to the occurrence of love. The plant need raised carefully just as the love need treated gently. In short, poets express abstract love with the plants and the readers can feel the sweet emotions in the way.
Through the above examples, it is also noticed that the metaphor \Chinese is more than that in the English love poems. China is a large agricultural country, which greatly affects people's concept of love, so even though a similar experience of
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晋中学院本科生毕业论文(设计)
growing plants is shared both in English and Chinese, love metaphor is still diffident as a result of their culture. 4.1.3 Love is illness
\(1) Straight through my heart the wound is quick and keen.
Only your word will heal the injury. (2) 'O it's I am sick, and very, very sick, And it's all for Barbara Allen.'
\(1) 衣带渐宽终不悔。为伊消得人憔悴。 (2) 新啼痕压旧啼痕,断肠人忆断肠人。 今春,香肌瘦几分,裙带宽三寸。
In this section, love is mapped to a disease. It generally reflects a reaction in a love relationship in which one side is injured or can not get the people they love. Disease makes people depressed, and those who were injured or can not get the people they love use this metaphor to express their strong reaction for love. In this metaphor, the pain of love is too abstract to describe, through concrete illness, it is vividly demonstrated. 4.1.4 Love is a shining object
\(1) Shall I your beauties with the moon compare? She’s faithless, you a single purpose own. (2) Or to the general sun, who everywhere Goes common with his light? You walk alone Love is a growing,or full constant light, And his short minute,after noon,is nigh \(1) 人生自是有情痴,此恨不关风和月。 (2) 愿我如星君如月,夜夜流光相皎洁。
In this part, love is compared to a shining object, the most common target sources are
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晋中学院本科生毕业论文(设计)
the moon, the sun and the stars. On the one hand, the moon is always hanging in the sky with the gentle moonlight. Lovers use the metaphor to express their careful companion with their lovers. On the other hand, people also give an expression of looking forward to the happy ending of the love. The concept of love is so clear and easier to understand throughout the concept of the shining objects.
4.2 Specific conceptual metaphors of \love\ in English poems
At the same time, English and Chinese poems have some specific love metaphors. These differences reflect the cultural relativity of these two nations, abstract concepts including emotions are understood metaphorically in respective cultural background. The differences can be accounted for by different cultural perceptions, cognitive models and specific economic patterns, and cultural perceptions play a significant role in constituting our perceiving of the world and the employing metaphors. Aiming at a comparative analysis of love metaphors in English and Chinese poems against cultural background, the thesis is a supplement to the existing ideas of love metaphor, also provides certain perspective to the study of love metaphor. 4.2.1 Love is a valuable object
(1) I prize thy love more than whole mines of gold Or all the riches that the East doth hold. (2) I hold his dear, and mine he cannot miss, There never was a better bargain driven.
Commodity economy has been more developed in west. People of English-speaking nation admire the importance of human values comparatively, promote individualism and egoism, and advocate the commodity, currency or expensive items. So there is metaphorical concepts such as \suspected to exchange the love of each other. This is a rather special kind of love metaphor in English.
In \
to possess. The mappings of the metaphor are: the valuable object is love; the value of the valuable object is the importance of the love relation; the desire to get the valuable object is the desire to have love; the effort to possess the valuable object is the effort to win love; and
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晋中学院本科生毕业论文(设计)
the attitude towards the valuable object is the attitude towards lover.
As we have to cherish the valuable objects which we spend our effort and money to obtain, we are attached to the person we love. Similarly we treasure and take good care of our beloved, and we are proud of possessing the beloved. Just like the economic exchange metaphor, the metaphor \culture. Since in West, personal success is judged by his ossession and individual power, so people are encouraged to accumulate fortune through personal efforts and hard working. This kind of thought is also reflected in their conceptualization of love metaphor. 4.2.2 Love is sport
(1) Judge you that think such sports were harms,
Weren't any harm? No, no, fie, fie! (2) The scorched fly, which once hath es- caped the flame,
Will hardly come to play with fire, Whereby I learn that grievous is the game.
As all mentioned above, metaphor is connected with the context. Westerners admire sports, so there are a lot of love metaphors in terms of sports. In the game of love, there are winners and losers. Within the influence of western environment, the westerners approve of individualism and they fight for what they want.
4.3 Specific conceptual metaphors of \love\ in Chinese poems
It is obvious that culture plays a major role in conceptualization of metaphor. Due to the different cultures, both English and Chinese have their own specific ways of interpreting love. With the influence of cultural experiences, the poets have different expressions of love metaphors.
4.3.1 Love is agricultural product
(1)桑之未落,其叶沃若。桑之落矣,其黄而陨。 (2)投我以木瓜,报之以琼琚。匪报也,永以为好也。
China has been a predominantly agricultural country. People are effected by the farm psychologically and strongly. Farming is a typical ancient lifestyles in China. Metaphors of
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