Some recent issues in conceptual metaphor theory Zoltn

Some recent issues in conceptual metaphor theory Zoltán Kövecses Eötvös Loránd University Budapest, Hungary

Five issues • • (1) The abstract understood figuratively, the concrete understood literally, but the concrete understood figuratively? • (2) Do metaphors emerge directly or indirectly? • (3) Do conceptual metaphors consist of domains, schemas, frames or spaces? • (4) Are metaphors conceptual or contextual in nature? • (5) Are metaphors offline or online phenomena?

(1) The concrete understood figuratively? • The case of SMELL: • Ideal source domain. • But: it has aspects, such as EXISTENCE, INTENSITY, LACK OF CONTROL

• INTENTSITY: • • overpowering, strong, faint: INTENSITY OF SMELL IS STRENGTH OF EFFECT sharp, pungent: INTENSITY OF SMELL IS SHARPNESS OF AN OBJECT vaguely: INTENSITY OF SMELL IS DEGREE OF BRIGHTNESS OF LIGHT pervasive, fill: INTENSITY OF SMELL IS QUANTITY OF A SUBSTANCE • • overpowering, strong, faint: INTENSITY IS STRENGTH sharp, pungent: INTENSITY IS SHARPNESS vaguely: INTENSITY IS BRIGHTNESS pervasive, fill: INTENSITY IS QUANTITY

(2) Do metaphors emerge directly or indirectly? • ANGER IS HEAT • Primary metaphor. • Elementary scene with a subjective and sensorimotor element. • ANGER and BODY HEAT.

• In an initial “frame-like” structure with element 1 (E 1) and element 2 (E 2), E 1 and E 2 are correlated in experience, and thus E 2 can stand metonymically for E 1. For instance, body heat stands metonymically for anger. • Then, element 2 is generalized (or schematized) and becomes the source concept for the initial concept, which becomes the target concept. BODY HEAT > HEAT • Body heat is generalized to heat outside the emotion domain, thus allowing the primary metaphor ANGER IS HEAT to emerge. • This is followed by elaboration: HOT FLUID, LAVA, even ACETYLENE.

(3) Do conceptual metaphors consist of domains, schemas, frames or spaces? • A variety of different terms for conceptual metaphors. • Observation: the terms describe different levels of schematicity. • IMAGE SCHEMA • DOMAIN • FRAME • Schematicity hierarchy.

• E. g. , Lakoff (1993): • The Event Structure metaphor • LIFE IS A JOURNEY • LOVE IS A JOURNEY

• “Everything that I wanted to say I couldn’t think how to say in French. I was bursting with anger, mostly at myself for my lack of French vocabulary. ” (my bolding, ZK) • http: //vagendamagazine. com/2014/10/harassment-on-the-streets-of -paris-why-is-it-worse-than-in-the-uk/

Image schema level: • INTENSITY IS STRENGTH (OF EFFECT) Domain level: • EMOTIONS ARE FORCEFUL INTERACTIONS: INTENSITY OF EMOTION IS DEGREE OF PRESSURE Frame level: THE ANGRY PERSON IS A HOT FLUID IN A CONTAINER: THE INTENSITY OF A PERSON’S ANGER IS THE DEGREE OF PHYSICAL PRESSURE INSIDE A PERSON-CONTAINER Mental spaces level: • THE HIGH INTENSITY OF THE SPEAKER’S ANGER IS THE HIGH DEGREE OF PHYSICAL PRESSURE INSIDE THE SPEAKER-CONTAINER

(4) Are metaphors conceptual or contextual in nature? • Schematicity hierarchies are conceptual patterns. • But they function in context. • What is context? • The totality of our experiences – both locally and globally.

• Image schema metaphors • Domain metaphors • Frame metaphors • Mental spaces metaphors • -------------------------------function in CONTEXT • Each schematicity hierarchy emerges in CONTEXT. • Conceptual metaphors are BOTH conceptual and contextual.

(5) Are metaphors offline or online phenomena? • CMT started out as an offline theory. • Image schema, domain, and frame level metaphors are offline conceptual patterns. • They lack dynamism, malleability, and creativity. • Criticism was bound to happen.

• Conceptual integration (blending) theory. • Dynamic, malleable, and creative. • How can we maintain all the achievements of CMT and at the same time accommodate these criticisms?

• Add the mental space level to the schematicity hierarchy. • Conceptual integration occurs at the mental spaces level. • But it assumes the frame, domain, and image schema levels.

• IMAGE SCHEMA • DOMAIN offline • FRAME • ---------------------- • MENTAL SPACE online This way, we can turn CMT into a theory that can combine the idea of an offline schematicity hierarchy and its online functioning in a unified view of metaphor as both a product and a process.

• This is all in preparation to be published as a new book: • EXTENDED CONCEPTUAL METAPHOR THEORY