The event structure metaphor in Chinese State actions

The event structure metaphor in Chinese State, actions, purposes, means, difficulties

preview • event structure metaphor • data analysis • Q&A

review • Changes CHANGES ARE MOVEMENTS (INTO OR OUT OF BOUNDED REGIONS) • Cause CAUSES ARE FORCES (CONTROLLING MOVEMENT TO OR FROM LOCATIONS).

Event structure metaphor • Location-version metaphor Ø state Ø action Ø purpose Ø means Ø difficulty

1. state • STATES ARE LOCATIONS (BOUNDED REGIONS IN SPACE). IN or OUT of a state CONTAINER

Chinese examples Ø 步Bu (step) “condition; situation; state” Shiqing zenme fazhan dao zhe yi bu? things how develop to such a step How did things get into such a state?

Ø 地Di ( place/ location/land/ground) “ situation; position” Women li yu bubai zhi di. we stand in invincible MOD We are in an invincible position. place

Ø 境Jing ( place/area/ territory) “ condition; situation; state; circumstances” Shi guo jing qian. thing passed place moved (changed) The affair is over and the situation has moved (i. e. The incident is over and the circumstances are different/changed).

Ø Words have been extended metaphorically to refer to some state or situation 火坑huo-keng (fire-pit) "fiery pit; abyss of suffering“ 深渊shen-yuan (deep-pool) "abyss“ THE DESIRED IS UP and THE UNDESIRED IS DOWN.

Ø Change of states is the change of location Daduoshu nongmin most yi zou chu peasants already walk out-of pinkun. poverty. Most peasants already walked out of poverty.

2. action • ACTIONS ARE SELF-PROPELLED MOVEMENTS. Ø starting an action is starting out a path Zhongguo Kexueyuan yijing zai Chinese Academy-of-sciences already PRT shenhua gaige de daolu shang mai-kai deepen reform MOD road on stride-out le jianshi de bufa. PRT firm MOD steps The Chinese Academy of Sciences already made firm steps along the road of deepening the reform.

Ø Manner of actions is manner of movements Beijing jiji wentuo de tui-jin Beijing active safe MOD push-advance yiliao baoxian zhidu gaige. health insurance system reform Beijing pushes forward the reform on the system of health insurance actively and safely.

Ø Difference between actions and changes: Actions are always self-propelled movements which may cause other things to move (change), but changes may be, and very often are, movements caused by some external forces (causes) or movements (actions).

3. purpose • PURPOSE, GOALS, AND OBJECTIVES ARE DESINATIONS: DESIED LOCATIONS Ta you ma-bu-ting-ti de ben he again horse-not-stop-hoofs MOD gallop xiang xia yige mubiao le. toward next one goal PRT. With no pause, he was again galloping toward the next goal.

4. means • MEANS ARE PATHS: TO DESTINATIONS Ø 路 lu (i) road, path, way; (ii) way, means 路数 lu-shu (road/path/way-number) "method; approach; way" Ø 道 dao (i) road, way, path; (ii) way, method 道道 dao-dao (road/way/path-road/way/path) "way; method" Ø 门men (i) door, gate, entrance; (ii) way to do sth. , 门路men-lu (door/gate/entrance-road/path/way) "way"

Ø Chinese compound words or idiomatic phrases • 走正道 zou zheng-lu/dao (walk righ-road) "to take the (morally) right way (to one's goal)“ • 走老路zou wan-lu (walk roundabout-way) "to take a roundabout way (to one's goal) undesirably"

5. difficulty • DIFFICULTIES ARE IMPEDIMENTS TO MOTION difficulties are understood as blockages, features of the terrain on land or water, and features of the weather. 阻力 zu-li (resisting-force) 难关 nan-guan (difficult-pass/fortress)"difficulty; problem" 拦路虎 lan-lu hu (blocking-road tiger) "obstacle; stumbling block"

Ø Bad weather always makes it more difficult to travel Zai gongsi fazhan de daolu shang PRT company develop PRT road on bing-fei yangguang, xian-hua yi-pian. by-no-means sunshine fresh-flowers everywhere The company's developmental road is by no means sunshine and fresh flowers all the way along.

Data analysis • • Our first data Masterpiece: A dream of red mansions By Cao Xueqin Pages full of idle words Penned with hot and bitter tears; All men call the author fool; None his secret message hears

• Jia Baoyu- Jia precious jade • Heir of House Jia; Anti-feudalism, handsome, highly intelligent; • like to hang out with his sisters

• Lin Daiyu- Lin Blue black jade • Anti-feudalism, beautiful • Both parents died and then was raised in House Jia. Characteristic: sentimental, talented, proud and aloof, bad health condition

• Xue Baochai- Xue precious hair pin • Born in a rich family, House Xue. • Characteristic: social, tactful, hypocrite, traditional feudalism Chinese woman; talented

• Triangle love storyline between Baoyu, Baochai, Daiyu • 金玉良缘 gold and jade-marriage • Baochai: wear a golden lock • Baoyu: wear a holy jade • 木石前盟 plant and stone • -Vows • Daiyu: a fairy grass • Baoyu: a stone god

Alas for her wifely virtue, Her wit to sing of willowdown, poor maid! Buried in snow the broken golden hairpin, and hanging in the wood the belt of jade. Belt of jade= Daiyu Golden Hairpin=Baochai State Locations Died, abandoned Hanging in woods Talent wasted Buried in snow

One signs to no purpose, the other yearns in vain; one is the moon reflected in the water, the other but a flower in the mirror. How many tears can well from her eyes? Can they flow on from autumn till winter, from spring till summer? State Illusory; unreal, visible but Locations Moon in the water Can not reach Flower in the mirror

葬花吟 Each year for three hundred and sixty days The cutting wind and biting frost contend. I long to take wing and fly With the flowers to earth’s uttermost bound; Cutting wind, biting frost = bad weather DIFFICULTY PURPOSES ARE DESTINATIONS

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