2.7 CONCEPTUAL METAPHOR THEORY
2.7.5 Interaction between domains
conceptualised and defined by our understanding in terms of other basic domains of experiences like 'journeys', 'money', and 'war'. A basic domain of experience can be defined as a structured whole within our experience, conceptualised and constituted as an 'experiential gestalt' of a natural recurrent kind of human experience (i.e. products of human nature, for instance our bodily experiences, or interactions with our physical environment and with other people).
2.7.6 Summary
2.7.6.1 Several contributors
This theory of metaphor was further developed and refined by several individual efforts by Lakoff, 10OOson, Turner, and as a joint effort by Lakoff and Turner. Lakoff (1987), deals with the importance of categorisation in our experiencing and understanding of our world, as well as how it relates to our comprehension of metaphor. 10OOson's contribution (1987), shows how metaphor is motivated by our bodily experiences, for instance, UPIDOWN, PARTIWHOLE, which he calls 'kinaesthetic image schematic concepts'. These schemas serve as source domain for mapping to the target domain, a characteristic feature of metaphor (p276). Turner (1987), and also together with Lakoff (Lakoff and Turner 1989), present a theory of poetic metaphor and demonstrate how poetic metaphor utilizes everyday metaphorical language available to speakers of a language, and to extend the basic conceptual metaphors of that language (Turner 1987:5lf,54ff). They also demonstrate the sharp contrast between their theory and the traditional Aristotelian substitution, comparison and similarity theories as well as the modem theories of the Interactionists, Black and Richards (Lakoffand Turner 1989: 124ff).
2.7.6.2 Basic claims
1ackendorffand Aaron (1991:320) give us a summary of the basic claims repeatedly made throughout the book, which forms the basis of their approach to metaphor namely:
"(1) Metaphor is not a "figure of speech', a linguistic object. Rather, it is a
conceptual or cognitive organization expressed by the linguistic object. As a consequence, many different linguistic expressions may evoke (or invoke) the same metaphor.
(2) Metaphorical expressions pervade ordinary language; they are not just used for artistic purposes. These everyday metaphors reveal cognitive cultural conceptions ofthe world.
(3) Metaphor in poetry is not a distinctly different phenomenon from metaphor in ordinary language. Rather, poetic metaphor exploits and enriches the everyday metaphors available to any competent speaker ofthe language.
(4) The act of reading texts is a cognitive process of bringing one's construal of the world to bear on the concepts evoked by the text. "
The first two claims were the central theme of Lakoff and Johnson's book Metaphors we live by(1980).1 InMore than a cool reason: A field guide to poetic metaphor, by Lakoff and Turner (1989), the focus is on the application of their claims about poetic metaphor in literary material. This account viewed metaphor as the mapping of the conceptual organisation from one domain, the source domain, to another, the target domain.
2.7.6.3 Metaphorical mapping
Metaphorical mapping as explained by Turner (1987:63,64) by means of the example LIFE IS A JOURNEY, consists of the following:
" Slots in the source-domain schema (e.g., journey), which get mapped onto slots in the target domain (e.g., life).
Relations in the source domain (journey), which get mapped onto relations in the target domain (life).
Properties in the source domain, which get mapped onto properties in the target domain.
Knowledge in the source domain, which gets mapped onto knowledge in the target domain. "
ISee Indurkhya 1992:293 for a summary oftheir thesis.
2.7.6.4 Meaning
Another aspect of their theory relates to their view concerning the meaning of words.
Turner (1987:109) summarises this stating that words evoke much more in the mind than what they strictly designate. The conceptual content that words evoke, rather than the physical words on paper, conveys meaning. Therefore, meanings are in people's minds, not merely in the words written on the page. He concludes: "To study metaphor is to be confronted with the hidden aspects of one's own mind and one's own culture." (p214).
Sweetser (1990:5) confirms the notion by concluding:
"Rather, it is our cognitive structuring of the world which can create such an identification. And
if
language uses a word for our cognitive category, then language cannot be described in terms ofpurejit between Word and World: unless, by World, we mean our experential picture ofthe world. "2.7.6.5 Culture
Regarding the vital role of culture, the proponents of the conceptual theory of metaphor claim (Turner 1987:51) that basic conceptual metaphors form coherent and systematic structured wholes in which members of a culture share.1They are usually understood in terms of common experiences typical of a culture. Therefore, through convention, their occurrences in language as well as the cognitive process involved are unconscious and automatic. Turner (1987:26) states: "Basic metaphors are part of those conceptual resources, part of the way members of our culture make sense of the world. " The poets from a specific culture and language group are also inclined to use the same basic conceptual apparatus available to all the members of such a group. However, they may implement or express their ideas in new and unusual ways as well as bold images in order to offer new modes of metaphorical thought or to reveal the inadequacies of current or former ideas (P51).
IS~eetser(1990:9,42&45) shows that there might be cross-cultural if not universal concepts as reflected in
hiSstudy of OT Hebrew and English expressions regarding physical hearing and obeying.