A Cognitive Study of English Body Idioms in Textbooks from the Perspective of Conceptual Metaphors

魏煜翎

Abstract： Metaphor is not merely a kind of figure of speech in literature but also a cognitive method in humans cognition. This paper analyzes the conceptual metaphor in English body idioms and discusses the conceptual mechanism in textbooks. This paper tries to provide a new interpretation of body idioms from a conceptual perspective. Besides， it helps English learners and educators construct a metaphorical way in leaning body idioms.

Key words： conceptual metaphor； cognition； body idioms； textbooks

1.Introduction

The study of metaphor has a long history for about two thousand years. At the beginning， metaphor was regarded as a mere figure of speech in literature such as a drama or a poem. However， later metaphor is not only regarded as only a rhetorical tool， but also an approach of cognition and thinking. In other words， human beings use metaphor to comprehend the world. A number of scholars have done great contribution to the field of metaphor.

This paper adopts English body idioms in textbooks as study object. English idioms are collected from several English textbooks including New Century English， New Concept English， New Inside Out and Go for it. The body idioms chosen in this paper are analyzed from the perspectives of Conceptual Metaphor Theory， which provide a new way of language learning. Besides， it can help Chinese English learners change the learning style of mechanical memorizing.

Body idioms do not only have literal meaning but also figurative meaning. Conceptual Metaphor Meaning can analyze the conceptual mapping of them. This paper does a cognitive study in order to explore the following two questions：

（1）What are the working mechanisms of conceptual metaphors of body idioms in textbooks？

（2）What are the suggestions for teachers？

2.Conceptual Mapping based on General Knowledge

Some of the meanings of English body idioms are easy to understand， but others are difficult to catch. Invisible information is often metaphorized as concrete entities such as body parts. Some idioms can be explained through conceptual metaphors， and some are through conceptual metonymies. Many body idioms should be explained based on general knowledge.

Here are some examples below.

a.keep your figures crossed for you

b.pulling ones leg

c.see eye to eye

The phrases above all contain human body metaphors. Body parts are used to express actions. The source domain are， respectively， “figures”， “l(fā)eg”， “hand” an “eye”. In example （a）， the target domain is the action of “praying”. When people cross their figures， they often pray in a church or wish a good luck. Thus， people catch the meaning of this phrase based on the metaphorical idea. In example （b）， the metaphorical meaning can only be caught by understanding the whole action. It means “play a joke on somebody/trick somebody”. People have an image while listening to the phrase. When we think of the action of “pulling ones leg”， it may be children or pets playing with each other. It cannot be used to describe the action of adults， thus it has metaphorical meanings. The metaphorical meanings are beyond the words of body part. Example （c） also indicates the action of “getting along well with somebody”. The conceptual mapping is the action. Eyes are related to mind， if two men have the same opinions upon one thing， they get along well with each other.

General knowledge means peoples common sense of the conventionalized domain. The meanings of metaphors above are motivated by peoples common knowledge of the action and situation.

3. Conceptual Mapping through Conceptual Metonymies

Conceptual Metonymies also help to construct meanings in body idioms.

d.give me a hand

e.a green hand

f.keep an eye on

In example （d）， “give me a hand” means “help me”. Most of the time people use their hands to do things. Thus， when people are in need， another hand means another persons help. It has a conceptual metonymy. “Hand” stands for “the person and his activities”. In example （e）， the source domain is also “hand”. It does not refer to the hand but the skills of one person “Hand” and “skill” are constructed in our cognition because we recognize new entities based on daily experience. Example （f） stands means “pay attention to”. The source domain “eye” represents for one person who keeps close attention on something.

Thus， conceptual metonymy is one of the important cognitive devices in conceptual mapping. “Hand” and “eye” are parts of the human body， but they are used to describe the whole， maybe the person， the activity or the skills， etc.

4. Conceptual Mapping through Conceptual Metaphors

Some other body idioms are different from the examples above. They cannot build up contextual meanings based on common sense， and the body part does not represent for the whole. Here are some examples：

g.cost an arm and a leg

h.my flesh and blood

i.a head start

The target domain of example （g） is “expensive thing”. It has nothing to do with the human body， but a metaphorical saying of “being precious”. When people lost their leg and arm， they can do nothing. Thus “l(fā)eg and arm” are precious parts of the body. In Chinese， we also have an expression called “Duoshou （剁手）”， which means “costing lots of money”. Thus there are similarities between Chinese and English conceptual mapping. “Flesh and blood” represents for “relatives” because relatives have kinship and blood relation. That is a metaphorical expression. “A head start” means “from the very beginning”. Head is the start of body， thus it represent the earlier start of one event.

To sum up， the analysis above have shown that metaphorical mapping can be realized based on our general knowledge and through metonymies and metaphors. They are not contradictory， because sometimes they can co-exist in one body idiom. They all play an important role in construing the conceptual mappings of ones cognition.

5. Implications for Teachers

“Idiom learning and teaching are deemed to be a stumbling block of vocabulary instruction.”（Laufer， 1997： 143） Body idioms are always difficult and key points in learning process. The combination of the phrase is not arbitrary. Rote memorization can cause problems and difficulties for language learning. The limitation of memorizing capability cannot impress students in learning. With the help of conceptual mapping， the literal meaning can be closely related to the deep meaning from three mechanisms including general knowledge， conceptual metaphors and conceptual metonymies.

Learning a new language is an interaction between new knowledge and the old information. Teachers should not only teach the basic knowledge but also concern the conceptual theory and general knowledge while teaching body idioms. This step can enhance students understanding of new knowledge and lay a better foundation to solve new problems and interpret new idioms in future study. For example， in “keep ones chin up”， teachers can ask one student to perform and ask other students to guess the implications. Some students may get the right answer based on their general knowledge. Therefore， the conceptual mappings are constructed and the learning process can impress students and strengthen their memory. It helps children have the insight to explore the interaction between forms and meanings based on the conceptual mapping. Students can acquire the new English easier when leaning body idioms in a systematical way.

6. Conclusion

This paper makes a study on English human body idioms in textbooks from the perspective of Conceptual Mapping Theory. The combination of the form and meaning is not arbitrary but analyzable. Body metaphors are structured by some cognitive mechanisms including general knowledge， conceptual metaphors and conceptual metonymies. A number of examples of each category are listed to illustrate that idioms can be analyzed through conceptual mapping. Besides， in some cases more than one mechanisms are working in one body idiom. The cognitive way of understanding one idiom can make it more predictable. Thus teachers should change the way of traditional teaching and innovate new teaching methods to make learning process more effective. Teachers can organize the idioms learning in a systematic way.

Reference

[1] Laufer， B. 1997. Whats in a Word that Makes it Hard or Easy： Some Intralexical Factors that Affect Learning of Words [A]. In Schmitt， N &McMarthy;， M. （Eds）Vocabulary： Description， Acquisition and Pedagogy [C]. Cambridge： CUP， 140-145.

[2] 胡壯麟，2004，《認知隱喻學》[M]. 北京：北京大學出版社。