Practice 3: Conceptual metaphor
1. Consider the following sentences to talk about “arguments” (Lakoff and Johnson, 1980). What is the conceptual metaphor ARGUMENT IS ...?
(1) Your claims are indefensible
(2) He attacked every weak point in my argument (3) His criticisms were right on target
(4) I demolished his argument
(5) I’ve never won an argument with him (6) He shot down all of my arguments
All the above expressions reflect the conceptual metaphor ARGUMENT IS WAR
2. And how about the concept of TIME? In what terms do we conceptualise it? Can you think of examples to prove it?
The concept of TIME is structured, understood and talked about in terms of MONEY. The metaphorical concept TIMES IS MONEY is reflected in contemporary English by a wide variety of expressions:
You’re wasting my time.
This gadget will save you hours.
How do you spend your time these days? I’ve invested a lot of time in her.
He’s living on borrowed time.
Other related metaphorical concepts are TIME IS A LIMITED RESOURCE and TIME IS A VALUABLE COMMODITY. Time in our culture is a valuable commodity. It is a limited resource that we use to accomplish our goals. We use our everyday experiences with limited resources and valuable commodities to conceptualise time: ‘I don’t have enough time to spare for that’, ‘You’re running out of time’ (limited resources); ‘Thank you for your time’, ‘I lost a lot of time when I got sick’ (valuable commodities).
3. One of the three types of conceptual metaphor is orientational metaphors. Read the following sentences and say what is the metaphor underlying the expressions (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980: 15)
(1) He’s at the peak of health - HEALTH IS UP (2) Lazarus rose from the dead - LIFE IS UP (3) He’s in top shape - HEALTH IS UP (4) He fell ill - SICKNESS IS DOWN
(5) He’s sinking fast - SICKNESS IS DOWN (6) He came down with flu - SICKNESS IS DOWN (7) His health is declining - SICKNESS IS DOWN (8) He dropped dead - DEATH IS DOWN
(1) My mind isn’t working today. (2) I’m a little rusty today.
(3) We’ve been working on this problem all day and now we’re running out of steam. (4) She has a screw loose.
THE MIND IS A MACHINE
5. Many conceptual metaphors are cultural. Translate into Spanish all the previous sentences. Can we say that the same metaphors apply into Spanish?
ARGUMENT IS WAR
(1) Your claims are indefensible (Tus afirmaciones son indefendibles)
(2) He attacked every weak point in my argument (Atacó cada punto débil de mi argumento)
(3) His criticisms were right on target (Sus críticas dieron justo en el blanco) (4) I demolished his argument (Destruí/demolí su argumento)
(5) I’ve never won an argument with him (Nunca he ganado una discusión con él) (6) He shot down all of my arguments (Me mató con su alegato/Derribó todos mis
argumentos)
We can say that the conceptual metaphor ARGUMENT IS WAR applies into Spanish.
HEALTH/LIFE IS UP:
(1) He’s at the peak of health (Rebosa salud) (2) He’s in top shape (Está en plena forma)
The above expressions in Spanish seem to reflect the metaphor MORE IS UP (1) Lazarus rose from the dead (Lázaro se levantó de entre los muertos). The
conceptual metaphor LIFE IS UP applies into Spanish.
SICKNESS/DEATH IS DOWN: (1) He fell ill (Cayó enfermo)
(2) He’s sinking fast (Se está apagando rápidamente) (3) He came down with flu (Cayó con gripe)
(4) His health is declining (Su salud va en declive) (5) He dropped dead (Cayó muerto)
Generally, the conceptual metaphor SICKNESS/DEATH IS DOWN applies into
Spanish. However, the translation of example 2, ‘He’s sinking fast’, seems to reflect a different metaphor. The concepts of LIFE and DEATH are also structured in Spanish in terms of LIGHT and DARKNESS. In this particular example, the conceptual metaphor would be DEATH/SICKNESS IS DARKNESS (apagarse)
THE MIND IS A MACHINE
(1) My mind isn’t working today. (Mi mente no funciona hoy)
(2) I’m a little rusty today. (Tengo la mente oxidada. More common: Estoy un poco espeso [≠ metaphor])
(3) We’ve been working on this problem all day and now we’re running out of steam. (Llevamos todo el día trabajando en este problema y ya nos estamos quedando sin batería/energía)
(4) She has a screw loose. (Le falta un tornillo/Tiene un tornillo flojo)
6. Identify the instances of metaphor in the following passage:
When he met her, he never thought that they were going to get so far (LOVE IS A JOURNEY). He had been falling (LOVE IS ILLNESS/LOVE IS WAR) slowly but surely, up to a point where he had to choose one of the two paths (LOVE IS A JOURNEY). He couldn't do any other thing but surrender (LOVE IS WAR/LOVE IS A GAME) and choose her. He was totally crazy about (LOVE IS INSANITY) her, she nourished (LOVE IS A NUTRIENT) his soul.
Now, translate the previous text into Spanish so as to check whether the same metaphors apply in this language too.
Cuando la conoció, nunca pensó que fueran a llegar tan lejos (LOVE IS A JOURNEY). Poco a poco había ido sucumbiendo al amor (LOVE IS ILLNESS/LOVE IS WAR), hasta llegar al punto en el que era necesario escoger uno de los dos caminos (LOVE IS A JOURNEY). No pudo hacer otra cosa que rendirse (LOVE IS WAR/LOVE IS A GAME) y elegirla. Estaba completamente loco por ella. Ella llenaba su alma (LOVE IS A NUTRIENT).
7. According to Lakoff & Johnson, these are some recurring metaphors in English. Can you think of linguistic expressions that reflect these metaphors?
1. LOVE IS MAGIC (structural metaphor) She cast her spell over me.
The magic is gone. I was entranced by him. I am charmed by her. She is bewitching.
2. LIFE IS A JOURNEY (structural metaphor)
I don’t know where I’m heading. My life has no direction at the moment. You have to move on and forget about what has happened.
After university I was at a crossroads, and I didn’t know which way to go. You can’t just go through life with your eyes closed!
3. IDEAS ARE FOOD (ontological metaphor) What he said left a bad taste in my mouth.
There are too many facts here for me to digest them all. That’s food for thought.
This is the meaty part of the paper. The idea has been fermenting for years.
4. GOOD IS UP (orientational metaphor) Things are looking up.
5. LOVE IS ILLNESS (structural metaphor)
She drives me out of my mind. (LOVE IS INSANITY) I’m sick with/of love.
To die of love Suffer from love.
6. LOVE IS A GAME (structural metaphor) She’s playing hard to get
to win or lose one’s love cheat in the game of love
7. TIME IS SPACE (ontological metaphor) TIME PASSING IS MOTION OF AN OBJECT Let’s put all that behind us.
On the preceding day…
TIME PASSING IS MOTION OVER A LANDSCAPE His stay in Russia extended over many years He’ll have his degree within two years
Now, say whether the metaphors above are: structural, orientational or ontological. Then, translate them into Spanish to check for cultural correspondences (or differences). Can you add some more examples in Spanish?
1. EL AMOR ES MAGIA Me ha hechizado Se rompió la magia Me tiene hipnotizada
2. LA VIDA ES UN VIAJE
Su vida tomó un giro repentino Mi vida no tiene dirección
Quiero cambiar el rumbo de mi vida
3. LAS IDEAS SON ALIMENTO No me trago lo que me dices.
Lo que dijo me dejó mal sabor de boca. Esta idea se lleva madurando mucho tiempo.
4. ARRIBA ES BUENO Es un coche de alta gama.
Este año la empresa ha conseguido altos rendimientos. Ha alcanzado la cima de su carrera deportiva.
5. EL AMOR ES ENFERMEDAD. La fiebre del amor.
Mal de amores.
6. EL AMOR ES UN JUEGO
Siempre he apostado por esta relación. Jugó bien sus cartas y ganó su corazón.
7. EL TIEMPO ES ESPACIO Ya hemos pasado junio. Estaré allí en dos minutos.
Dejemos los malos tiempos atrás y miremos al futuro.
Metonymy
Identify the following metonymies in the sentences below.
1. The ham sandwich is waiting for the bill. We could say it is a special case of object used for user: the ham sandwich stands for the person who ordered it.
2. China has rejected all the environmental agreements. Place for institution 3. A thousand blue helmets have been sent to Iraq. Object used for user
4. The gallery paid five million dollars for a minor Picasso. a) Institution for people; b) Producer for product.
