Theoretical Views on Cognitive Metaphor

Аннотация

The topic of metaphor has long been a focal point for linguists and has been deeply studied by both local and international scholars. Linguists worldwide have expressed their theoretical views and conducted thorough analyses on the main concepts of cognitive metaphor theory, its significance in language and thought, and its role in communication and cognition. This article analyzes the perspectives of the founders of cognitive metaphor theory as well as those linguists who have studied and interpreted it. Keywords: Metaphor, cognitive metaphor theory, cognition, theory, concept, idea, perceive. within the human thinking system and serves as a Introduction: Metaphor has long been one of the foundation of thought. Through metaphor, people can important directions of research in linguistics. Initially understand complex concepts more easily. considered a stylistic device, metaphor later came to be interpreted as a significant cognitive phenomenon that METHODOLOGY reveals complex relationships between language and In the second half of the 20th century, a cognitive thought. Particularly in the second half of the 20th revolution occurred in Western linguistics. During this century, the emergence of the theory of cognitive period, the approach to language changed, and it metaphor opened the way to viewing metaphor not began to be viewed as a form of human thought. merely as a stylistic tool but as one of the main According to representatives of cognitive linguistics, mechanisms of human cognition. One of the founders language is not merely a means of communication but of this theory, George Lakoff, along with his colleague an integral part of the system by which humans Mark Johnson, scientifically explained the role of perceive and comprehend the world. Against this metaphor in human consciousness, perception, and backdrop, the theory of cognitive metaphor was conceptual system. Metaphor has been studied as a developed, interpreting metaphor as a fundamental key concept in linguistics, philosophy, and literature tool of human thought. This approach sees metaphor since ancient times. Aristotle defined metaphor as “the as the expression of deep conceptual connections that art of describing one thing through another”. Although emerge through linguistic units. it was initially viewed as a stylistic tool, it was later The most prominent representatives of the theory of reinterpreted as a crucial model of thought. cognitive metaphor are American scholars George While the traditional approach studied metaphor Lakoff and Mark Johnson. In their 1980 book mainly as a literary-linguistic device, modern Metaphors We Live By, they recognized metaphor as a linguistics—especially cognitive linguistics—regards core model of human cognition According to them, metaphor as a concept closely connected to human many everyday phrases, thoughts, and concepts are cognition. The founders of this approach, George Lakoff metaphorically based. For example, expressions like and Mark Johnson, in their famous work Metaphors We “life is a journey” demonstrate that metaphor exists Live By, presented metaphor as a fundamental element not only in language but also in thought. Lakoff and of the conceptual system. From the perspectives of Johnson call such metaphors “conceptual metaphors,” these linguists, metaphor enhances stylistic expression and they argue that people use these metaphorical and imagery In addition, many scholars have analyzed models to understand and make sense of the world. it from a cognitive angle, arguing that metaphor exists According to M. Black, “The role of language as a tool American Journal Of Philological Sciences 8 https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ajps American Journal Of Philological Sciences (ISSN – 2771-2273) of cognition is crucial in revealing the uniqueness of processes. metaphor. Modern metaphors create not only The conceptual metaphor model explains how similarities but also harmony and compatibility.” In metaphor functions in shaping thought, Black's view, language is not only a means of expressing communication, and perception. At the same time, thought but plays an important role in the cognitive cognitive metaphor is significant in studying the process itself. Metaphor, in its early forms, combines interaction between language and culture. emotions and experiences. By doing so, it reveals the Theoretical studies show that cognitive metaphor can ambiguity and richness of language, thereby expanding serve as an effective tool not only for linguistic analysis the thinking process. Moreover, metaphor does not but also in language teaching, translation, emerge from mere similarities between phenomena; communication, and psychology. However, further instead, it creates harmony during the process of research is needed to apply cognitive metaphor theory understanding. Metaphors provide balance and practically in these areas. interconnection between events, fostering deeper comprehension. Thus, cognitive metaph