A Contrastive Cognitive Semantic Analysis of WATER & SHUI and FIRE & HUO

Abstract: Lakoff and Johnson’s theory about metaphor changes the direction of metaphor study。 Since then, metaphor is not simply regarded as a tool but as a way of thinking。 The essence of metaphor is to understand and experience one thing in terms of another。 This thesis looks into metaphors of water and fire, which are two essences of Chinese and English civilizations, to explore the contrast between two cultures and understand the mode of thinking。89283

Keywords: water; fire; conceptual metaphor; contrast; Chinese; English 

Table of Content

1。 Introduction 1

2。 Theoretical Foundations 1

2。1 The Development of Metaphor 1

2。1。1 Aristotelian Theory 2

2。1。2 Interaction Theory 2

2。1。3 Conceptual Metaphor Theory 3

2。2 The Mechanism of Conceptual Metaphor 3

2。2。1 The Nature of Conceptual Metaphor 3

2。2。2 Cognitive Functions of Conceptual Metaphor 4

3。 Literature Review 5

3。1 A Review of Research on Metaphor 5

3。2 A Review of Research on WATER and SHUI 6

3。3 A Review of Research on FIRE and HUO 7

4。 Research Findings and Analysis on WATER Metaphor 8

4。1 Conceptual Metaphor of Water 9

4。1。1 Conceptual Metaphor of SHUI in Chinese 9

4。1。2 Conceptual Metaphor of WATER in English 11

4。2 Universalities of WATER and SHUI Metaphor 13

4。3 Peculiarities of WATER and SHUI Metaphor 15

4。3。1 Peculiarities of SHUI Metaphor in Chinese 15

4。3。2 Peculiarities of WATER Metaphor in English 17

5。 Research Findings and Analysis on FIRE Metaphor 17

5。1 Conceptual Metaphor of Fire 17

5。1。1 Conceptual Metaphor of HUO in Chinese 18

5。1。2 Conceptual Metaphor of FIRE in English 19

5。2 Universalities of FIRE and HUO Metaphor 20

5。3 Peculiarities of FIRE and HUO Metaphor 23

5。3。1 Peculiarities in HUO Metaphor in Chinese 23

5。3。2 Peculiarities in FIRE Metaphor in English 24

6。 Analysis of Causes of Universalities and Peculiarities 25

6。1 Cause of Universalities 25

6。2 Cause of Peculiarities 26

6。2。1 Geographic Environment 27

6。2。2 Traditional philosophy 28

6。2。3 Religious beliefs