Perception and Metaphor: A Comparative Perspective Between English and Chinese

Cognitive linguists believe that metaphors are prevalent in human thought, while metaphorical structures are reflected at the linguistic level. Therefore, analysing extensive language data can aid in revealing the metaphorical mappings of embodied experience with the senses of vision, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and temperature.

This volume seeks to discover the similarities and differences between the metaphorical systems of the English and Chinese languages. Adopting a comparative view, the authors examine the semantic extensions of perception words in English and Chinese, in order to reveal the metaphorical scope of each sense and the metaphorical system behind it. They argue that the metaphorical systems of the senses not only help us understand and use conventionalised metaphorical expressions but also allow us to create novel expressions. The findings also unveil how abstract concepts are constructed via cognitive mechanisms, such as image schema and metaphor.

This title is a useful reference for scholars and students who are interested in cognitive linguistics, comparative linguistics, and the philosophy of language.

Qin Xiugui is Professor and PhD Supervisor at Guangxi University for Nationalities. His major research interests include cognitive linguistics and foreign language teaching. He has published more than 30 journal articles, one monograph, one academic dictionary, and one textbook on translation.

Tie Yi is Postdoctoral Fellow and Lecturer at Zhengzhou University. Her research interests include cognitive linguistics and comparative linguistics. She has published eight papers and one monograph.