Rationale of the study
Metaphors enrich language, much like vibrant flowers enhance the beauty of life They add depth and charm to communication, making it more engaging and memorable Grasping the use of metaphors is essential for understanding figurative language in literature and improving English language skills.
Metaphors serve as powerful tools for authors to convey ideas that cannot be expressed literally, offering fresh perspectives on familiar themes By incorporating metaphors, writers enhance clarity and create vivid imagery, enriching their stories, poems, or songs Analyzing the context of metaphors reveals deeper meanings within literary works, showcasing the author's intent Ultimately, the use of metaphors adds interest and depth, allowing for more specific and clearer visual representations of the writer's expressions.
Metaphors, often linked to literary and poetic expression, offer a fresh opportunity for musicians and language learners alike This powerful device enhances communication, making it more vibrant and engaging.
Teaching students to comprehend metaphors enhances their creativity and imagination, while also fostering abstract thinking skills Additionally, early exposure to metaphors equips learners with essential literary skills that will benefit them throughout their education.
Love is a beautiful melody that inspires unique expressions between partners, transforming emotions into poetic metaphors that elevate their connection These metaphors serve as powerful tools for musicians, enabling them to craft captivating love songs Through these songs, the essence of love and the art of metaphor are explored in a compelling and engaging manner.
Aims and objectives of the study
This paper is to investigate metaphorical images of love and lovers used in English songs in the late 20th century from the cognitive perspective It will help the readers:
- Have a deeper sight into theoretical knowledge on metaphor in order to be able to find, comprehend and analyze the interesting metaphors in songs
- Create some suitable ways for learners to learn English better, for teachers to give the effective lectures and for readers to translate the texts more exactly
In order to achieve the aims of the study, the objectives will be elaborated into the following research questions:
1 What are the typical metaphors of love in English love songs in the late 20th century from the cognitive perspective?
2 How are the metaphors of love expressed in the love songs?
Significance of the study
This study aims to explore the common metaphorical representations of love and lovers in renowned English love songs, contributing to cognitive linguistics By analyzing how these metaphorical images are perceived cognitively and their artistic significance in music, the research seeks to offer fresh insights into English literature.
This research aims to enhance the understanding of conceptual metaphors in English songs among Vietnamese learners and teachers of English, enabling them to apply language more flexibly Consequently, this will improve their effectiveness in learning and teaching English Furthermore, the findings will contribute to the fields of literature, semantics, and cultural linguistics in Vietnamese foreign language universities Additionally, translators will benefit from essential insights when dealing with metaphors during the translation process.
Scope of the study
This study explores the metaphors of love and lovers in renowned English love songs from the late 20th century, drawing on the theories of prominent scholars such as Lakoff and Kovecses, and examining these concepts through a cognitive lens.
Method of the study
The study employs a documentary analysis and descriptive methodology, integrating both qualitative and quantitative approaches It quantitatively assesses the frequency of metaphorical images in songs, focusing on the prevalence of three metaphor types: structural, ontological, and orientational Additionally, the qualitative analysis categorizes these metaphors based on their meaning transfer from vehicles to tenors, allowing for a detailed evaluation and synthesis guided by theoretical frameworks.
This study includes three parts and 3 chapters:
PART B: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW
Language serves as a fundamental tool for conveying human thoughts and perspectives, reflecting how individuals interpret their surroundings While each language possesses unique characteristics, it fundamentally relies on the basic unit of communication: words.
In linguistics, a word is defined as the smallest meaningful unit that can stand alone, possessing both semantic and pragmatic significance Nguyen Hoa (2004) emphasizes the word's independent nature as a language unit, while Jackson & Amvela (2000) describe it as an indivisible structure made up of one or more morphemes, typically found within phrases Additionally, Hoang Tat Truong (1993) highlights the dialectical relationship between form and content, asserting that a word can independently construct a sentence Overall, words are recognized as meaningful units comprising both form and content, categorized into two primary types: lexical words and grammatical words.
The meaning of a word is shaped by our use of language rather than being an intrinsic concept within the mind, as noted by Patrick Hogan (2010: 42), who defines word meaning as the semantic value linked to specific lexical items This article explores the evolution of word meanings and semantic changes to uncover the metaphorical concepts of love.
Language is constantly evolving, impacting various aspects such as sounds, pronunciation, and word combinations Leonard Bloomfield (1933) defines this evolution as "innovation," specifically highlighting semantic change, which alters lexical meaning rather than grammatical function This perspective underscores the significance of lexical meaning changes across different word structures Furthermore, Trier (1931) argues that any semantic change in a word influences the entire lexical network, indicating that the evolution of language is interconnected and affects all related terms.
Words carry meanings that evolve over time, a phenomenon known as semantic change This process often leads to modern interpretations that differ significantly from their original usages As words develop, their various senses and connotations can be added, removed, or altered, resulting in cognates across different languages and eras having distinct meanings.
Metaphor exemplifies semantic change, as noted by Bloomfield and Leonard (1933), who describe it as a natural extension of everyday language This form of semantic change arises from the perceived similarities between different referents Essentially, a metaphor consists of two components: the subject being discussed and the object to which it is being compared.
The phrase "Love is just a game, broken all the same" from The Magic Numbers serves as a metaphor, illustrating that love, while not a literal game, shares characteristics with one By comparing love to a game, the writer emphasizes its often false and temporary nature, highlighting the fleeting and sometimes fragile aspects of romantic relationships.
According to John Lyon (1996: 437), there are four major components of word meaning:
(a) Denotation: It includes conceptual and referential meanings which exist by virtue of what it refers to
(b) Connotation: It includes stylistic, affective, evaluative, and intensifying meaning that is the pragmatic communicative value of the words
(c) Structural meaning: is the meaning of a word acquires by virtue of its membership in a system or a set
(d) Categorical meaning: is the meaning which serves as a classificatory basis
In her work on English semantics, Nguyen Hoa (2004: 98) defines denotation as the capacity of a word or expression to pinpoint all objects encompassed by it Conversely, connotation refers to the additional communicative significance of a word or expression, extending beyond its basic conceptual meaning.
If semantics components serve as material to analyze metaphors
Language serves as a powerful tool that shapes our understanding of the world by helping us categorize and conceptualize our experiences By grouping similar entities, we develop various concepts that contribute to our overall knowledge Metaphors play a crucial role in this process; while often viewed merely as stylistic devices, they actually reflect our cognitive processes and ways of reasoning Emotions, particularly love, are frequently conceptualized through metaphors, highlighting their integral role in our daily lives.
According to Lakoff (1990), our ability to categorize is essential for functioning in both the physical and social realms Metaphor, often viewed as a poetic and rhetorical device, is defined by Lakoff and Johnson (1980) as extraordinary language that transcends ordinary usage Baars (1998) further elaborates that a metaphor involves applying a word or phrase to an object or concept it does not literally denote, implying a comparison Ultimately, metaphors expand the meanings of words beyond their literal interpretations, as illustrated by phrases like "a sea of troubles" or Shakespeare's "All the world's a stage."
Metaphor, as defined by Vo Dai Quang (2005) and Trần Văn Cơ (2011), is the transference of meaning based on the similarities between two entities in aspects such as function, character, or appearance This linguistic device relies on imagination rather than literal interpretation, allowing us to understand abstract concepts through familiar imagery For instance, the phrase "Love is a rose" conveys the beauty and freshness associated with roses, suggesting that love possesses similar qualities of loveliness and wonder This highlights the metaphorical nature of language and its role in shaping our understanding of everyday experiences.
Metaphors can be categorized in various ways, with Lakoff and Johnson identifying three key types: marginal metaphoric concepts, which are less commonly used; conventional metaphoric concepts, which are widely recognized and understood; and new metaphoric concepts, which emerge and evolve over time.
145) Metaphoric concepts take public form in metaphoric expressions, also called
Metaphors can be categorized based on their degree of unexpectedness, as outlined by Nguyen Hoa (2004: 109) The three primary types of metaphors include living metaphors, which evoke fresh and vivid imagery; faded metaphors, which have lost some of their original impact; and dead metaphors, which are so commonly used that they have become cliché.
George Lakoff and Mark Johnson (1980) argue that metaphor extends beyond mere language to influence our thought processes They assert that language reflects our conceptual system, with metaphors playing a crucial role in shaping our understanding and interaction with the world This insight led to the emergence of the term "conceptual metaphor."