INTRODUCTION
Rationale
Language serves as a fundamental tool for expressing thoughts and a wide range of emotions, including love, hate, and anger According to Talmy, language functions as a distinct cognitive system, separate from other major systems such as perception, reasoning, and memory It possesses unique structural properties, while also sharing some characteristics with a few other cognitive systems or all cognitive systems as a whole (Talmy, 2000a: 16).
In recent years, the study of emotions has been one of the most important areas of research in the Social Sciences
Expressing love is a complex endeavor that varies across languages and cultures Love plays a crucial role in our daily lives, yet it remains an abstract concept that is often difficult to define Metaphors are essential for understanding love, as they help us grasp the intangible by relating it to tangible experiences (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980) This study explores the concept of love through various English expressions, utilizing cognitive linguistics to analyze how we conceptualize abstract emotions in more concrete terms (Lakoff, 1980).
This study adopts the 2002 approach to metaphor, which views it as a process for comprehending our world, especially abstract concepts like love, by expressing them through more concrete terms Lakoff and Johnson (1980: 7) emphasize this perspective.
Metaphorical expressions in language are systematically linked to metaphorical concepts, allowing us to explore the essence of these concepts and enhance our understanding of the metaphorical aspects of our actions.
Love is a journey is reflected in contemporary English through a wide variety of expressions
LOVE IS A JOURNEY Look how far we've come
We may have to go our separate ways
It's been a long, bumpy road
This relationship is a dead-end street
We're spinning our wheels
The marriage is on the rocks
Our relationship is off the track
Love is often conceptualized as a journey, with everyday English expressions reflecting this metaphor This mapping from the source domain of journeys to the target domain of love illustrates how entities in the realm of love systematically correspond to those in the journey domain, as described by Lakoff and Johnson (1980).
Lakoff and Johnson (1980) argue that much of our non-physical reality is shaped and understood through metaphors, highlighting that we comprehend our thoughts and emotions by drawing analogies to the physical world They propose that metaphor serves as a foundational structure for understanding, allowing us to conceptualize abstract or unfamiliar target domains through the lens of familiar and concrete source domains.
The conceptual metaphor of love is widely recognized across various languages, prompting an exploration of its application through the theory of conceptual metaphor (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980; Lakoff & Turner, 1989; Lakoff, 1993, 1987; Kovecses, 2002) This study focuses on identifying metaphors of love within English expressions, aiming to enhance our understanding of the relationship between the domain of love and other experiential domains.
Aims of the study
This study investigates the conceptualization of the noun "love" through various English expressions By analyzing relevant data, it identifies the key qualities associated with love in the English language.
Scope of the study
This study focuses on investigating how love is conceptualized in English evidenced in
There are three different categories according to the function of metaphors: Structural, orientaitonal, and ontological metaphors (Kovecses, 2002: 32, 33) In this study, structural metaphors was used as the analytical framework.
Research question
The question addressed in this study is:
- How is love conceptualized in English evidenced in some English expressions of love?
Organization of the study
Part I provides the significance, aims, framework, scope and organization of the study Part II is subdivided into 2 chapters: Chapter 1 provides the general theoretical background of the study and Chapter 2, the backbone of the study It provides the data collection, the analytical framework and data analysis
Part III demonstrates the major findings of the study, implications and suggestions for further cognitive studies Appendix and references are also included.
DEVELOPMENT
THEORITICAL BACKGROUND
This study focuses on cognitive semantics, particularly the theory of cognitive metaphor, to analyze linguistic expressions related to the concept of love By exploring the field of cognitive semantics, this chapter establishes a comprehensive theoretical framework that underpins the research.
Cognitive semantics, a new semantic theory developed by scholars such as Lakoff and Langacker, posits that "meanings are in the head," emphasizing that semantics involves mapping language expressions to cognitive entities Langacker succinctly states, “Meaning is equated with conceptualization,” highlighting the conceptualistic nature of this approach This paradigm challenges traditional formal linguistics by asserting that meaning is intrinsically linked to our mental processes, rejecting the notion that meaning exists independently of syntax Ultimately, cognitive semantics underscores that meanings originate from our minds, reinforcing the idea that they are inherently cognitive.
Cognitive semantics posits that the mental structures associated with word meanings are fundamentally similar to those formed during sensory perception, such as seeing, hearing, and touching (Gardenfors, 2007: 58).
Cognitive semantics explores the interplay between human experience, conceptual systems, and the semantic structures embedded in language Researchers in this field focus on knowledge representation and meaning construction, utilizing language as a key tool to examine cognitive phenomena Consequently, cognitive semantics not only delves into linguistic semantics but also aims to model the human mind, highlighting the intricate relationship between language and cognition (Vyvyan, 2007).
Cognitive semantics bridges the gap between semantics and cognition, offering a multi-disciplinary approach to understanding language phenomena It examines language through cognitive, cultural, and physiological lenses, while also considering sociological and anthropological variations, as well as experiential realities and natural environments A key focus of cognitive semantics research is exploring how diverse languages and cultures leverage their linguistic resources, including grammar and lexicon, to shape their perception of the world.
Cognitive semantics plays a crucial role in understanding cross-cultural communication by examining underlying conceptual schema patterns This approach highlights both universal and language-specific construals, as evidenced by research from Asmah (1996) and Yu (2003), which indicates that the conceptualization and metaphorization of the body are shaped by cultural elements within society Additionally, Kovecses (1999) supports the notion that while the conceptualization of the body and its parts is largely culture-specific, there are also several universal conceptual structures at both categorical and schematic levels.
The Cognitive Theory of Metaphor, initiated by Reddy's 1979 study on the "conduit metaphor," has been significantly developed by scholars like Lakoff and Johnson, forming the basis of Conceptual Metaphor Theory, a key aspect of cognitive semantics This theory posits that metaphorical language is deeply embedded in our thoughts and is reflected in our everyday communication Lakoff and Johnson (1980) assert that our conceptual system, often unconscious, shapes our perceptions and experiences, fundamentally influencing our daily actions and interactions They emphasize that if our conceptual framework is predominantly metaphorical, then metaphors significantly shape our thinking, experiences, and behaviors.
In their 1980 work, researchers identified metaphor as a transfer between two domains, leading to the establishment of the "two-domain theory" of metaphor This cognitive perspective views metaphor as a mechanism where one conceptual domain, known as the source domain, is partially mapped onto another, the target domain Consequently, the abstract target domain is understood through the lens of the more tangible source domain As Lakoff (1994: 43) states, metaphor represents "a cross-domain mapping in the conceptual system."
Anger is a hot fluid in a container
Life, love, argument, and anger serve as the target domains, while difficulty, journey, war, and a hot fluid in a container act as the source domains To comprehend the target domains through the lens of the source domains, it is essential to possess adequate knowledge of the source domains.
Lakoff and Johnson's research (1980) reveals that many of our everyday expressions indicate that our concepts are often understood through metaphorical frameworks, highlighting that a significant portion of human conceptualization is inherently metaphorical.
Lakoff and Johnson identify three types of metaphors: structured, orientational and ontological In the following sections, a brief discussion of each type of metaphor will be outlined
Structural metaphors, as described by Lakoff and Johnson (1980), involve understanding one conceptual structure through another, allowing us to express complex ideas in more concrete terms For example, the concept of war is often used to frame arguments, as both share elements of strategy and conflict This mapping enables us to discuss the abstract nature of arguments using familiar terms from the concrete experience of war, such as attack, defense, and victory, thereby making complex concepts more accessible.
Metaphors play a significant role in our daily language, as demonstrated by various expressions noted by Lakoff and Johnson (1980: 4) These metaphors are easily recognized and illustrate how deeply embedded they are in our everyday communication.
He attacked every weak point in my argument
His criticisms were right on target
I‟ve never won an argument with him
If you use that strategy, he‟ll wipe you out
He shot down all of my arguments (Lakoff and Johnson 1980: 4)
Lakoff and Johnson (1980) illustrate that while physical battles do not occur in arguments, a verbal conflict emerges, structured by the metaphor "Argument is war." Although arguments and wars are fundamentally different, we leverage our understanding of war to articulate and comprehend arguments In this metaphor, war serves as the source domain, while argument is the target domain, allowing us to map knowledge from one to the other They emphasize that the parallels between war and argument are inherently tied to this metaphor.
Such these linguistic metaphors are grounded in ourselves and our own human traits and actions, it makes them easier to understand (Lakoff & Johnson, 2003: 30; Kovecses, 2002:
Conceptual metaphors serve as cognitive tools that connect individuals' concrete knowledge of the world with the figurative meanings of expressions Notably, several common conceptual metaphors are used to characterize emotions, as identified by Lakoff and Johnson (1980) and Kovecses (1986).
Love is often conceptualized as a container, where emotions and experiences are viewed as being inside it, as illustrated by phrases like "He is in love" and "We are out of trouble" (Lakoff 1980: 32) This metaphor transforms our feelings into tangible objects or substances, allowing us to express states of affection and conflict For instance, saying we are "in love" implies being within a container of love, while a "falling out" indicates a departure from that emotional space.
THE STUDY
This chapter will restate the research questions in section 2.1, provide a detailed description of the data in section 2.2, introduce the analytical framework of the study in section 2.3, and present the data analysis and discussion in section 2.4 The primary focus of this study is the conceptualization of love in the English language.
The question below is the heart of the study:
- How is love conceptualized in English evidenced in some English expressions of love?
This analysis focuses on the fundamental noun "love" within various set expressions Metaphors that incorporate the word "love" are particularly common, whereas its verb form appears much less frequently in these contexts.
An extensive inventory of over 115 English expressions related to love has been compiled from various sources, including dictionaries and Shakespearean plays such as "Romeo and Juliet," "Hamlet," "Othello," "Two Noble Kinsmen," "Richard III," "Taming," and "Coriolanus." Additionally, more than 20 expressions of love were specifically gathered from these plays The research also incorporated data from the website http://www.quotegarden.com/love.htm, accessed on July 8, 2010, which features a rich collection of love expressions Furthermore, comparisons were drawn between these English expressions and certain Vietnamese expressions, highlighting the conceptualization of love across cultures.
The data expressions were categorized into various source domains, including container, fire/heat, social superior or opponent, valuable commodity, natural/physical forces, fluid in a container, journey, nutrient, rapture, insanity, and unity of two complementary parts This section outlines the analytical framework used to examine the data effectively.
According to structural metaphor theory (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980 and Kovecses,
In 1986, love is depicted through various metaphors, including a journey, a war, and a container holding fluid, as well as natural and physical forces It is described as rapture, insanity, a captive animal, a nutrient, and a valuable commodity Love embodies elements of patience, madness, magic, and the unity of two complementary beings, often likened to fire or heat It can also represent a social superior or opponent, a hidden object, and a form of collaborative work The following section will elaborate on these source domains.
The concept of love as a container is highlighted through the use of prepositions like "in" and "out." For example, "A man falls in love through his eyes, while a woman experiences it through her ears." Additionally, it is often the case that "when we are falling out of love, we fail to recognize the signs until it's too late."
Love is often described as a journey, illustrated through phrases like "the course of true love never did run smoothly" and "you have to walk carefully in the beginning of love." These expressions emphasize the importance of navigating the early stages of a relationship with caution, as the more passionate moments, such as running into your lover's arms, can only come when there is certainty in mutual feelings Additionally, love can be depicted as being "on the rocks," highlighting challenges that may arise in romantic relationships.
“I‟m having a love affair with this guy but it‟s on the rocks.”
2.3.3 Love is a fluid in a container
Verbs like fill, pour out, moisten, and well up illustrate love as a fluid within a container Phrases such as "She was overflowing with love" and "She was filled with love" effectively convey this concept.
Love is often depicted as a fluid, akin to nouns such as fountain, dew, or ocean, emphasizing its expansive and encompassing nature For example, the metaphor “Love is like dew that falls on both nettles and lilies” illustrates how love can touch diverse experiences Similarly, the phrase “Love is an ocean of emotions entirely surrounded by expenses” highlights the depth and complexity of love, suggesting that it is both profound and costly.
Expressions such as "crazy in love," "blind to love," and "madness of love" illustrate the intense and often irrational nature of romantic feelings Phrases like "flee from the cruel madness of love" and "blinded by love" emphasize how love can overwhelm one's judgment and lead to seemingly irrational behavior.
Love is often described with adjectives like blind, incapable, or foolish, portraying it as a form of insanity Phrases such as “Love is being stupid together” illustrate this concept Additionally, nouns like folly and fool, along with verbs such as rave, drive out of mind, and distract, further emphasize this idea For example, expressions like “Love drives me out of my mind” highlight the irrational nature of love.
Love is often described as a form of insanity, a concept recognized by the ancient Greeks It represents the overpowering of rational thought by delusion and self-destructive tendencies In love, individuals may lose their sense of self, feel a lack of control, and struggle to think clearly.
Rapture is often conveyed through expressions of love associated with verbs like "intoxicate" and "drunk," as well as adjectives such as "giddy," "high," "ecstasy," "silly," and "irresistible." For instance, one might say, "He is intoxicated with love," illustrating the overwhelming nature of such emotions Additionally, the statement "Anyone can be passionate, but it takes real love to be silly" highlights the unique joy and lightheartedness that true love can inspire.
2.3.7 Love is natural/ physical forces
Natural or physical force is often illustrated through love when paired with verbs like carry away, attract, revolve, take away, touch, restrain, or open For instance, expressions such as “She was carried away by love” and “If love has touched you, naught remain but so” highlight this connection Additionally, love is metaphorically linked with nouns like electricity, energy, misty rains, flood, or atmosphere, exemplified by phrases such as “Let your love be like the misty rains, coming softly, but flooding the river.”
Love is often likened to fire, illustrated through verbs like burn, scorch, and ignite, as seen in phrases such as “Love burns across the infinitude” and “His love has warmed my heart.” Additionally, it is associated with nouns like smoke and flame, exemplified by statements like “Love is a smoke made with the fume of sigh” and “Love must be as much light as it is flame.”
CONCLUSION
Major findings
In this section, major findings that provide the answer to the research question will be outlined
The study reveals that structural metaphors are the most productive type of cognitive metaphor identified This indicates that the structural aspect of a conceptual metaphor is characterized by a series of correspondences between a source domain and a target domain The findings clearly demonstrate the significance of these metaphors in understanding cognitive processes.
Love is a container and Love is a fluid in a container are characteristic in English, it is not the case in Vietnamese
Both English and Vietnamese languages share similar conceptualizations of love, depicting it as fire or heat, a social superior or opponent, a valuable commodity, natural forces, a journey, a nutrient, rapture, insanity, and a unity of complementary parts This understanding emerges from analyzing the meanings and contexts of words associated with love in both languages.
Thirdly, according to the data of the study and the results shown, qualities of „love‟ or perceptions of „love‟ are evidenced as follows:
1) Love is understood as a container when it is combined with prepositions such as
2) Love is conceptualized as fire/ heat when it is collocated with the words such as
“burn”, “scorch”, “stir up”, “ignite”, “warm”, “melt”, “kindle” or “consume”
3) Love is used as a social superior or opponent when it is combined with words showing a state of higher in rank or social position or the struggle such as “rule”,
“seize”, “overcome”, “fight off” or “beat”
4) Love is understood as a valuable commodity when it is used with words showing the exchange, such as “buy”, “loose”, “take” or “receive‟
5) Love is conceptualized as natural/ physical forces when it is collocated with the words such as “carry away”, “immerse”, “touch”, make” or “open”
6) Love is understood as a fluid in a container when it is combined with the words such as “full”, “fill”, “overflow”, “popple”, “a fountain” or “a whirlpool”
7) Love is metaphorically understood as a journey when it is used with the words of paths or the movement on the paths such as “track”, “course”, “come” or “go”
8) Love is conceptualized as a nutrient when it is combined with the words related to food or the process to provide nutrient to keep people healthy/ alive, such as
“strength”, “hunger”, “vitamin”, “food”, “starve” or “sustain”
9) Love is understood as rapture when it is collocated with the words such as
“intoxicated”, “drunk”, “giddy” or “ecstasy”
10) Love is understood as insanity when it is combined with the words which represent the state of seriously mental illness and insensible such as “folly”, “fool”,
11) Love is conceptualized as a unity (of two complementary parts) when it is combined with words of expressing the unity or alignment, such as “knot” or
In summary, this study supports Yang's (2008) assertion that love encompasses numerous source domains due to its diverse qualities, including sweetness, bitterness, saltiness, illusiveness, blindness, and power Each of these qualities can be associated with multiple source domains, highlighting the complexity of love.
Implications
Although I am a teacher of English in a high school, I strongly advocate the development of semantics for teaching purposes By means of cognitive semantics, teachers can understand the accurate meanings of words As a result, they will help their students understand meanings of expressions clearly and analysis the use of words logically Especially, students will be made aware of the fact that polysemy, idiomaticity, cultural diversity and diversity in the use of a single linguistic item are vividly manifested
This study highlights the importance of conceptual metaphors for English teachers and students, particularly in vocabulary acquisition, reading comprehension, and speaking skills Conceptual metaphors allow learners to understand one concept through another, facilitating connections between the literal meanings of words and their metaphorical interpretations By integrating the theory of conceptual metaphor into teaching practices, educators can enhance vocabulary learning and improve overall language comprehension and communication.
Suggestions for further study
This study concentrated on analyzing the conceptualization of love in English, leaving the exploration of its Vietnamese equivalents for future research Investigating these equivalents may reveal significant differences between the two languages, which could reflect the distinct cultural identities of their respective peoples.
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Appendix: ENGLISH EXPRESSIONS OF LOVE 1.Love is a container
(1) A man falls in love through his eyes, a woman through her ears
(2) In art, as in love, instinct is enough
(3) Sadly when we're falling out of love, we often don't see it coming
(4) People get so lost in love that they rarely see it coming
(5) …And to sink in it should you burden love
(6) Are still together, who turn as „twere in love
(7) I was in love , I was in heaven
(8) We were solely falling in love
(9) Never frown, even when you are sad, because you never know who is falling in love with your smile
(10) I would be rather be poor and in love with you, than being rich and not having anyone
(11) We are in love, but where is it taking us?
(12) Unlucky in cards, lucky in love
(13) When a man is in love or in debt, someone else has the advantage
(14) You know you‟re in love when you don‟t want to fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams
(15) Trip over love, you can get up Fall in love and you fall forever
(16) Falling in love is so hard on the knees
(17) An old man in love is like a flower in winter
(18) The falling out of lovers is the renewing of love
(19) When one is in love, one always begins by deceiving oneself, and one always ends by deceiving others
(20) In love is no lack
(21) All‟s fair in love and war
(22) There's beggary in the love that can be reckon'd
(23) Though last, not least in love
(1) Love burns across the infinitude
(2) Love is a smoke made with the fume of sigh,
(4) Love is burning in my heart
(5) Their love is being stirred up
(6) His love makes me feel very warm
(7) Love ignites my passion for life
(8) Even a flood cannot put out a love like this
(9) His love has warmed my heart
(10) His love melted an ice-cold heart
(11) That kindled love in his heart
(12) He was consumed by love
(13) His heart was throbbing with love
(14) Love must be as much as light, as it is flame
(15) Love is kindled on them
(16) And not impute this yielding to light love
3 Love is a social superior and opponent
(1) She is completely ruled by love
(2) She was struggling with her feeling of love
(3) He was seized by love
(4) She was overcome by love
(5) He tried to fight off his feeling of love
(7) Who would give a law to lovers? Love is unto itself a higher law
(8) We don‟t believe in rheumatism and true love until after the first attack
(9) Once a man has won a woman's love, the love is his forever He can only lose the woman
(10) Prick love for pricking and you beat love down
(1) Success; happiness and the ability to give and receive love all hinge on our relationship
(2) Love is often nothing, but a favorable exchange between two people who get the most of what they can expect, considering their value in the personality mark
(3) I‟ve lost all my love for her
(5) Don‟t stop giving love even if you don‟t receive it Smile and have patience
(6) I gave her all my love
(7) If love does not know how to give and take without restrictions, it is not love, but a transaction that never fails to lay stress on a plus and a minus
(8) Love is anything but free Man has bought brains, but all the millions in the world have failed to buy love
(9) The exchange of thy love‟s faithful vow of mine
(10) I have bought the mansion of love
(11) And gave him what becoming love I might
5 Love is natural/ physical forces
(1) She was carried away by love
(2) She was deeply immersed in love
(3) If love has touched you, naught remain but so
(4) And you great love to me restrains you thus
(5) Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place
(6) At the touch of love, everyone becomes a poet
(7) Love makes time pass, time makes love pass
(8) Love is the master key that opens the gates of happiness
(9) In springtime, love is carried on the breeze
(10) Love makes the world go round
6 Love is a fluid in a container
(1)Mashuda is full of love
(2) She was overflowing with love
(3) She was filled with love
(4) Love is like a fountain that flows out
(5) Love poppled in the heart
(7) Love moistened his heart like a spring rain
(8) And- for I know thou‟rt full of love and honesty
(1) Her love for him has come to an end
(2) The race track of love
(3) I‟m having a love affair with this guy but it‟s on the rocks
(4) The course of true love never did run smoothly
(5) In true love the smallest distance is too great, and the greatest distance can be bridged
(6) Of my whole course of love: what drugs, what charms
(8) Comes from my love, but I do see you‟re mov‟d…
(1) I was given new strength by her love
(3) She is sustained by love
(5) The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread
(6) Love is like a Vitamin of your life and a fire of your life
(7) Lovers live by love, as larks live by leeks
(8) Poet‟s food is love and fame
(1) He is intoxicated with love
(3) She has drunk with love
(4) I have been high on love for weeks
(5) This is the very ecstasy of love
(6) Anyone can be passionate, but it takes the real love to be silly
(7) Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desire
(1) If thou rememberst not the slight folly, That ever love did make
(2) He has lost his ability to think because of love
(4) People who are sensible about love are incapable of it
(5) Love is being stupid together
(6) Txist death and love I‟m torn, I am distracted.