An analysis of conceptual metaphors in green days songs

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HANOI OPEN UNIVERSITY M A THESIS AN ANALYSIS OF CONCEPTUAL METAPHORS IN GREEN DAY’S SONGS (Phân tích ẩn dụ ý niệm hát Green Day) DOAN THI MAI THANH Field: English Language Code: 8.22.02.01 Supervisor: PhD Tran Thi Le Dung Hanoi, 11/2020 CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY I, the undersigned, hereby certify my authority of the study project report entitled AN ANALYSIS OF CONCEPTUAL METAPHORS IN GREEN DAY’S SONGS submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master in English Language Except where the reference is indicated, no other person’s work has been used without due acknowledgement in the text of the thesis Hanoi, 2020 Doan Thi Mai Thanh Approved by SUPERVISOR PhD Tran Thi Le Dung Date: ………………… i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis could not have been completed without the help and support from several people Therefore, the author who conducted this research gratefully gives the acknowledgement to their support and motivation during the time of doing this research First and foremost, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to PhD Tran Thi Le Dung, my supervisor, who has patiently and constantly supported me through the stages of the study, and whose stimulating ideas, expertise, and suggestions have inspired me greatly through my growth as an academic researcher My thanks also come to all the lecturers at the Faculty of English at Hanoi Open University for their enthusiasm and encouragement in this study Finally, I am greatly indebted to my family and my friends for the sacrifice they have devoted to the fulfillment of this academic work ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Certificate of originality i Acknowledgements .ii Table of contents iii Abstract .ivi List of abbreviations vii List of tables and figures viii Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale 1.2 Aims and objectives of the study .3 1.2.1 Aims of the study 1.2.2 Objectives of the study .4 1.3 Research questions 1.4 Methods of the study 1.5 Scope of the study 1.6 Significance of the study 1.7 Structure of the study Chapter 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Previous studies 2.2 Literature 2.3 Poem 2.4 The essence of stylistics 10 2.4.1 Definition of stylistics 10 2.4.2 Definition of figurative language 11 2.4.3 Definition of semantics 112 2.4.4 Kinds of figurative language 123 2.4.4.1 Hyperbole 133 2.4.4.2 Parallelism 133 2.4.4.3 Irony 13 2.4.4.4 Oxymoron 144 2.4.4.5 Metonymy 144 2.4.4.6 Personification 144 2.4.4.7 Sarcasm 145 2.4.4.8 Simile .155 iii 2.4.4.9 Synecdoche 155 2.4.4.10 Antithesis .155 2.4.4.11 Euphemism 155 2.4.4.12 Alliteration 155 2.5 Music and metaphor .15 2.5.1 Music 15 2.5.2 Metaphor 18 2.5.3 Metaphor in music 20 2.5.4 Metaphor in cognitive semantics .21 2.6 Conceptual metaphor 23 2.6.1 Structural Metaphor 255 2.6.2 Orientational Metaphor 25 2.6.3 Ontological Metaphor Error! Bookmark not defined.6 2.7 Biography of Green Day 299 2.8 Summary .30 Chapter 3: CONCEPTUAL METAPHORS IN GREEN DAY’S SONGS 31 3.1 Types and frequencies of conceptual metaphors in GD’s selected songs 31 3.1.1 American Idiot 31 3.1.2 Jesus of Suburbia 322 3.1.3 Holiday 33 3.1.4 Boulevard of Broken Dreams 33 3.2 The meanings of conceptual metaphors in Green Day’s selected songs .35 3.2.1 American Idiot 35 3.2.2 Jesus of Suburbia .37 3.2.3 Holiday 42 3.2.4 Boulevard of broken dreams 44 3.3 Implications Error! Bookmark not defined.46 3.3.1 Teachers ………………………………………………………….……47 3.3.2 Learners ……………………………………………………………….47 3.4 Summary .468 Chapter 4: CONCLUSION 4949 4.1 Recapitulation .4949 4.2 Concluding remarks 500 4.3 Limitation of the study 511 iv 4.4 Recommendations and suggestions for further research 511 REFERENCES 512 APPENDIX v ABSTRACT Conceptual metaphor has important role in literature Conceptual metaphor makes the literature works more appealing to the audience Song lyrics as language are full of figurative language in which conceptual metaphor holds a key part By using conceptual metaphor, song composers can create meaning through the abstract concepts The aims of this research are to analyze conceptual metaphors and their implicit meaning in Green Day’s songs On analyzing the data, the researcher used conceptual metaphor theory that was introduced by Lakoff and Johnson (1980) Based on the theory, conceptual metaphors were divided into three types: structural metaphor, orientational metaphor and ontological metaphor The meanings of conceptual metaphor of what cognitive semantics were analyzed In this research, the researcher only analyzed the implicit meaning of the metaphors found This research design was descriptive qualitative because the researcher applied the data in the terms words, phrases and sentences The researcher applied documentary technique to collect the data The primary data of this research was sentences that contain of metaphors in four Green Day’s songs taken from American Idiots album The findings were conceptual metaphors, in which the number of ontological metaphor was dominated with 21 cases, structural and orientational metaphors were equally divided with six cases for each The meaning analysis shows that Green Day’s song lyrics were a loud voice to the social situation at the time This research hopes to contribute to the local literature and raise an awareness of conceptual metaphors in song lyrics to the teachers and learners of English vi LIST OF ABBREVIATION CM GD RQ Conceptual metaphor Green Day Research question vii LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES Figure 2.1: On music, meaning and language (adapted fromTarasti, 2006, p 397) 16 Figure 3.2: Conceptual metaphors in the song American Idiot 31 Figure 3.3: Conceptual metaphors in Jesus of Suburbia 32 Figure 3.4: Conceptual metaphors in Holiday 33 Figure 3.5: Conceptual metaphors in Boulevard of Broken Dreams 34 Figure 3.6: Frequencies of conceptual metaphors in GD’s song lyrics 35 Table 3.1: Shout is hysteria 36 Table 3.2: Comfortable is home 39 Table 3.3: Freedom is breath 40 Table 3.4: Freedom is run 41 Table 3.5: Anger is fire 42 Table 3.6: Healthy is alive 46 viii CHAPTER INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale This section begins with two big questions that have often been posed They are ‘is music a language?’ or in a reversing question ‘is language a music?’ Zbikowski (2008, p.520) commented that ‘the exploration of metaphor and music has much to say to both questions, as well as to the constituent of features of both of these uniquely human modes of expression.’ Firstly, language has several functions in daily life One of the functions of language is to express thoughts It means language is used to communicate wills or feelings with others As for Leech and Short (2007), a language is a means of communication whereby one individual passes on message to another for a scope of various purposes, for example, illuminating, requesting, convincing and consoling In the interim, Rousseau and Herder (1966) said that language can be separated into two dimensions - normal language and scholarly language Common language alludes to the words and expressions we use in everyday correspondence and discussion It is intended to be effortlessly perceived, and it for the most part doesn't use complex structures Abstract language, in which music is important for, is utilized by the artists, scholars and authors; it is more imaginative from than normal language Besides, Tonner and Whitestone (2003) said that writing is a work of art, such as painting figure, music, show and the movie Secondly, music is a rich and complex product of culture which touches on a huge range of human emotion (Zbikowski, 2008, p.519) It is like music in the sense that Gumperz (1976) argues language is a means of communication between members of the public and language is used to negotiate feelings Although the cultural practice of music is not largely linguistics, language can play a role in musical practice For Zbikowski (2008, p.519), ‘it is not surprising that language about music is often metaphorical, nor that the topic of metaphor.’ If we agree with Lakoff and Johnson (1980) that metaphor can shape human thoughts It is then language and music are the same Recent theories show us that mappings between language and music reply on image-schematic structures that are common to the two domains Music is to instantiate such structures dynamically, while language is to call them up through reference Music, as an expressive medium distinct from that of language, can also APPENDIX APPENDIX 1: STRUCTURAL METAPHOR No Lexeme Structural metaphor In the song And can you hear the sound of Shout is American Idiot Hysteria hysteria? It says home is where your heart is Comfortable Jesus of Suburbia is Home To live and not to breathe Freedom is Jesus of Suburbia Breathe So I run, run away to the light of Freedom is Jesus of Suburbia Run masochists Coming down like an Armageddon Anger Fire flame is Holiday Check my vital signs is Boulevard of Broken Dreams Health To know I’m still alive and I walk Alive alone i APPENDIX 2: ORIENTATIONAL METAPHOR No Ontological metaphor In the song Under the new media American Idiot To fall in love and fall in debt Jesus of Suburbia Coming down Armageddon flame Hear the dogs howling out of key Holiday Hear the drum pounding out of time Holiday Of what’s fucked everything’s alright like up ii an Holiday and Boulevard of Broken Dreams APPENDIX 3: ONTOLOGICAL METAPHOR No Lexeme In the song The subliminal mind fuck America American Idiot Television dreams of tomorrow American Idiot One nation controlled by the new American Idiot media I’m the son of rage and love On a steady diet of soda pop and Jesus of Suburbia Ritalin City of the dead Jesus of Suburbia Signs misleading to nowhere Jesus of Suburbia City of the damned Jesus of Suburbia I read the graffiti in the bathroom stall Jesus of Suburbia And so it seemed to confess It didn’t say much But it only confirmed that the center of the earth is the end of the world 10 The space that’s in between insane Jesus of Suburbia Jesus of Suburbia and insecure 11 Oh, therapy, can you fill the void? Jesus of Suburbia 12 A million and one fucking times Jesus of Suburbia 13 Running away from pain when you’ve Jesus of Suburbia been victimized Tales from another broken home 14 Hear the sound of the falling rain 15 And bleed, the company lost the war Holiday today 16 There’s flag wrapped around a score Holiday of men 17 Bombs away is your punishment Holiday 18 Pulverize the Eiffel towers Who criticize your government Holiday iii Holiday 19 Where the city sleeps Boulevard of Broken Dreams 20 My shadow’s the only one that walks Boulevard of Broken Dreams beside me 21 I’m walking down the line Boulevard of Broken Dreams That divides me somewhere in my mind iv APPENDIX 4: AMERICAN IDIOT Don't wanna be an American idiot Don't want a nation under the new media And can you hear the sound of hysteria? The subliminal mind-fuck America Welcome to a new kind of tension All across the alien nation Where everything isn't meant to be okay Television dreams of tomorrow We're not the ones who're meant to follow For that's enough to argue Well maybe I'm the faggot America I'm not a part of a redneck agenda Now everybody the propaganda And sing along to the age of paranoia Welcome to a new kind of tension All across the alien nation Where everything isn't meant to be okay Television dreams of tomorrow We're not the ones who're meant to follow For that's enough to argue Don't wanna be an American idiot One nation controlled by the media Information Age of hysteria It's calling out to idiot America Welcome to a new kind of tension All across the alien nation Where everything isn't meant to be okay v Television dreams of tomorrow We're not the ones who're meant to follow For that's enough to argue vi APPENDIX 5: JESUS OF SUBURBIA I'm the son of rage and love The Jesus of Suburbia The bible of "none of the above" On a steady diet of Soda Pop and Ritalin No one ever died for my sins in hell As far as I can tell At least the ones that I got away with And there's nothing wrong with me This is how I'm supposed to be In a land of make believe That don't believe in me Get my television fix Sitting on my crucifix The living room or my private womb While the Mom's and Brad's are away To fall in love and fall in debt To alcohol and cigarettes And Mary Jane To keep me insane, Doing someone else's cocaine And there's nothing wrong with me This is how I'm supposed to be In a land of make believe That don't believe in me At the center of the earth In the parking lot Of the 7-11 where I was taught The motto was just a lie vii It says, "Home is where your heart is," but what a shame 'Cause everyone's heart doesn't beat the same It's beating out of time City of the dead (hey, hey) At the end of another lost highway (hey, hey) Signs misleading to nowhere City of the damned (hey, hey) Lost children with dirty faces today (hey, hey) No one really seems to care I read the graffiti in the bathroom stall Like the holy scriptures of a shopping mall And so it seemed to confess It didn't say much, but it only confirmed that The center of the earth is the end of the world And I could really care less City of the dead (hey, hey) At the end of another lost highway (hey, hey) Signs misleading to nowhere City of the damned (hey, hey) Lost children with dirty faces today (hey, hey) No one really seems to care (hey) I don't care if you don't I don't care if you don't I don't care if you don't care I don't care if you don't I don't care if you don't I don't care if you don't care I don't care if you don't I don't care if you don't I don't care if you don't care viii I don't care if you don't I don't care if you don't don't care if you don't care (I don't care) Everyone's so full of shit Born and raised by hypocrites Hearts recycled but never saved From the cradles to the grave We are the kids of war and peace From Anaheim to the Middle East We are the stories and disciples of The Jesus of Suburbia Land of make-believe And it don't believe in me Land of make-believe (said it's, it's another lie) And I don't believe! And I don't care (woo, woo, woo) I don't care (woo, woo, woo) I don't care (woo, woo, woo) I don't care (woo, woo, woo) I don't care Dearly beloved, are you listening? I can't remember a word that you were saying Are we demented or am I disturbed? The space that's in between insane and insecure Ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh Ooh, ooh, ooh Oh, therapy can you please fill the void? (ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh) ix Am I retarded or am I just overjoyed? (ooh, ooh, ooh) Nobody's perfect and I stand accused (ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh) For lack of a better word, and that's my best excuse (ooh, ooh, ooh) Ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh Ooh, ooh, ooh To live and not to breathe is to die in tragedy To run, to run away, to find, what you believe And I leave behind this hurricane of fucking lies I lost my faith to this, this town that don't exist So I run, I run away to the lights of masochists And I leave behind this hurricane of fucking lies And I walked this line a million and one fucking times But not this time I don't feel any shame, I won’t apologize When there ain't nowhere you can go Running away from pain when you've been victimized Tales from another broken home You're leaving You're leaving You're leaving Are you leaving home? x APPENDIX 6: HOLIDAY Hear the sound of the falling rain Coming down like an Armageddon flame (hey!) A shame The ones who died without a name Hear the dogs howling out of key To a hymn called faith and misery (hey!) And bleed, the company lost the war today I beg to dream and differ from the hollow lies This is the dawning of the rest of our lives On holiday Hear the drum pounding out of time Another protester has crossed the line (hey!) To find, the money's on the other side Can I get another (amen!) There's a flag wrapped around a score of men (hey!) A gag, a plastic bag on a monument I beg to dream and differ from the hollow lies This is the dawning of the rest of our lives On holiday "The representative from California has the floor" Sieg Heil to the president Gasman Bombs away is your punishment Pulverize the Eiffel towers Who criticize your government Bang bang goes the broken glass and Kill all the fags that don't agree xi Trials by fire setting fire Is not a way that's meant for me Just cause Just cause Because we're outlaws yeah! I beg to dream and differ from the hollow lies This is the dawning of the rest of our lives I beg to dream and differ from the hollow lies This is the dawning of the rest of our lives This is our lives on holiday xii APPENDIX 7: BOULEVARD OF BROKEN DREAMS I walk a lonely road The only one that I have ever known Don't know where it goes But it's home to me, and I walk alone I walk this empty street On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams Where the city sleeps And I'm the only one, and I walk alone I walk alone, I walk alone I walk alone and I walk a My shadow's the only one that walks beside me My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me Till then I walk alone Ah ah ah ah ah Ah ah ah ah ah I'm walking down the line That divides me somewhere in my mind On the border line of the edge And where I walk alone Read between the lines What's fucked up and everything's alright Check my vital signs to know I'm still alive And I walk alone I walk alone, I walk alone I walk alone and I walk a xiii My shadow's the only one that walks beside me My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me Till then I walk alone Ah ah ah ah ah Ah ah ah ah ah I walk alone, I walk a I walk this empty street On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams Where the city sleeps And I'm the only one, and I walk alone My shadow's the only one that walks beside me My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me Till then I walk alone xiv i ... ? ?An Analysis of Conceptual Metaphors in Green Day’s Songs? ?? 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