INTRODUCTION
Rationale of the Study
Metaphor is a widely-used figure of speech in language The word
The term "metaphor," originating from Greek, translates to "to transfer" or "to carry over." This linguistic phenomenon is prevalent in the works of both ancient Greek philosophers and modern linguists Aristotle's definition of metaphor, as cited by Richards in 1965, describes it as "a shift carrying over a word from its normal use to a new one." This broad definition encompasses various forms of semantic extension, including allegory, synecdoche, and metonymy, all of which can be classified as metaphoric instances.
Metaphor studies have focused on aspects like meaning, forms, and their role as speech ornaments This research examines the English and Vietnamese meanings of metaphors that use human body parts While these body part terms are employed metaphorically, their usage differs across languages, influenced by cultural contexts, life experiences, and worldviews Consequently, the cognitive processes underlying metaphors vary between languages, reflecting the distinct cultural backgrounds of their speakers.
Understanding the metaphorical use of body part terms in English and Vietnamese is essential for both teachers and learners of English This study, titled "An Initial Investigation into a Number of Metaphors Employing the Human-Body Parts in English and Vietnamese," aims to explore the similarities and differences in these metaphorical expressions.
Objectives of the Study
- To describe a number of the metaphors employing the names of human body parts in English
- To find the similarities and differences between those and the metaphors based on the same human-body parts in Vietnamese.
Research Questions
In order to achieve the objectives stated, the study is intended to find out the answers to the following research questions:
1 What are the metaphoric meanings of words/ phrases denoting the names of common objects derived from names of human-body parts in English and in Vietnamese?
2 What are the equivalents in the metaphoric meanings of words employing the names of human-body parts between English and Vietnamese?
Scope of the Study
This study examines the use of metaphors related to human body parts in English and Vietnamese It focuses specifically on words and phrases that denote human body parts functioning as nouns within various metaphorical expressions Due to the limitations of an MA thesis, the research narrows its scope to this specific grammatical category.
Methods of the Study
The author has utilized key methods to identify both common and unique features in the use of body-related metaphors in English and Vietnamese.
The main supporting procedures are:
Design of the Study
The study is divided into 3 parts:
PART I: INTRODUCTION – including Rationale, Aims of the study, Scope of the study, Methods of the study.
DEVELOPMENT
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
Conceptual Metaphor Theory, developed by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson, posits that metaphors consist of two conceptual domains A conceptual domain is defined as "any coherent organization of experience" (Kovecses, 2010: 4).
A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two unrelated objects by asserting that one is the same as the other in certain aspects This comparison allows for the enhancement of the first subject's description through the implicit and explicit attributes of the second subject.
In "The Contemporary Theory of Metaphor" (Lakoff, 1992: 31), metaphor is defined as a mapping between distinct conceptual domains This mapping serves to clarify an abstract or unfamiliar domain (the target) by relating it to a more concrete, familiar, or structured domain (the source).
According to Galperin (1972: 13), a metaphor is a relationship between the dictionary and contextual logical meanings based on the affinity or similarity of certain properties of two corresponding concepts He showed
7 that metaphor can be embodied in all the meaningful parts of speech, in nouns, adjectives, adverbs, verbs and sometimes even in the auxiliary parts of speech, as in preposition
In the study "Body Part Metaphor: A Cross-cultural Survey of the Perception of Translatability among American and Japanese" by Toshiyuki Sakuragi and Judith W Fuller (2003), it was found that Japanese language and culture also feature a significant frequency of metaphoric expressions related to human body parts The primary objective of this survey was to assess the degree of similarity between human body parts and their metaphorical expressions in terms of appearance and function.
In the article "To Assist in Teaching the Concept of Metaphor," Professor Nguyen Duc Ton (2007) defines metaphor as a method of replacing names or substituting qualities and attributes from one subject to another, grounded in the comparison of shared qualities and attributes between the two.
Research shows that metaphors using human body part names are prevalent across different languages, including English and Vietnamese These metaphoric expressions warrant further exploration to understand the underlying reasons for their occurrence in diverse languages, despite being governed by similar conceptual frameworks.
Language and thought are intricately connected, with metaphor serving as a key link between the two To fully grasp their relationship, it is crucial to define what language truly is.
Based on the different viewpoints on language, different linguists have given the different definitions In this study, only some related definitions or perceptions of language are mentioned
First of all, in Block and Trager’s “Outline of Linguistic Analysis” (1942:
Language is defined as “a system of arbitrary vocal symbols through which a social group co-operates,” highlighting the arbitrariness of the relationship between sound and meaning While this definition underscores the social function of language, indicating its role in facilitating cooperation within a community, it also acknowledges exceptions where meanings are closely tied to sounds, such as in onomatopoeia and interjections Thus, language not only serves as a means of communication but also reflects the characteristics of the social group that uses it.
The third definition of language mentioned here is given by Hall (1968:
In "An Essay on Language," the author defines language as an institution that facilitates human communication and interaction through commonly used oral-auditory arbitrary symbols He emphasizes both the communicative and interactive functions of language, highlighting how these functions are realized through these habitual symbols.
The term "oral-auditory" can be interpreted as "vocal," referring to the exchange of vocal signals in language communication between the sender and receiver Communication symbols are shaped by "habits," leading to variations in their use across different languages Furthermore, Hall characterizes language as a distinctly human institution, emphasizing that the language utilized by a society is an integral part of its culture.
Another definition that should be mentioned here is from Saussure (1960:
8) In “Course in General Linguistics.”, he defined language as follows:
Language is a social construct that emerges from the faculty of speech, encompassing a set of conventions adopted by a community Unlike speech, which is individualistic and lacks cohesion, language serves as a unifying framework that allows individuals to communicate effectively within society.
“social product” and we can discover the unity of language for it is also “a collection of necessary conventions” which is accepted and exercised by
10 members in the social body or community The term “convention” here also means the nature of the symbols or sign that is agreed upon does not matter
According to Sapir (1921: 8), language is a uniquely human, non-instinctive method for communicating ideas, emotions, and desires through voluntarily produced symbols This definition emphasizes that language is exclusive to humans, distinguishing it from animal communication systems Furthermore, it highlights that language is acquired rather than instinctively mastered, underscoring the complexity of human linguistic capabilities.
Language transcends mere desires, allowing humans to communicate an extensive array of concepts derived from accumulated knowledge, memory, and imagination Additionally, various systems of voluntary symbols, such as gestures, postures, and eye-gaze, collectively referred to as "body language," play a crucial role in human communication It is important to emphasize that this form of expression is uniquely human and non-instinctive, highlighting its creative nature and capacity for development.
Language is fundamentally a human possession, characterized by a system of symbols and conventions that are utilized and comprehended within a social context.
11 community and at the same time, it has both social characteristics and functions
1.2.1.2 Relation between Language and Thought
Language and thought are intrinsically linked and mutually dependent, evolving together as individuals develop their ability to express concepts Language serves as a vital tool for articulating human thought, with each language embodying a unique worldview that reflects how its speakers perceive their surroundings The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis posits that language, culture, and thought are interrelated, suggesting that variations in linguistic forms reveal cultural differences that shape those forms Consequently, the diversity of thought across languages and cultures highlights the influence of language on human cognition Ultimately, language acts as a representation of human thought, enabling deeper understanding of diverse perspectives.
METHODOLOGY
- Providing a number of metaphors employing the names of human-body parts in English and their equivalents in Vietnamese by means of some concepts relating to semantics
- Analyzing the data to find out the semantic features of metaphors employing the names of human-body parts in English and Vietnamese
- Listing and drawing the conclusion of the frequency of the words denoting parts of human body by means of quantitative approach
This study combines quantitative and qualitative analyses by creating two lists of metaphors that utilize human-body part names in both English and Vietnamese, based on dictionary references The research aims to explore the role of conceptual metaphors in shaping figurative meanings, analyzing the source-domain and target-domain relationships for each metaphor A comprehensive theoretical framework is established, drawing from both foreign and Vietnamese literature, while also incorporating cultural insights to examine the cultural characteristics inherent in English and Vietnamese metaphors.
This study investigates Vietnamese metaphors that utilize human body part names, focusing on the similarities and differences between Vietnamese and other languages To ensure objectivity, various research methods were employed in the data collection and analysis process.
The article discusses a statistical method that involves collecting metaphors related to human body parts in English and their Vietnamese equivalents from various sources such as books, magazines, newspapers, and dictionaries These metaphors are then organized into groups and classified according to specific criteria to facilitate the survey.
The analysis and synthesis method was employed to validate our hypothesis that cultural meaning shapes metaphors using names of human-body parts We examined the components, constituents, and meanings of English and Vietnamese metaphors related to human anatomy, subsequently synthesizing these findings by categorizing them based on shared characteristics to uncover their linguistic features.
The method of comparison involved analyzing metaphors that utilize human body parts in both English and Vietnamese This approach aimed to uncover the similarities and differences between the two languages, highlighting how cultural contexts influence metaphorical expressions.
The summary chart highlights the frequency of words, utilizing a quantitative approach to clearly illustrate the popularity of metaphors that incorporate human body parts.
Following the conclusion is the limitations which will show some suggestions for further researches
The research focuses on typical word samples in both English and Vietnamese that utilize human body parts The primary sources for these samples include books, magazines, newspapers, dictionaries, and online resources.
2.4 Data Collection and Data Analysis
The data were collected from many other sources: English-Vietnamese Dictionary, Oxford advanced learner’s Dictionary, Vietnam news, Wikipedia and the previous researches as well
The data collection procedure for this study includes two primary tasks: gathering grammar books in both English and Vietnamese to establish a theoretical foundation and relevant literature, and compiling terms related to human body parts in both languages for corpus analysis.
We tried to choose the most typical examples from the data to describe and analyze in the study
We categorized the samples based on various human body parts to analyze the similarities and differences between English and Vietnamese terminology for discussion.
CONCLUSION
Suggestions for Further Studies
Conceptual Metaphor Theory, developed by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson, posits that metaphors consist of two conceptual domains, where a conceptual domain is defined as "any coherent organization of experience" (Kovecses, 2010: 4).
A metaphor is a figure of speech that describes one subject by asserting its similarity to another unrelated object, drawing on both implicit and explicit attributes to enhance the description.
In "The Contemporary Theory of Metaphor" (Lakoff, 1992: 31), metaphor is defined as a mapping between distinct conceptual domains This mapping serves to clarify an abstract or unfamiliar target domain by relating it to a more concrete and familiar source domain.
According to Galperin (1972: 13), a metaphor is a relationship between the dictionary and contextual logical meanings based on the affinity or similarity of certain properties of two corresponding concepts He showed
7 that metaphor can be embodied in all the meaningful parts of speech, in nouns, adjectives, adverbs, verbs and sometimes even in the auxiliary parts of speech, as in preposition
The study “Body Part Metaphor: A Cross-cultural Survey of the Perception of Translatability among American and Japanese” by Toshiyuki Sakuragi and Judith W Fuller (2003) reveals a significant prevalence of metaphoric expressions related to the human body in Japanese language and culture The primary objective of this survey was to assess the degree of similarity between human body parts and their metaphorical expressions in terms of appearance and function.
In the article "To Assist in Teaching the Concept of Metaphor," Professor Nguyen Duc Ton (2007) defines metaphor as a method of replacing names or substituting qualities and attributes from one subject to another by comparing their shared characteristics.
Research shows that metaphors using human body part names appear across various languages, including English and Vietnamese These metaphoric expressions warrant further exploration to understand their prevalence in different languages, despite being governed by similar underlying conceptualizations.
Language and thought are intricately connected, with metaphor serving as a key link between the two To better understand this relationship, it is crucial to define what language truly is.
Based on the different viewpoints on language, different linguists have given the different definitions In this study, only some related definitions or perceptions of language are mentioned
First of all, in Block and Trager’s “Outline of Linguistic Analysis” (1942:
Language is defined as "a system of arbitrary vocal symbols through which a social group co-operates," highlighting its arbitrary nature where sound and meaning are not inherently linked However, certain elements like onomatopoeia and interjections demonstrate a connection between sounds and meanings Additionally, this definition underscores the social function of language, as it facilitates cooperation within a community, reflecting the characteristics of the social group that utilizes it.
The third definition of language mentioned here is given by Hall (1968:
In "An Essay on Language," the author defines language as the institution through which humans communicate and interact, emphasizing its dual role in communication and interaction He highlights that these functions are realized through "habitually used oral-auditory arbitrary symbols."
The term "oral-auditory" can be understood as "vocal," referring to the exchange of vocal signals in language communication between sender and receiver Communication symbols are shaped by societal habits, leading to variations across different languages Furthermore, Hall characterizes language as a uniquely human institution, emphasizing that the language used within a society is integral to its cultural identity.
Another definition that should be mentioned here is from Saussure (1960:
8) In “Course in General Linguistics.”, he defined language as follows:
Language is a social construct that encompasses the conventions adopted by a community, enabling individuals to communicate effectively Unlike speech, which varies among individuals and lacks uniformity, language serves as a cohesive system that facilitates interaction within society.
“social product” and we can discover the unity of language for it is also “a collection of necessary conventions” which is accepted and exercised by
10 members in the social body or community The term “convention” here also means the nature of the symbols or sign that is agreed upon does not matter
According to Sapir (1921: 8), language is a unique human method of communication that conveys ideas, emotions, and desires through voluntarily produced symbols This definition emphasizes that language is exclusively human, distinguishing it from animal communication systems Additionally, it highlights that language is non-instinctive; individuals acquire it through learning rather than through natural instinct.
Language transcends mere desires, allowing humans to articulate a vast array of concepts drawn from accumulated knowledge, memory, and imagination In addition to verbal communication, humans also utilize various voluntary symbol systems, such as gestures, postures, and eye-gaze, collectively referred to as "body language." This study emphasizes that such forms of communication are uniquely human, non-instinctive, and inherently creative, capable of development and personalization by individuals.
Language is fundamentally a human possession, characterized by a system of symbols and conventions that facilitate understanding within a social context.
11 community and at the same time, it has both social characteristics and functions
1.2.1.2 Relation between Language and Thought
Language and thought are intrinsically linked and develop concurrently, with each influencing the other Language serves as a vital tool for expressing human thought, reflecting distinct worldviews shaped by culture The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis posits that language, culture, and thought are interconnected, suggesting that variations in linguistic forms reveal cultural differences that, in turn, affect thought processes Consequently, understanding language allows us to grasp the nuances of human thought, as language acts as a representation of our cognitive frameworks.