The semantics of metaphors of love in english and vietnamese songs

THESIS THE SEMANTICS OF METAPHORS OF LOVE IN ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE SONGS Đặc điểm ngữ nghĩa trong hình ảnh ẩn dụ về tình yêu các bài hát tiếng Anh và tiếng Việt NGUYỄN THỊ LỆ PHƯƠNG

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

HANOI OPEN UNIVERSITY

M.A THESIS

THE SEMANTICS OF METAPHORS OF LOVE IN ENGLISH

AND VIETNAMESE SONGS (Đặc điểm ngữ nghĩa trong hình ảnh ẩn dụ về tình yêu

các bài hát tiếng Anh và tiếng Việt)

NGUYỄN THỊ LỆ PHƯƠNG

Field: English Language Code: 60220201

Hanoi, 2017

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

HANOI OPEN UNIVERSITY

M.A THESIS

THE SEMANTICS OF METAPHORS OF LOVE IN ENGLISH

AND VIETNAMESE SONGS (Đặc điểm ngữ nghĩa trong hình ảnh ẩn dụ về tình yêu

các bài hát tiếng Anh và tiếng Việt)

CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY

I, the undersigned, hereby certify my authority of the study project report

Entitled “The semantics of metaphors of love in English and Vietnamese 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, 2017

Nguyen Thi Le Phuong

Approve by SUPERVISOR

………

Date:

My deep thanks also go to all the lecturers at Ha Noi Open University for their knowledge, experience and enthusiasm in their lectures, from which

I have acquired valuable knowledge and inspiration to fulfill this minor thesis

With the passion for literature and semantics, I am really interested in the lectures of Assoc Prof Dr Hoang Tuyet Minh and Assoc Prof Dr Ho Ngoc Trung which have inspired me to do this study

I also would like to express my sincere thanks to my family any many of my friends and colleagues for their valuable sharing and encouragements

Finally, my sincere thanks are for the people who will give me the precious comments after reading the graduation thesis

ABSTRACT

The researcher is about the semantics of metaphors of love in English and Vietnamese songs The writer has tried to give an overview of the relevant literature review in the concern of the knowledge related to metaphors basing on the theory of the famous writers, especially Lakoff and Johnson This study is

an attempt to explore semantics of metaphors in English and Vietnamese love songs The purpose is to find out the typical metaphorical images of love used in English and Vietnamese songs

Lakoff and Johnson (1980) with the book “Metaphors we live by’’ which focuses on metaphor in English songs Nguyen Thi Thanh Huyen (2009) has studied “ Ẩn dụ tri nhận trên cứ liệu ca từ Trịnh Công Sơn’’ which emphasizes on the metaphor of love in Vietnamese songs Therefore, in my research, the writer has made the metaphor of love in both languages On the one side, it can help teachers give the effective lectures and in other side, it helps learners study English better That is the reason why the research was done which aims at studying the semantics

of metaphors of love in English and Vietnamese songs

This paper is conducted through the documentary analysis and descriptive method The writer uses mainly on descriptive method to describe the semantics of metaphors of love in English songs Besides, some methods are used as the combination of qualitative and quantitative methods which contributes to this study

In the paper, the researcher found 95 metaphorical imagines from 69 songs in English and 44 metaphorical ones from 35 songs The researcher clarifies the metaphorical images of love in songs, analyzes and categorizes them into 3 subtypes: ontological, structural or orientational metaphors with 14 sets of metaphors

These results are significant because they help not only teachers have

effective lectures but also learners study English better

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii

ABSTRACT iii

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Rationale of the study 1

1.2 Aims and objectives of the study 2

1.3 Research questions 2

1.4 Method of the study 2

1.5 Scope of the study 3

1.6 Significance of the study 3

1.7 Design of the study 4

CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 5

2.1 Word and its meanings, change of meaning and components of word meaning 5

2.1.1 Word and its meaning 5

2.1.2 Change of meaning 6

2.1.3 Components of Word Meaning 7

2.2 Metaphors 7

2.2.1 Concepts of metaphor 7

2.2.2 Conceptual metaphors 9

2.2.3 Classification of metaphors 10

2.2.4 Target domain and source domain of conceptual metaphor 11

2.2.5 Metaphor and culture 12

2.3 Previous studies 12

2.4 Chapter summary 13

CHAPTER 3 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 14

3.1 The stereotypical metaphorical images of the love songs in English and Vietnamese 14

3.1.1 Ontological metaphors 14

3.1.2 Structural metaphor 27

3.1.3 Orientational metaphors 45

3.2 The similarities and differences of metaphors of love between English and Vietnamese songs 45

3.2.1 Similarities 45

3.2.2 Differences 46

3.3 Chapter summary 48

CHAPTER 4 COMMON ERRORS MADE BY VIETNAMESE LEARNERS IN USING METAPHORS OF LOVE IN ENGLISH AND SOLUTIONS 50

4.1 Subjects 50

4.2 The test and the interview 50

4.2.1 The test 50

4.2.2 The interview 51

4.3 Procedure 51

4.4 Common errors made by students at Vietnam National Academy of Music 52

4.4.1 Source domain 52

4.4.2 Target domain 54

4.4.3 Culture 55

4.5 Suggestions 56

4.5.1 Suggestions for teachers 56

4.5.2 Suggestions for learners 57

4.6 Chapter summary 58

CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION 59

5.1 Concluding remarks 59

5.2 Limitations of the research 60

5.3 Suggestions for further research 60

REFERENCES 61

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Rationale of the study

Metaphor in language is like a meal of daily life Today, metaphors is not only found on poetry or daily language, but also widely used in modern English songs with major theme of love Actually, love is an eternal and immortal topic of both adults and elderly people Therefore, metaphors of love are not new but ideal and exciting in music world for musicians and language learner which makes the communication more lively and colorful

Metaphors can enhance the song lyrics or sentences in many ways, which is why so many writers, poets or musicians use them As we know, they use metaphors which may give readers or listeners a picture or scene of their mind of what is being discussed or talked about Moreover, using metaphors, especially extended metaphors also help readers or listeners understand a concept and have symbol that keep the metaphor going Therefore, the metaphors are used more commonly which make the writings, poems or songs more interesting One of the most important things is to help readers or listeners understand what the author/musicians are trying to convey

Visual images on metaphors are expressed more specifically and clearly by the writers Hence, understanding metaphors of love in English songs and Vietnamese ones help us master an effective stylistic device in order to improve our communication and practicing skills, find out composers’ point of view about love and help our feeling get better

As a teacher of English, teaching students how to understand metaphors is not easy However, if the students can perceive this, we will have imagination and creativity in their work In many love songs, fascinating melodies and sweet lyrics along with the power of metaphor which give the messages of love to students more closely

Love is purely and fresh something for us when thinking about it It is an intense feeling of deep affection and makes the musicians have a great interest and pleasure They use it to affectionate greetings conveyed to someone on one’s behalf

There are lots of musicians who use metaphors in their song lyrics This is a good way to describe how they feel about love That is reason why there is many various metaphorical imagines in songs

1.2 Aims and objectives of the study

1.2.1 Aims of the study

This paper aims at studying the semantics of metaphors of love in English and Vietnamese songs

1.2.2 Objectives of the study

- To find out how metaphors of love are used in English and Vietnamese songs

- To determine the similarities and differences of metaphors of love in English and Vietnamese songs

- To discover the common errors in understanding metaphorical images in love songs and to suggest some solutions

1.3 Research questions

In order to achieve the aims of the study, the objectives will be elaborated into the following research questions:

1 How are metaphors of love used in English and Vietnamese songs?

2 What are the similarities and differences in use of metaphors between English and Vietnamese songs?

3 What are the common errors in understanding metaphorical images in love songs?

1.4 Method of the study

This paper is mainly conducted through the documentary analysis and descriptive study with the combination of qualitative and quantitative approach Descriptive method is used primarily to describe the semantic of metaphors of love

in English and Vietnamese songs It explains the metaphorical images in love songs and characterizes the implication of the author All the metaphorical imagines are described in detail by using this method Thanks to this method, it is effective to analyse non-quantified topics and issues about the metaphors of love in English and Vietnamese song And the opportunity to integrate the qualitative and quantitative

methods of data collection

Contrastive approach as a sub-discipline of linguistics which deals with the systematic comparison of two languages which is utilized to find out the similarities and differences of metaphorical semantic in English songs with reference to Vietnamese When contrasting the metaphorical images in English such

as love is light, game, music, journey…in Vietnamese appears these images It helps us in learning a particular target language and deal with the relationship between the languages a learner acquires or masters

On the other hand, the analytical and synthetic methods are used in order to dissect the important issues related to metaphorical semantic such as word meaning, target domain and source domain of conceptual metaphor and metaphor and related figures of speech A large number of examples are going to be given and analyzed both in these two languages

1.5 Scope of the study

This study focuses on the semantics of metaphors of love in English and Vietnamese songs 69 English songs and 35 Vietnamese songs in the 20th century will be analysed to find out the use of metaphors of love All of the other studies working with other types of metaphors in other genres of text are out of the scope of the study

1.6 Significance of the study

Theoretically, issues are necessary for the analysis The theory had the closet link with the contemporary Lakoff’s and Johnson’s definition of metaphor Their metaphors make our thoughts more vivid and structure our perceptions in mind Thanks to this theory, we have principal material to express metaphorical imagines

in love songs They will be analyzed particularly through metaphor in love songs

Practically, the writer presumes that this research and information collected for it may be valuable for the students, teachers and people, who are interested in the analysis of songs and want to extend their comprehension, specifically of love metaphors For this reason, the research in this field is indispensable, helpful and interesting

1.7 Design of the study

The thesis consists of 5 chapters:

Chapter 1- Introduction presents rationale, aims and objectives, research questions, methods, scope, significance, and design of the study

Chapter 2- Literature Review summarizes the results of the researchers who worked on the problem, and give an overview on metaphorical images of love in songs

Chapter 3- Findings and Discussions analyzes the data and interpreting the results, as well as the similarities and differences of metaphors of love in English and Vietnamese songs

Chapter 4- Application deals with the common errors by learners of English

in using metaphorical images of love and solutions

Chapter 5- Conclusion summarizes the issue and results of the study, as well

as offers some recommendations for the further study

CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Word and its meanings, change of meaning and components of word meaning

2.1.1 Word and its meaning

Obviously, language is the expression of ideas by means of speech-sounds combined into words and it is connected with the mental process of understanding

It seems like a tool for expressing human thoughts Also, it is a result of shared opinions or values for social interaction You can use language language to refer to various means of communication with a single distinct meaningful element of speech that is word

Butler takes another definition “We want words to do more than they can We try to do with them what comes to very much like trying to mend a watch with a pickaxe or to paint a miniature with a mop; we expect them to help us to grip and dissect that which in ultimate essence is as ungrippable as shadow Nevertheless there they are; we have got to live with them, and the wise course is to treat them as

we do our neighbours, and make the best and not the worst of them” (Butler, 1912) Hoa (2004) she mentions that the meaning of utterance is more than the meaning of the sentence because it is uttered in particular context It is important for understanding language in social contexts, as these are likely to affect meaning, and for understanding varieties of English and effects of style

Jackson & Amvela (2000) who mention a discussion of words that look and sound the same, words that have several meanings, and "words" that are made up of more than one "word" and the meaning of a word is composite of a number of relations: reference to external context, relations with other words of a similar or opposite meaning, collocational relations

Truong (1993) has a reseach in the independent characteristic of words in Basic English Lexicology concerns that basic theories of words in general and of English words in particular It is also the basic of unit of a language resulting from the association of a particular meaning with a particular group of sound capable of a particular grammar employment The fundamental features of the basic word: national character and stability

Therefore, words are considered as symbols for humans, provide us with endlessly flexible conditional semantic stimuli, which are just as 'real' and effective for man as any other powerful stimulus As this research includes sensation of words and semantic change to find out the musician’s message in love songs

2.1.2 Change of meaning

When a word loses its old meaning and comes to refer to something different, the result is a change in word meaning It refers to the alternation of the meaning of existing words, as well as the addition of new meaning to a particular word The changes in meaning are gradual, and words are not changed in a day

According to Durie and Ross(1996) “Like any linguistic change, a semantic change is not acquired simultaneously by all members of a speech community An innovation enters into a language and spreads through the speech community along socially determined lines The original meaning of a form is not immediately displaced by the innovated meaning, but the two coexist for some time”

“Semantic change is not a change in meaning per se, but the addition of a meaning to the semantic system or the loss of a meaning from the semantic system while the form remains constant”.(David , 1996)

Andy (2000) mentioned that “Semantic shift also occurs in certain ordinate and

superordinate nouns For example, 'Christian' is a superordinate term in British English and refers to all followers of the Christian religion, no matter to which branch or sect of it they belong In Singaporean English, 'Christian' specifically refers to Protestant Similarly, 'alphabet' in English refers to the whole system of letters while in Singaporean English it refers to any one of them This, in Singaporean English, the word 'alphabet' is made up of 8 alphabets”

Generally, in the majority of cases semantic change and express a metaphor are

as fuzzy, self-contradictory, and difficult to predict as lexical semantics itself This

is the reason that after initial claims that they will at long last successfully deal with semantics, just about all linguistic theories quickly return to metaphor as usual and concentrate on the structural aspects of language, which are more systematic and therefore easier to deal with

2.1.3 Components of Word Meaning

According to Lyon (1996), there are four major components of word meaning:

+ Denotation: The exact, literal or actual meaning of a word which is the straight forward or common-sense meaning of a sign

For example: the denotation of “hot’’ is having or giving off heat, capable of burning

+ Connotation: An idea or feeling that a word invokes for a person in addition

to its literal or primary meaning

For example: the connotation of the adjective “fat’’ is negative and often used

as an insult

+ Structural meaning: the meaning which arises in the case of multiple conceptual meaning when one sense of a word forms part of our response to another sense

For example: such word-groups as school grammar and grammar school are semantically different because of the difference in the pattern of arrangement of the component words

+ Categorical meaning: is one part of grammatical meaning which words derive from being a member of one category rather than another

For example: gender (male, female)

Denotation is the straightforward dictionary definition of the word It is the actual literal definition or meaning of a word or term In contrast, the connotation is

an association of a term It can also be an emotional input attached to a word this making it more figurative and suggestive

2.2 Metaphors

2.2.1 Concepts of metaphor

Metaphors are a form of figurative language, which refers to words or expressions that mean something different from their literal definition In the case of metaphors, the literal interpretation would often be pretty silly Metaphors can make your words come to life Often, you can use a metaphor to make your subject more

relatable to the reader or to make a complex thought easier to understand They can also be a tremendous help when you want to enhance your writing with imagery As

a common figure of speech, metaphors turn up everywhere from novels and films to presidential speeches and even popular songs

draw metaphorical expressions to understand another conceptual domain is known

as the source domain The conceptual domain that is understood in this way is the target domain Thus the source domain of the journey is commonly used to explain the target domain of life

According to Deignan (2005) “Basic conceptual metaphors are part of the

common conceptual apparatus shared by members of a culture They are systematic

in that there is a fixed correspondence between the structure of the domain to be understood (e.g., death) and the structure of the domain in terms of which we are understanding it (e.g., departure) We usually understand them in terms of common experiences They are largely unconscious, though attention may be drawn to them Their operation in cognition is almost automatic And they are widely conventionalized in language, that is, there are a great number of words and idiomatic expressions in our language whose meanings depend upon those conceptual metaphors”

Lakoff and Johnson (1980) mention these variations on the concepts of the metaphor Time is money:

You're wasting my time

This gadget will save you hours

I don't have the time to give you

How do you spend your time these days?

That flat tire cost me an hour

I've invested a lot of time in her

You're running out of time

Is that worth your while?

He's living on borrowed time

“This situation shows very clearly that complex metaphors are based on simple ones, which are in turn based on tight, local correlations in experience” (Kövecses, 2005)

According to Lakoff and Johnson (1980), structural metaphors are cases where one concept is metaphorically structured in terms of another Source domains provide frameworks for target domains: these determine the ways in which we think and talk about the entities and activities to which the target domains refer, and even the ways in which we behave or carry out activities, as in the case of argument

Theory rejects the notion that metaphor is a decorative device, peripheral to language and thought Instead, the theory holds that metaphor is central to thought, and therefore to language From this starting point, a number of tenets are derived, which are discussed here with particular reference to language

Understanding one domain in terms of another involves a set of fixed

correspondences (technically called mappings) between a source and a target

domain This set of mappings obtains between basic constituent elements of the target To know a conceptual metaphor is to know the set of mappings that applies

to a given source-target pairing It is these mappings that provide much of the meaning of the metaphorical linguistic expressions (or linguistic metaphors) that make a particular conceptual metaphor manifest

2.2.2 Conceptual metaphors

A conceptual metaphor is a metaphor (or figurative comparison) in which one

idea (or conceptual domain) is understood in terms of another

According to Lakoff and Johnson (1980), George Lakoff and Mark Johnson identify three overlapping categories of conceptual metaphors:

a Structural metaphors:

Structural metaphors is a metaphorical system in which one complex concept (typically abstract) is presented in terms of some other (usually more concrete) concept

b Orientational metaphors:

Orientational metaphor is a metaphor (or figurative comparison) that involves

spatial relationships (such as UP-DOWN, IN-OUT, ON-OFF, and FRONT-BACK) And they are strongly cultural in content form an internally consistent set with those that emerge most directly from our physical experience The up-down orientational metaphor can apply to situations that contain both physical and cultural elements.

c Ontological metaphors:

Ontological metaphor is a type of metaphor (or figurative comparison) in

which something concrete is projected onto something abstract

Ontological metaphor (a figure that provides “ways of viewing events,

metaphors “are so natural and persuasive in our thought” say Lakoff and Johnson,

“that they are usually taken as self-evident, direct descriptions of mental phenomena” Indeed, they say, ontological metaphors “are among the most basic devices we have for comprehending our experience”

“Within metaphor, a distinction can be drawn between mere and ontological metaphor; whereas the former simply associates a physical concept with a metaphysical one, the latter recognizes that all concepts resonate with possible transpositions and, as such, brings to the fore the world-making power of speaking Furthermore, ontological metaphor structures experience as an openness to movement between concepts” (Cazeaux, 2007)

2.2.3 Classification of metaphors

Metaphors aren't merely the candy sprinkles on the doughnut of language, not just embellishments to the music of poetry and prose Metaphors are ways of thinking and also ways of shaping the thoughts of the others

All of us, every day, speak and write and think in metaphors In fact, it is

because figurative comparisons lie at the heart of language and thought, they have been pinned down and picked apart by scholars in a wide variety of disciplines There are different 13 metaphorical concepts that can be defined But three types of metaphoric concepts are used basically according to Lakoff and Johnson: marginal metaphoric concepts (Lakoff and Johnson, 1980), conventional

metaphoric concepts(Lakoff and Johnson, 1980) and new metaphoric concepts (Lakoff and Johnson, 1980)

Metaphors are not simply literary devices, but something active in understanding, perhaps even the very basis of language Besides, metaphors are much more powerful instruments in the eyes of Lakoff and Johnson Metaphors have entailments that organize our experience, uniquely express that experience, and create necessary realities Previous theories derive, Lakoff and Johnson believe, from a naive realism that there is an objective world, independent of ourselves, to which words apply with fixed meanings

2.2.4 Target domain and source domain of conceptual metaphor

In a conceptual metaphor, the source domain is the conceptual domain from which metaphorical expressions are drawn Also known as the image donor

Johnson(1980) Although the more traditional terms tenor and vehicle (I.A Richards,

1936) are roughly equivalent to target domain and source domain, respectively, the

traditional terms fail to emphasize the interaction between the two domains

(Lakoff &Johnson, 1980), metaphor is a cognitive process that allows one domain

of experience, the target domain, to be reasoned about in terms of another,

the source domain The target domain is usually an abstract concept such as life, whereas the source domain is typically a more concrete concept, such as a day

According Kövecses (2002) mentions “The conceptual domain from which

we draw metaphorical expressions to understand another conceptual domain is

called source domain, while the conceptual domain that is understood this way is the target domain Thus, life, arguments, love theory, ideas, social organizations, and others are target domains, while journeys, war, buildings, food, plants, and others are source domains The target domain is the domain that we try to understand through the use of the source domain” For instance, “love is journey’’,

“love” is contrasted with a journey, describing it with the feature of “journey’’,

“love’’ is the tenor and “journey’’ is the machinery

2.2.5 Metaphor and culture

Culture has been profoundly influenced in metaphorical images in English and Vietnamese In English, metaphor of love songs might be blue and misery but hopeful in the bright future In Vietnamese, they bring the bright color with happiness, cheer at the beginning of the song but sadness in the end

The important role of culture in metaphor is also clarified through two main kinds of metaphors: ontological metaphors and structural metaphor In structural metaphor, one concept can structure another concept while in ontological metaphors, a whole system of concepts is used to build another concept

2.3 Previous studies

In English, the traditional views of metaphor were overturned when Lakoff and Johnson (1980) put forward the new view of metaphor from cognitive perspective in their book Metaphors We Live By They argue that metaphor is a conceptual phenomenon rather than a language phenomenon The study of conceptual metaphor is further developed by Kövecses He gives a much detailed explanation of metaphor in his book Metaphor: a practical introduction, which helps reader have a good understanding of conceptual metaphor Because of these two books, research on metaphor has become one of the central fields of language research

As for metaphors of love, beside the works of authors above, few studies have been done through investigation Xiaowei (2010) who studied “The love is a unity metaphor in love song lyrics’ He illustrated various instances of the subcategories of the Love is a unity metaphor and described them as a unity of two complementary parts, physical closeness or the stability of a love relationship

Madsen, M.W (2016) studied “Cognitive Metaphor Theory and the Metaphysics of Immediacy” He pointed out the theory of cognitive metaphor and the metaphysics of immediacy that helps readers have knowledge of cognitive metaphor on theory

Andrew (2007) researched ‘’Washing the Brain Metaphor and Hidden Ideology’’ He extremely studied about the relation between metaphor, culture and ideology He argues that metaphor themes are created not only through the universal body but also through cultural experience

In Vietnamese, Huyền, N.T.T (2009) studied “Ẩn dụ tri nhận trên cứ liệu ca

từ Trịnh Công Sơn’’ She analysised about the lyrics of Trinh Cong Son’ songs and the life in these lyrics

Thu, T.T.M (2015) studies “Ẩn dụ về con người trong ca dao Việt Nam dưới góc nhìn văn hoá” She takes some typical images of people and analyses them in cultural views

Tâm, Đ.T.H(2015) studied “ Ẩn dụ ý niệm miền đồ ăn trong tiếng Việt” She uses the popular and typical images in meal of Vietnamese people

These works play an important role in constructing in language fundament and instructing in using metaphors of love However, up to now, no one has studied about the semantic of metaphors of love songs in both languages English and Vietnamese in the 20th century Moreover, the number of collecting metaphors of love are limited Besides, the practical value of each study is still doubtful It is the reason why the writer has decided to do this work entitled “The semantics of metaphors of love in English and Vietnamese song” with the hope to give the reader the fantastic experience through the metaphorical images in love songs and help the learners, teachers contribute their English

2.4 Chapter summary

To sum up, in this chapter, the writer has tried to give a brief overview

of common knowledge involved to the metaphor and the previous works Firstly, the knowledge related to metaphors such as word and its meaning, change of meaning and components of word meaning as well Secondly, the concepts of metaphor including definitions of metaphor, conceptual metaphors and classification of metaphors Moreover, the researcher involved the metaphor and culture and target domain and source domain of conceptual metaphor Finally, the previous studies of famous authors especially Lakoff and Johnson who put forward the view of metaphors in their book Actually, their work contributed to this research more effectively It helps the readers understand the fundamental instruction about metaphors and also helps them apply in practical lesson which serves for learning and teaching in their life

CHAPTER 3 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

3.1 The stereotypical metaphorical images of the love songs in English and Vietnamese

George Lakoff and Mark Johnson identify three overlapping categories of

3.1.1 Ontological metaphors

Ontological metaphors "are so natural and persuasive in our thought," say

Lakoff and Johnson, "that they are usually taken as self-evident, direct descriptions

of mental phenomena." Indeed, they say, ontological metaphors "are among the most basic devices we have for comprehending our experience."

In general, ontological metaphors enable us to see more sharply delineated structure where there is very little or none We can perceive of personification as a form of ontological metaphor In personification, human qualities are given to nonhuman entities Personification is very common in literature, but it also abounds in

kinds of metaphors there are reflect the kinds of purposes served

3.1.1.1 Love is a concrete, a real object

a Love is a concrete, a real object in English love songs

Like the experience of love itself, metaphors make connections So it's no surprise that love has been imagined, examined, and remembered through a wide variety of figurative comparisons

On one conventional conceptual metaphor, love is seen as an object which one can give, receive or find

For examples:

And it was all that you have given to me

I'm so thankful that I've received

The answer that heaven has sent down to me

Holding you so close to me

(Vision of Love- Mariah Carey)

The phrases above all describe love in the same terms as real-life objects which can be manipulated Love occurs multiple times throughout the song and it suggests that love can be described as a very precious gift It not only describes love

as an almost divine answer to a life without loneliness, but also that it is like a package one can send by mail Additionally, she presents the idea that love is related to the properties of the source concept object since “you” refers to love and the idea that one needs to hold on to love when it eventually comes around Love is connected to an object one can hold in one's hand, embrace and hold on to, such as

a precious antique or a stuffed animal

Besides, relationships as real objects are perceived to develop in a natural order from infancy to maturity They are born, they grow, they mature, they require nurturing, and they can become dry and shriveled They are like ‘’love’’ Basically, people have five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch to receive knowledge

of things in the world around The heart can use its’ eyes to catch the images of love

in these examples below:

Here's the morning that my heart had seen

Here's the morning that just had to come through

(The Carpenters /Those Good Old Dreams)

With angelic harmonies combined with Karen's incredible vocal range, it seems to bring back so many good memories in the writer’s life The eyes of the heart are really sensitive and gentle to feel everything in the world, especially the changes in love stories: love can be a virgin and fresh morning with the exciting new feeling and full emotion of the lovers It also can be a sunset when the souls are closed and blue It is not easy to have the sophistication in ones’ mind unless they are in the real love

Love is a part of mental life It is familiar and essential as a part of body

You were my eyes when I couldn't see

(Celine Dion-Because you love me)

By touching words and a magic voice, she has touched and made many people teary eyed An imagine is so emotional that it can make everyone arouse strong

feelings of sympathy: lovers are the eyes and the light of each other no matter how dark it is and how blind the lovers’ eyes are Eyes are enough for them to go to the end of life He is every reason, every hope, and every dream she has ever had, and no matter what happens to them in the future, everyday they are together is the greatest day of my life The writer has listened to this song many times and it reminds the writer a lot of good memories in the past

In feeling of lover, the heart is a melody, sound of which only lovers can hear: Take my heart, don't lose it

Listen to your heart

(Modern Talking-Cherry lady)

Certainly, this song is one the most immortal song that everyone knows It' s hard to find words to tell how much lovers mean to each other Probably, the man doesn't say anything at all But the girl will understand and realize how much

he loves her

We can see sweet taste of love

You'll always be a part of me

If you should find you miss the sweet and tender love we used to share

(Naked Eyes -Always Something There To Remind Me)

If someone who says to you that, to the world you may be one person, but to one person you are the world This message means that ‘’You will always be a part

of me’’ That part belongs to body and it is indispensable in life ‘’You’’ are all what ‘’I’’ live for ‘’You’’ and ‘’I’’ are grown up and together go through the storms of life My love for you is like a sweet and tender candy both taste That love reminds the wonderful memories which make their love be a beautiful happy ending story

Love can be the concrete things such as: the voice when a person couldn't

speak, the shoulder to cry on in the moment of disappointment, the strength or power to make lovers stronger

Here are some other examples:

You were my strength when I was weak

You were my voice when I couldn't speak

(Celine Dion- because you love me)

Chiquitita, tell me the truth

I'm a shoulder you can cry on

And your love's a blown out candle

(ABBA -Chiquitita)

You cut away the heart of my life (Rockwell- knife)

You're the power and I'm in it

I've been a miner for a heart of gold

(Neil Young -Heart of Gold)

Ooh you're a holiday, every day, such a holiday

Now it's my turn to say, and I say you're a holiday

(Bee Gees -Holiday Lyrics)

Falling in love by someone makes him/her have extremely strength and a positive energy to overcome every difficulty and challenge in life Love is miraculous that helps us ease the pain in our spirit However, if in the hardest situations, a person falls down to an abyss, the other will find the way to save her That strong person can do the craziest things such as break through the walls, walk

in the rain, wait for you all night long They will a truthful people to love you through the pain, pull you from the dark life and be reliable shoulders to lean and cry whenever you need

b Love is a concrete, a real object in Vietnamese love songs

Con mắt còn lại nhìn cuộc tình phai

( Trịnh Công Sơn- Con mắt còn lại)

The verb ‘’ seen’’ in English it means that become aware of something from observation or from a written or other visual source In this sentence, he wants to imply that in spite of bright eyes, he looks at ‘’his love’’ getting worse and faded with the time It is really painful and unsetting

Other song relates to beach and love:

Ngày mai em đi

biển nhớ tên em gọi về

gọi hồn liễu rũ lê thê

gọi bờ cát trắng đêm khuya

(Trịnh Công Sơn- Biển nhớ)

In this song, the musician has referred to the memory about lover such as the sea, the soul or the sand beach All of these imagines are to remind the beloved and

to show his missing In stead of telling that ‘’I miss you’’, he expresses his love by making lyrics more haunting with interesting imagines

Tình yêu mật ngọt, mật ngọt trên môi

(Trịnh Công Sơn- Lặng lẽ nơi này)

The musician regards the love as honey and it is very sweet on your lips We can eat it anytime we want like we can love anyone if our heart is bumping

3.1.1.2 Love is a living creature

a Love is a flower or plant

+ Love is a flower or plant in English love songs

For many people falling in love, love is anything that they like and rose is a symbol of love Therefore, in many love song’s lyrics, rose is considered to be a typical imagine and compared with the love colorfully

My Love is like a Red, Red Rose

That’s newly sprung in June

(Robert Burns- My Love is like a Red, Red Rose)

The red is referred this sentence twice that emphasizes the sweet of love It also reminds us to be grateful and keep the color of love be fresh as it was

A part of the plant can represent the whole, the growth of the plant can represent the development of love, the flowering of the plant can represent the best

of times in a love relationship, the fruits can represent beneficial consequences

of the love (such as children), and so on

When a dozen red roses came my way

(Minogue- Count the Days)

A dozen red roses from a lover is a symbol of love The lover wishes to express her/his love more and metaphorically, the red roses represent love As Ferber writes, especially in Renaissance poetry red is one of the colors of love (1999: 169) The language of flowers, the messages the given flowers convey from the giver to the recipient, tells us that red roses convey passionate and emotional love

+ Love is a flower or plant in Vietnamese love songs

Ru em chờ em nói trên một tình thoát thai

Love is something blue, melodic His music is slow, old and emotional This makes love become sweeter and more pleasant He demonstrated his love as a living creature that the love for all living creature is the most noble attribute of man Love

is self deception like love is when the other person’s happiness is more important then your own

b Love is a human being

+ Love is a human being in English love songs

Love is sometimes the moment but a beautiful pain Love is regarded as eyes or a part of the body of mankind Occasionally, it is rather fragile but has the power strongly at any time As a result, this appears the eternal love or may be a temporary love that God leads to Like a person, it has the different tones of emotion such as sadness, happiness, excitement or another feeling like waiting, being angry, being jealous

Don’t tell me that love’s not waiting for us

(Tokyo Square- That is love)

But without carefulness, it may pass away:

And yet you don’t believe her when she says her love is dead

(Carpenters- Someday)

Like an animal, love is born with the shaking of the heart, and when it is over, love cannot exist No matter how the word ‘’dead’’ is, the listener can feel all the feelings of hurt, blue and the upset of the character Actually, death in your mind hurts a lot more than real one Love has a life cycle like human

I've tried too hard just to keep love alive

That I had your love and let it go (Barry White- Can’t get enough of your love baby) Someone probably says that ‘’ my love for you is a journey that starts at forever and ends at never’’, do you believe that? Maybe yes or maybe no but the writer thinks that we die but love lasts forever

+ Love is a human being in Vietnamese love songs

Hai mươi năm xin trả nợ người

trả nợ một thời em đã bỏ ai đi

(Trịnh Công Sơn- Lời tựa)

He is very tactful when talking about love He borrows an imagine of a girl to express his love He means that he pays his debt of love A person here is a girl who

he loves but she does not love him again, she is unfaithful to him

Từng ngày tình đến thiết tha ân cần

(Trịnh Công Sơn – Rồi như đá ngây ngô)

Love can go away but one day it will come to us warmly We should be patient

to wait for better things and happiness will come from the simplest things

2 Love is a wing/ a bird

+ Love is a wing/ a bird in English love songs

Love is a bird, she needs to fly

Let all the hurt inside of you die

(Madonna- Frozen)

This metaphor is said that love can be held inside and locked up but once its captive is opened up, love is free to go wherever it wants just like a bird Love now turns into a living creature that now has a life and a soul It makes decisions, it feels, and it hurts Love is not a prison Metaphors are all about creating connections between seemingly-related ideas Birds and flying are connected ideas

so the metaphor is either that love is like a bird, or that love needs to be free

You gave me wings and made me fly

(Celine Dion- Because you love me)

Obviously, love likes wing that makes you wake up when you feel depressed

in your life Or if you lose your faith, he/she will give it back without your saying

In the moment, you feel weak with everything he/she will be your strength Someone said to the girl that:

“I will be your voice when you can not speak, I will be your eyes when you can not see You are always the best in my eyes’’

That is a real love which all the girls wish for A real love is whenever he/she will always be there, stand by you and wait for you all the time Hence, you need to

be grateful for each day they give you and certainly you feel blessed when you have his/her love

+ Love is a wing/ a bird in Vietnamese love songs

Gió sẽ mừng vì tóc em bay Cho mây hờn ngủ quên trên vai

Vai em gầy guộc nhỏ

Như cánh vạc về chốn xa xôi

Trinh Cong Son features love as a stork As you know, a stork is a typical animal

in Vietnam for the poor and the difficulty Thus, he wants to say his love is fragile

Ru bay tà áo rộng, vượt tình tôi chấp cánh

Ru trên đường em đến, xôn xao từng tiếng chim

Ru em là cánh nhạn, miệng ngọt hạt từ tâm

( Trịnh Công Sơn- Ru tình)

We sometimes sing like a lullaby hummed to a girl We often think of

something circling overhead as birds and wish for the best things in our love It is really sweet, romantic and full of hope in the future

3.1.1.3 Love is a natural phenomenon

Undoubtedly, the love is symbolized as a natural phenomenon with the most common metaphors In the previous generation or present, many natural sources like the sun, the star or the moon are still used to express the power as well

as the importance of love

a Love is the sun

+ Love is the sun in English love songs

Scientifically, the sun is the central body of the solar system It provides the light and energy that sustains life on earth It is the reason why love always represents the sun It brings to the light and the warmth for us In many religions, the sun is considered to bring to the world by or originates from a God Love can be interpreted as a positive feeling, representing integrity and virtue when one is pure at heart, one is innocent and virtuous

If you miss darling, what would you say?

Well you only need the light when it’s burning low

Only miss the sun when it starts to snow

Only know you love her when you let her go

(Passenger – Let her go)

Obviously, you do not miss the sun or the moon, you imply that you miss your love, you need her right now He refers to the sun because in his mind, you are the brightest person in his heart No one else can take your place in his soul Love is indeed a miserable thing as sun shines

And brightened my day

Now it all seems, light years away

(Carpenters-Can’t smile without you)

The sun provides people with light, heat and energy Without the sun, nothing can exist here Her love for him is evaluated as the sun, it means that he seems to be

an integral in his life

+ Love is the sun in Vietnamese love songs

Tạ ơn ai đã cho tôi tình sáng ngời

(Trinh Công Sơn- Tạ ơn)

He implies that bright light is injurious to those who see nothing He will love the light for it shows him the way, yet he will endure the darkness because it shows him the stars In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary

Or other imagines of Duong Thu:

Mặt trời ngày mùa xuân xanh thắm

After the darkest days of love, it becomes brighter and purer than the old ones

in the past We thank God for bringing good things in our life We can have no love this time but we will have another love with mature for other time Beauty is not in the face, beauty is a light in the heart

b Love is the moon/stars

+ Love is the moon/stars in English love songs

There are representative two imagines appear in literature or creative activity: the moon and stars That is the most beautiful and brilliant light which they want to do for their darling

Talking to the moon

Try to get to you

In Hopes you’re on the other side talking to me too

(Bruno Mars- Talking to the moon)

This man, he is alone when the girl does not respond to his feeling that he thinks he is a fool man who sits only talking to the moon Actually, he wants to talk

to the girl- his love in order to show how much he loves her But why he does not talk to other things It simply because he waits for his love until the night, the moon always emerges in the dark Therefore, the moon likes as his love to her in dark hopelessly

The moon that rose now descended,

And the love one shared now had ended

(Carpenters- Another song)

You ask me why the moon is bright

Love is like the moon in your heart

(Jessica Jay- Love is like the moon)

One of the most favorite songs the writer listen to it for many times is Everything of Michael Bublé

You're a falling star you're the get away car

You're the line in the sand when I go too far

(Michael Bublé - Everything)

His voice gives the listener some kinds of pleasure as soon as he sings the first note And this song is written for his wife in a chance The girl is a falling star which is very precious and grateful if you have one Love is something twinkle as the star shines so bright in the darkness

Generally, we are more likely to see our love as the object through colored spectacles When falling in love, we will become gloomy and do not discriminate between right and wrong We see only the good sides and close our eyes from the worse ones However, the writer recognizes that love is sometimes blind so that our feelings happen naturally and fully

rose-+ Love is the moon/stars in Vietnamese love songs

Con sông là quán trọ và trăng tên lãng du

Trăng muôn đời thiếu nợ mà sông không nhớ ra

(Trịnh Công Sơn- Biết đâu nguồn cội)

The moon like awesome, romantic, mysterious thing, hanging up there in the sky where you could never reach it, no matter how much you wanted to do But you are right, once you are actually here, it is just a big, dull rock It is a beautiful and delightful light to behold the body of the moon

Besides, the writer collects the metaphorical image of a natural phenomenon that is dew or called in Vietnamese ‘’sương’’ It makes love more exciting and magnificent

Từng giọt sương thu yêu em thật thà

Love is like dew that falls on both nettles and lilies Grass is shining with the morning dew and make your day so fresh and new hope the joys come best wishes your day Sometime we let our day lighting dance on the edges of the time like dew

on the tip of a leaf

Ngày xưa tóc mẹ xanh xanh Giờ đây tóc mẹ trắng xóa

Vầng trăng khi tỏ khi mờ

Từng đêm mẹ thức âm thầm

This is a song which is written to his mother ‘’The moon’’ is demonstrated as pure, fresh and bright love he gives to her But the moon is sometimes shiny, sometimes fuzzy Like love, it can be strong at certain time but sometimes it becomes weaker in a suitable moment

3.1.1.4 Love is a game

a Love is a game in English love songs

According to Kövecses (2002:20) we play and invent activities in order to entertain ourselves Games and sport share many similarities such as rules and thus

we play by the rules and toy with ideas but then it may try to check someone, he continues The source domains of game and playing fit well together with the target domain of love: the game of love

Girl, this game can't last forever

(Modern Talking -Brother Louie)

Certainly, no girls want to become a toy or just a game in love Therefore, if love is just like as a game, it will end sooner or later for a period of time It is a pity that any girl is falling in love without knowing he is merely dallying with her affections In the case, she knows the truth eventually, how will her feeling? Maybe she will get depressed or make the foolish things we do not know But one thing undeniably there is a hole inside her heart

Love is just a game

Broken all the same

Love is just a lie

Happen all the time

(Magic Numbers -Love is a game)

This is one of the most popular songs of Magic Numbers And the writer likes a sentence in the lyrics of this one: ‘’ love is just a lie, happen all the same’’ A game and a lie both are deceitful When you play a game, it’s very easy to start and you pass the level easily But the level is much harder and at this time, game is over Love is the same They can talk to you that they love me so much but over the time, you just receive an endless sorrow with broken heart Remember that love is the best and most beautiful things in the world It must be felt with the heart The heart

is not a joke

It's all in this game of love

You roll me

(Michelle Branch-The game of love)

This song reminds childhood memories with a kiss, a candy or a little bit of laughs and pain As you know, a puppy love is the purest and the most romantic love A puppy love lasts for a short time and then we will find love for ourselves Everybody should be loved with the true love However, you are alert enough to through love is false or true Almost men are in the habit of teasing females in a too familiar way so they can love many girls at the same time Conversely, if a woman needs to play games to hold a man's interest, he is not the right man for her Or both men and women treat love as game, they will receive the bad things in their life Even if how long we play game, we have to put our mask off and reveal who we are Regrettably, we look like as the puppet in their hand and fail in love again

b Love is a game in Vietnamese love songs

He is unlucky with his love The girls come and go No one stays with him for a long time And the promise is just betrayal, deceitful like a heavy rain It falls down and washes away everything We not only waste time and energy but also have the pain inside our heart

Tình khâu môi cười,

tình chia nhau gian dối,

tình đày tình đôi nơi

This is a sad song which is full of deceit in love Although he loves her as much

as he can but finally, she cheats his love ruthlessly The misery and pain are like scar in his life A single lie can destroy a whole reputation of integrity Lies no matter how big or small always crack or break the very foundation of trust

3.1.2 Structural metaphor

According to Lakoff and Johnson, the more familiar source domain gives some

of its aspects to the more foreign one, making it more accessible and understandable Especially structural metaphors can be understood through the pair target and source domain and they provide the richest source for elaborating concepts

3.1.2.1 Love is light

a Love is light in English love songs

Wherever lovers go, no matter how the weather is, love always brings them the sunshine

A light in the dark shining your love into my life

(Celine Dion-Because you love me)

When lovers possess that light within, they will see it externally because it is the soul's light

So, keep that flame lit, and we will never feel darkness We all walk in the dark and each of us must learn to turn on our light with a warm heart Love is light that dissolve all the walls between souls Love is light that brightens every heart’s darkness Love ageless and evergreen

Cause we have the brightest love

Two lights that shine as one

Morning glory and midnight sun

(Barbara Streisand- Evergreen)

Here is the rainbow I've been praying for

It's gonna be a bright, bright, bright, sun-shiny day

(Johnny Nash- I can see clearly now)

Love is probably the light, rainbow or is something interesting that we can feel

it We look forward to that bright, sunshiny day to bring us great comfort Someone says that this song got him through his radiotherapy treatment while lying on the bed to have this one Light may guide for people or help them relax Therefore, light

is such an indispensable part of human beings as love does, too The items such as

‘’shine’’ and ‘’brightest’’ are used to seek for light They have indicated the essential role of love played in life, and his intention of searching for love

What a feeling in my soul love burns brighter than sunshine

It’s brighter than sunshine let the rain fall, I don't care

(Aqualung - Brighter Than Sunshine)

He’s my laughter, my lover, my life

He’s my sunlight

(Nina –Sunlight)

The items “burns’’, “brighter’’, “sunshine’’ or “sunlight’’ are used to look for the light The truth of love is always turned to the light with stunning and pure air

b Love is light in Vietnamese love songs

Tình yêu như đốt sáng con tim tật nguyền

Tình lên êm đềm, vội vàng nhưng chóng quên

Love is herb as medicinal remedies It is eye to help see everything But love is not peaceful as we think, a nice love is soon forgotten

This is a national love, it is kind of divine love which occurred in the wartime It is

the natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible This is not simple light,

it contains all love of soldiers who fight for our nation with faith and hope

Mặt trời nào soi sáng tim tôi

Trinh Cong Son finds a light in his love which guides him to a new horizon If

he can die one day, love is still survival forever Happiness can be found in the darkness of times when one only remembers to turn on the light

3.1.2.2 Love is insanity

a Love is insanity in English love songs

In “Love is insanity’’ metaphor love is presented as a state of metal illness When one is in love, she/he experiences certain kinds of emotions which are, in fact, similar to mental states of madness Only intensity differentiates these emotions from each other Each time we go through them, we have symptoms indicating a psychological illness

Very often the object of love is treated as a cause of a particular feeling or illness One in love is shown as an insane person and a feeling of love as an illness itself This metaphor directs our attention at the profound effect that love has on people, thus humans tend to compare it to the state of madness

Following are some examples:

I'm crazy about her

She drives me out of my mind

The ordinary is surreal,

Peace and terror all in one

(Minogue - Cowboy Style)

See me loving you

A fool without a lover

(Diana Ross -Experience)

Just a foolish beat of my heart

(Debbie Gibson -Foolish Beat)

In “Drunk’’ the protagonist is experiencing psychosomatic symptoms caused by his desire for love

I ache for great experience

There's a riot in my senses

(Minogue -Drunk)

The protagonist explains these symptoms by saying there’s a riot in his senses The grasp on reality seems to disappear, resulting in the protagonist confusing the sensory perceptions This desire for love is causing a shock in the protagonist; one sensory perception is causing a complete sensory chaos, a literary riot of and in the protagonist’s senses

b Love is insanity in Vietnamese love songs

Ru khi mùa mưa tới, ru em mãi yêu người

Ru em hoài bé dại, một hồn thơm cây trái

Người đâu mất người

đời tôi ngốc dại

He is supposed that he is foolish when loving her He hurts himself and fades out his life because of his darling He writes out the lyrics and commend his soul into an autumn leaf Maybe he wants to disappear and not to see anyone at the

moment Love is merely a madness Sometimes we need a little bit of insanity to do great things

3.1.2.3 Love is the conceptual thing

a Love is the conceptual thing in English love songs

The problem of love has always been the eternal problem of man It may be either

a source of happiness or a source of misery Someone may have a different way of showing his or her love like a funny way of showing it or a foolish way of doing one There are many examples of metaphors of love as the conceptual thing They are common in everyday life as they present different aspects of this powerful emotion We would not be able to comprehend such an abstract feeling as love if we do not get the conceptions of metaphor The passion of love plays an essential role in our thought of love The abstract thing can be detailed such as: inspiration, truth, dream, chance, happiness, loneliness, misery, emptiness, …

You've been my inspiration

Through the lies you were the truth

My world is a better place because of you

(Celine Dion- Because you love me)

Loving and being loving is a great happiness in life The world will become smaller without you You are everything to me, my inspiration, my belief You are very special to me But love is not all beer and skittle or warm and sweet, you know For the broken-hearted people, love is a dark sky or lost way, broken dream and plan His future seems to stop because love is over

I thought I'd lost my way forever

Every dream and every plan

Every last chance slipped through my hand

And you smiled at me and it was over

(Aaron Neville- I owe you one)

A true love is important in life But it seems it is really hard to find a true love Unfortunately, love has to say ‘’sorry’’