Rationale of the study
Metaphors enrich language much like flowers enhance the beauty of life They add vibrancy and depth, making communication more engaging and memorable Grasping the use of metaphors is essential for interpreting figurative language in literature and improving English language skills.
Metaphors serve as powerful tools for authors, allowing them to convey complex ideas that cannot be expressed literally or through simple statements By offering fresh perspectives on familiar themes, metaphors enhance clarity and create vivid imagery in writing Analyzing the context of metaphors can uncover deeper meanings within poems and prose Incorporating metaphors into stories, poems, or songs enriches the narrative, adding interest and depth while providing clearer visual representations of the writer's intentions.
Metaphors, often linked to literary and poetic language, offer a vibrant new avenue for musicians and language learners alike This powerful tool enhances communication, making it more engaging and dynamic.
Teaching students to understand metaphors enhances their creativity and imagination Additionally, metaphors play a crucial role in developing abstract thinking skills and introducing essential literary concepts that will benefit learners throughout their educational journey.
Love is a beautiful melody that inspires individuals to craft unique expressions for their beloved, transforming emotions into poetic metaphors that elevate love to new heights These metaphors serve as powerful tools for musicians, enabling them to compose heartfelt love songs Through these songs, the essence of metaphor is explored and appreciated in a captivating and impactful way.
Aims and objectives of the study
This paper is to investigate metaphorical images of love and lovers used in English songs in the late 20th century from the cognitive perspective It will help the readers:
- Have a deeper sight into theoretical knowledge on metaphor in order to be able to find, comprehend and analyze the interesting metaphors in songs
- Create some suitable ways for learners to learn English better, for teachers to give the effective lectures and for readers to translate the texts more exactly
In order to achieve the aims of the study, the objectives will be elaborated into the following research questions:
1 What are the typical metaphors of love in English love songs in the late 20th century from the cognitive perspective?
2 How are the metaphors of love expressed in the love songs?
Significance of the study
This study aims to explore the common metaphorical representations of love and lovers found in renowned English love songs, contributing to cognitive linguistics By analyzing how these metaphorical images are perceived in cognition and their artistic significance within the songs, the research seeks to offer fresh insights into English literature.
This research aims to enhance the understanding of conceptual metaphors in English songs among Vietnamese learners and teachers of English, ultimately providing effective strategies for flexible language application By doing so, it seeks to improve English learning and teaching outcomes Furthermore, the findings may contribute to the fields of literature, semantics, and cultural linguistics in Vietnamese foreign language universities Additionally, translators will benefit from essential insights regarding metaphor usage during the translation process.
Scope of the study
This study explores the metaphors of love and lovers in renowned English love songs from the late 20th century, drawing on the theories of prominent scholars such as Lakoff and Kovecses, and examining them through a cognitive perspective.
Method of the study
The study employs a documentary analysis and descriptive research methodology, integrating both qualitative and quantitative approaches It quantitatively assesses the prevalence of metaphorical images across songs, focusing on the frequency of three metaphor types: structural, ontological, and orientational Additionally, the qualitative analysis categorizes these metaphors based on their meaning transfer from vehicles to tenors, followed by a detailed examination, synthesis, and evaluation guided by a theoretical framework.
This study includes three parts and 3 chapters:
PART B: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW
Language serves as a crucial tool for expressing human thoughts and perspectives, reflecting how individuals perceive the world While each language possesses unique characteristics, they all fundamentally communicate ideas through the basic unit of expression: words.
In linguistics, a word is the smallest unit that can be expressed independently and carries semantic or pragmatic meaning According to Nguyen Hoa (2004), words are indivisible units that function autonomously within a language This definition emphasizes the independent nature of words Jackson & Amvela (2000) describe a word as a structural unit made up of one or more morphemes, typically found within phrases Hoang Tat Truong (1993) further explores this independence, defining a word as a dialectical unity of form and content, capable of forming a sentence on its own Collectively, these definitions highlight that a word is a meaningful unit that integrates both form and content, and can be categorized into two main types: lexical words and grammatical words.
The meaning of a word is shaped by our use of language rather than being an intrinsic concept within the mind As Patrick Hogan (2010: 42) notes, "word meaning relates to the semantic value" associated with specific lexical items This article will explore the evolution of word meanings and semantic changes to uncover the metaphorical concepts of love.
Language is constantly evolving, affecting various aspects such as sounds, pronunciation, and word combinations According to Leonard Bloomfield (1933), innovations that alter lexical meaning rather than grammatical function are categorized as semantic changes This definition highlights the significance of changes in lexical meaning across different word structures Additionally, Trier (1931) argues that every semantic change in a word influences the meanings of other related words, emphasizing the interconnectedness of language evolution.
Words in the English language have evolved significantly since their inception, leading to changes in meaning known as semantic change This process involves the transformation of a word's usage, often resulting in modern meanings that differ greatly from their original definitions Over time, each word can acquire, lose, or modify various senses and connotations, causing cognates across different regions and eras to have distinct meanings.
Semantic change can be exemplified through metaphor, as noted by Bloomfield, Leonard (1933), who described poetic metaphor as an evolution from everyday language Metaphor represents a semantic shift that arises from the perceived similarities between different referents At its core, a metaphor consists of a subject and a comparative element, creating a simple yet profound connection between the two.
The phrase "Love is just a game, broken all the same" from The Magic Numbers highlights a metaphorical view of love, suggesting it is not a literal game but rather a comparison that reveals its transient and often deceptive nature By likening love to a game, the writer emphasizes its characteristics as fleeting and unreliable, illustrating the complexities and vulnerabilities inherent in romantic relationships.
According to John Lyon (1996: 437), there are four major components of word meaning:
(a) Denotation: It includes conceptual and referential meanings which exist by virtue of what it refers to
(b) Connotation: It includes stylistic, affective, evaluative, and intensifying meaning that is the pragmatic communicative value of the words
(c) Structural meaning: is the meaning of a word acquires by virtue of its membership in a system or a set
(d) Categorical meaning: is the meaning which serves as a classificatory basis
In her work on English semantics, Nguyen Hoa (2004: 98) defines denotation as the capacity of a word or expression to identify all objects encompassed by it In contrast, connotation refers to the additional communicative value of a word or expression, which extends beyond its basic conceptual meaning.
If semantics components serve as material to analyze metaphors
Language serves as a powerful tool that shapes our understanding of the world by allowing us to categorize and conceptualize our experiences By grouping similar entities, we develop various concepts that contribute to our overall knowledge Metaphors play a crucial role in this process, often overlooked as mere stylistic devices; they actually reflect human thought and reasoning Emotions, particularly love, are frequently conceptualized through metaphors, highlighting their integral role in our daily lives.
Metaphors play a crucial role in our understanding and categorization of both the physical and social worlds, as highlighted by Lakoff (1990) While many definitions exist, Lakoff and Johnson (1980) describe metaphor primarily as a tool of poetic imagination, distinguishing it from ordinary language Additionally, Baars (1998) defines metaphor as the application of a word or phrase to an object or concept it does not literally denote, implying a comparison Essentially, metaphors extend the meaning of words beyond their literal interpretations, evident in examples like "a sea of troubles" and Shakespeare's "All the world's a stage."
Metaphor, as defined by Vo Dai Quang (2005) and Trần Văn Cơ (2011), involves the transference of meaning based on similarities between different entities, such as function, character, or appearance This linguistic tool relies on imagination rather than literal interpretation, allowing for deeper insights into everyday concepts For instance, the metaphor "Love is a rose" conveys the beauty and freshness associated with roses, suggesting that love possesses similar qualities Through such comparisons, metaphors enrich our understanding of complex emotions and experiences.
Metaphors can be classified into three distinct types as identified by Lakoff and Johnson These include marginal metaphoric concepts, which are less commonly used; conventional metaphoric concepts that are widely accepted and understood; and new metaphoric concepts that emerge over time Understanding these classifications is crucial for analyzing the role of metaphors in language and thought.
145) Metaphoric concepts take public form in metaphoric expressions, also called
Metaphors can be categorized based on their level of unexpectedness, as outlined by Nguyen Hoa (2004: 109) There are three primary types of metaphors: living metaphors, which evoke vivid imagery; faded metaphors, which have lost their original impact; and dead metaphors, which are so commonly used that their figurative meaning is no longer recognized.
George Lakoff and Mark Johnson (1980) argue that metaphor extends beyond language to influence thought processes, suggesting that our conceptual system is reflected in our use of language They assert that metaphors are deeply ingrained in our communication, shaping our understanding and interactions with the world, leading to the concept of the 'conceptual metaphor.'