英汉化妆品广告中概念隐喻的比较分析_英语论文

A Comparative Analysis of Conceptual Metaphors in English and Chinese Cosmetics Advertisements

摘要

1980年兰考夫和在《我们赖以生存的隐喻》一书中首次提出了概念隐喻理论，认为概念隐喻是将熟知的概念结构映射到其他概念的一种思维方式。 概念隐喻广泛应用于中英化妆品广告当中，本文旨在探究概念隐喻在中英化妆品广告使用中的异同点。

Lakoff和Johson将概念隐喻理论分为三大类，分别是方位隐喻，本体隐喻和结构隐喻。通过详细的对比分析，本文共有三点发现。首先，部分概念隐喻在中英文化妆品广告中占比相近。其次，部分概念隐喻分为仅存于中英文化妆品广告中。此外，运用于中英文化妆品广告中的同一概念隐喻可能会存在不同的特殊含义。作者进一步探析了中英文化妆品广告中相同概念隐喻使用的原因，包括概念隐喻相同的工作机制、人类相似的身体体验以及共同的认知基础；概念隐喻使用情况不同的原因涉及思维模式、宗教信仰以及社会体系的差异性。最后，作者对语言学习者和广告设计者提出了相应的建议，以便他们更好地理解和运用概念隐喻。

关键词：概念隐喻；化妆品广告；对比分析；认知语言学

Abstract

The conceptual metaphor, proposed by Lakoff and Johson in their book Metaphors We Live by in 1980, is a way of thinking for human beings to perceive the world through mapping the well-known conceptual structure to another. The use of the conceptual metaphor is pervasive in both English and Chinese cosmetics advertisements. This paper aims to explore the similarities and differences in the use of the conceptual metaphor between English and Chinese cosmetics advertisements. 

According to Lakoff and Johson, the conceptual metaphor has been divided into three main categories---the orientation metaphor, the ontological metaphor and the structural metaphor. The detailed comparative analysis reveals three major findings. First, some conceptual metaphors exist in both English and Chinese cosmetics advertisements with nearly the same proportion. Next, some conceptual metaphors only exist in English cosmetics advertisements while some are unique in Chinese ones. In addition, the same conceptual metaphor may have different specific connotation respectively in English and Chinese. The author further explores the reasons for similarities, including the shared working mechanism, the human beings’ similar body experiences and the same physical foundation of cognition, and reasons for the differences, including different thinking modes, religious beliefs and social systems. Finally, suggestions are offered for language learners and advertisers for better comprehension and employment of conceptual metaphors. 

Key words: conceptual metaphor; cosmetics advertisements; comparative analysis