“家”英汉认知语义对比研究

A Comparative Study of the Conceptual Metaphors of “Home” in English and Chinese

摘要: 本文旨在通过认知语言学的视角，对比分析英汉两种语言中“家”的概念隐喻及其背后的文化认知差异。文章以“家”的多种含义为切入点，探讨了其在英汉语中的不同语义延伸，并分析了英语中与“家”相关的词汇，如home，family，house等。研究发现，虽然英汉两种语言都存在将“家”的概念投射到熟悉、亲近、重要源点/终点等方面的共性，但也存在显著差异。汉语中的“家”更多地与农耕文明和家族传承联系在一起，带有积极的内涵；而英语中的“家”可能带有不适、品质不佳等含义。文章认为，这些差异可能源于英汉两种语言不同的时空性特质。

Abstract: This study employs a cognitive linguistics framework to conduct a comparative analysis of the conceptual metaphors of “home” (家, jia) in English and Chinese, examining the underlying cultural and cognitive differences. Taking the multifaceted meanings of “jia” as a starting point, the paper explores its distinct semantic extensions within the two languages. It further analyzes relevant English lexical items such as home, family, and house. The research reveals that while both languages share commonalities in projecting the concept of “home” onto domains like familiarity, intimacy, and significant origins/destinations, significant divergences exist. In Chinese, “jia” is more frequently associated with agrarian civilization and familial lineage, often carrying positive connotations. Conversely, the English concept of “home” can encompass meanings related to discomfort or poor quality. The paper argues that these differences potentially stem from the inherent spatiotemporal traits of each language.