意象图式理论下介词in的隐喻认知研究

Metaphorical Cognition of Preposition “in” Based on Image Schema Theory

摘要: 意象图式理论是认知语言学研究的重要问题之一，意象图式是人类认知的基础；英语中普遍存在一词多义的现象，尤其是介词的一词多义，常规英语课堂深受传统语义观的影响，认为词汇的义项之间的关系是任意的，缺乏对其中关联性的探讨，这为学生学习介词造成了一定的负担；意向图式理论能够为介词的一词多义现象提供合理的解释，能够使学生深刻地理解介词各个义项之间的关系，帮助学生在大脑中建立一个词汇语义网；该文基于意向图式理论，探究对介词隐喻认知研究的必要性，并以介词in为例，探讨其空间意义即原型意义在非空间域：时间域、范围域、状态域和方式域中的隐喻拓展，以期为当前英语课堂中介词的教学提供理据性和解释力。

Abstract: Image schema theory is one of the important theories in cognitive linguistics, and the foundation of human cognition at the same time. Polysemy exists in English, especially in prepositions. Traditional English class is always influenced by traditional semantic views, which holds that the relation between lexical meanings is arbitrary, lacking the discussion on their relations. This has created a certain burden for students to learn prepositions. Image Schema Theory can provide a reasonable explanation for polysemy of prepositions, enable students to understand the relationship between the meanings of prepositions, and help students build a lexical semantic network in their brains. Based on the Image Schema Theory, this paper explores the necessity of cognitive research on prepositional metaphor, and takes the preposition “in” as a case to explore the extended metaphors of its spatial meaning, namely, prototype meaning, in non-spatial domains like time domain, scope domain, state domain and mode domain so as to provide theoretical basis and explanation for the teaching of prepositions in English classrooms.