Primary metaphor

In cognitive linguistics, a primary metaphor is an ingrained association between certain pairs of distinct concepts. These innate conceptual metaphors inform cognition, and are theorised to arise unconsciously from experienced events. Primary metaphors persist across languages because basic embodied experiences, which form their basis, are universal.^[1]

In these associated pairs of concepts, one can be said to be the "source" concept, which is usually grounded in a measurable experience, while the other is the "target" concept, which is usually more abstract and subjective.^{[citation needed]} They may arise via conflation during early development, before the subject is able to distinguish the two concepts.^[1]

One example is the association of "heaviness" with "difficulty".^[2] Likewise, there is a correlation between knowing and seeing forming the primary metaphor knowing is seeing. Understanding an expression such as glass ceiling rests on two such primary metaphors. Evidence for primary metaphors is usually observed in the use of language, though evidence from the visual domain has also been researched.^[3] The term primary metaphor was coined by linguist Joseph Grady.^{[citation needed]}

References

^ ^a ^b Lakoff, George; Johnson, Mark (1999). Philosophy In The Flesh: The Embodied Mind And Its Challenge To Western Thought. Basic Books. ISBN 978-0-465-05673-6. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
^ Grady, Joseph E.; Ascoli, Giorgio A. (2017). "Sources and Targets in Primary Metaphor Theory: Looking Back and Thinking Ahead". Metaphor: Embodied Cognition and Discourse. Cambridge University Press. pp. 27–45. ISBN 978-1-108-20310-4. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
^ Ortiz, María J. (1 May 2011). "Primary metaphors and monomodal visual metaphors". Journal of Pragmatics. 43 (6): 1568–1580. doi:10.1016/j.pragma.2010.12.003. ISSN 0378-2166. Retrieved 6 November 2024.

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[Flesh-1] Lakoff, George; Johnson, Mark (1999). Philosophy In The Flesh: The Embodied Mind And Its Challenge To Western Thought. Basic Books. ISBN 978-0-465-05673-6. Retrieved 6 November 2024.

[2] Grady, Joseph E.; Ascoli, Giorgio A. (2017). "Sources and Targets in Primary Metaphor Theory: Looking Back and Thinking Ahead". Metaphor: Embodied Cognition and Discourse. Cambridge University Press. pp. 27–45. ISBN 978-1-108-20310-4. Retrieved 6 November 2024.

[3] Ortiz, María J. (1 May 2011). "Primary metaphors and monomodal visual metaphors". Journal of Pragmatics. 43 (6): 1568–1580. doi:10.1016/j.pragma.2010.12.003. ISSN 0378-2166. Retrieved 6 November 2024.

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See also

References