A Contrastive Study of Metaphors in English and Chinese

Language serves as a medium for conveying ideas, and the mastery of verbal expression is best understood through the study of rhetoric. Metaphor, being one of the most ancient and frequently employed forms of rhetoric, holds a significant place in communication. The study of metaphor in human research can be traced back to the time of Aristotle in ancient Greece during the latter half of the fourth century B.C.E. Initially, metaphor was solely observed as a linguistic phenomenon, serving as an embellishment to language in order to enhance its vividness and captivate the interest of the audience. Later, in the 1980s, American cognitive linguist Lakoff proposed the theory of “conceptual metaphor”, which has since emerged as a means for human beings to perceive and comprehend the world. Therefore, the concept of metaphor extends beyond its linguistic nature and encompasses a cognitive framework that holds significant influence over human thought processes. Although both the English and the Chinese nations inhabit the same natural environment and share similar social experiences and foundations, they have developed distinct conceptual frameworks and individual perspectives and interpretations as a result of their specific historical contexts, living circumstances, and cultural customs. For instance, the understanding of the term “dog” differs considerably between the two nationalities. In Chinese, metaphors employing the term “dog” often carry a negative connotation, such as when referring to power struggles or the inability to produce valuable outcomes. Similarly, in English, metaphors utilizing the term “dog” tend to have a pejorative meaning. In the English language, the metaphorical usage of the term “dog” often carries positive connotations. For instance, phrases like “a lucky dog” and “love me, love my dog” are commonly employed to express favorable sentiments. In addition, there exists a shared characteristic between English and Chinese cultures in terms of emotional metaphors. Both languages employ the metaphorical expression “anger is fire”. Therefore, it can be observed that there exist both shared characteristics and distinctions when comparing metaphors in English and Chinese. Drawing upon the conceptual metaphor theory proposed by Lakoff and Johnson, the primary focus of this paper is to examine the similarities and differences between metaphors in English and Chinese. Additionally, this study aims to explore the underlying reasons behind these variations, with the ultimate goal of providing readers with a valuable reference for conducting comparative analyses of metaphors in English and Chinese.