A Study of Metaphor in Science

长期以来,人们普遍认为隐喻是一种用来增强文彩的修辞手段;而科技语言一贯以专业、严谨,精确和朴实著称,因此隐喻不应存在于科技语言中.然而,随着认知学的发展,大量的研究和事例证明生活中存在着大量的隐喻,其中包括科技语言.本文试图从分析科技隐喻的产生动机,产生途径及巨大功能方面来较为全面地展示科技隐喻的概貌,从而加强人们对科技隐喻的认识与理解.

For a long time, metaphor has been universally viewed as a rhetorical device and as an ornament to enhance linguistic effectiveness. The language in science is always featured as professional, strict, accurate and plain. Therefore, some people contend that it should not keep any contact with metaphor. However, with the study of cognition developing, piles of researches and facts and data show us that metaphors are omnipresent in human's life and science. In this paper, the author tries to give a thorough study of metaphor in science by analyzing the motivations of metaphor rising in science( the question of 'why'), the possible accesses of metaphor formation in science( the question of 'how'), and the great functions of metaphor in science( the question of 'what') with the aim to strengthen the understanding of metaphor in science.