英汉“前、后”隐喻时间研究

Study of the English and Chinese Spatial "Front-Back" Metaphors of Time

关于时间的空间隐喻,有学者认为,由于文化差异的影响,时间的"前、后"隐喻在英、汉语中是有区别的,已有的论述复杂难解。尽管文化有别,英汉语在这个问题上共同点多于不同点。孤立地看,"过去在后"的情况居多,放在时间流程中来看,"过去在前"居多。

It has been maintained by some that,due to differences between English and Chinese cultures,there is some distinction as to whether the past is ＂in front＂ or ＂at the back＂ of the speaker.This paper sets out from the conviction that the human body is essential in temporal metaphors,and explores under what circumstances the past is typically ＂in front＂ of the speaker.It suggests that,if the speaker is treated as alone,the past is predominantly ＂at the back＂;however,when the speaker is conceptualized in relation to other participants in the flow of time,the past is primarily ＂in front＂.It concludes that,metaphorically,there are more similarities than differences between the two languages as to when ＂the past is in front＂.