概念整合在语义理解与分析中的“消极”和“积极”作用——以悖论和谜语为例

The “positive”and “negative”effects of conceptual blending on meaning interpretation——a case study on paradoxes and riddles

概念整合(空间合成)广泛应用于各种认知活动中,运用概念整合理论能够动态地揭示出语言在线处理过程中的空间构建与合成。概念整合对语义的理解和分析具有两面性,它在特定语篇中为适应不同目的会发挥不同的作用。本文通过阐释悖论和谜语中分别涉及的"消极"和"积极"的概念整合方式,以具体实例展示了这种两面性。某些悖论通过诱导人们进行不当的空间合成而制造矛盾,达到迷惑性目的;而积极主动地利用空间合成则能够帮助人们定位谜语中的关键点,从而解开谜语。

Conceptual blending is widely applicable in various cognitive activities.The theoretical framework of con-ceptual blending gives a dynamic representation of online language processing that entails the construction and blending of conceptual spaces.The contribution of conceptual blending to the understanding and analyzing of mean-ing is dual,depending on the specific role it plays in different types of discourse for different purposes.The paper demonstrates the duality of conceptual blending through its “negative”role involved in paradoxes and “positive”role involved in solving riddles.Certain paradoxes exploit its information input to lead people into constructing an improper blended space that causes contradiction and thus confusion.On the other hand,space blending can also be employed positively to locate the key to solving the riddle.