基于语料库的英汉植物转喻对比研究

A corpus-based contrastive study of plant metonymies in English and Chinese

本文以概念转喻理论为基础,系统探讨了英汉语的多种植物转喻类型,进而挖掘英汉植物转喻的异同及其背后的认知动因。研究发现:1)英汉语中的植物转喻是由植物范畴及成员、与植物相关的动作和以植物为原材料制成的产品三方面相互作用的结果;2)英汉语中以植物为目标域的转喻呈现出大同小异的关系,而以植物为始源域的转喻则呈现出异大于同的关系;3)英汉母语者相似的认知体验使英汉植物转喻之间存在共性,而英汉母语者思维方式的差别、英汉语之间不同的构词方式和中西经济文化的差异是二者产生差异的重要因素。

Based on the theory of conceptual metonymy,this paper discusses the various types of plant metonymies in English and Chinese,delving into the similarities and dissimilarities of plant metonymies in English and Chinese and illustrates the underlying cognitive motivation. The study shows that: 1) plant metonymies in English and Chinese are the result of the interaction among plant category and its members,plant-related actions and plant-based products;2) English and Chinese plant metonymies are largely identical but with slight differences when plants are conceived as target domains,while there are more dissimilarities than similarities between them when plants are conceived as source domains;3) the similar cognitive experience between English and Chinese makes the similarities between English and Chinese plant metonymies,the dissimilarities of which can be accounted for in terms of various modes of thinking,different ways of word formation and diverse Sino-Western economic culture.