Target Domain

Pinterest

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The Common Source and Target Domains of Conceptual Metaphors

Introduction

Conceptual metaphors are a type of figurative language that maps concepts from one domain to another. For example, the concept of love can be mapped to the concept of a journey, as in the phrase "falling in love." This type of mapping can help us to understand complex concepts by making them more concrete and relatable.

Source and Target Domains

The source domain is the domain from which the metaphor is drawn, while the target domain is the domain to which the metaphor is applied. In the example above, the source domain is love and the target domain is a journey. Other common source and target domains include life, war, and social organizations.

How Conceptual Metaphors Work

Conceptual metaphors work by mapping the structure of one domain onto the structure of another domain. For example, the structure of a journey can be mapped onto the structure of love, as in the following diagram:

``` | Journey | Love | |---|---| | Beginning | Falling in love | | Middle | Being in love | | End | Falling out of love | ```

This mapping allows us to understand the concept of love in terms of the concept of a journey. We can see that falling in love is like embarking on a journey, being in love is like being on a journey, and falling out of love is like ending a journey.

Conclusion

Conceptual metaphors are a powerful tool for understanding complex concepts. By mapping one domain onto another, we can make these concepts more concrete and relatable. The common source and target domains of conceptual metaphors can help us to identify the underlying structures of these concepts and to better understand how they work.