Abstract

The conceptual metaphor is always a hot research subject in linguistic circle and it is generally used in the economic discourse, drawing more and more specialists and scholars to study it now. 

    This thesis introduces the conceptual metaphor theory proposed by Lakoff and Johanson. And based on the theory, this thesis makes a brief analysis of the conceptual metaphor in English and Chinese economic discourses with examples from the Economist and China Business News in order to explore the similarities and differences of both. 

    Due to the similar cognitive system and life experiences of human beings, this thesis analyzes the similarities of English and Chinese discourses from the perspectives of structural, orientational and ontological metaphor that are the three categories of conceptual metaphor. On the other hand, human’s cognition is influenced by many factors such as history, geography, and culture which cause the different conceptual metaphors, and this thesis discusses the differences mainly from the perspectives of structural and ontological metaphor. After the comparison some suggestions are provided for the translation and the cultivation of cultural awareness of conceptual metaphor in English and Chinese economic discourses.

Key words: conceptual metaphor; English and Chinese economic discourse; comparison; suggestions

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1 Introduction-1

2 Literature review-2

2.1 Economic discourse-2

2.2 Conceptual metaphor-3

2.3 The relevant studies-4

3 The similarities of conceptual metaphor in English and Chinese economic discourse-5

3.1 The similarities of structural metaphor-5

3.2 The similarities of orientational metaphor-7

3.3 The similarities of ontological metaphor-8

4 The differences of conceptual etaphor in English and Chinese economic discourse-10

4.1 The differences of structural metaphor-11

4.1 The differences of ontological metaphor-12

5 Suggestions to conceptual metaphor application in English and Chinese discourse-14

5.1 The cultivation of cultural awareness in conceptual metaphors-14

5.2 The translation of English conceptual metaphors-15

6 Conclusion-17

References-18