Contents

Acknowledgements

Abstract

摘要

Chapter One Introduction-1

1.1 Background-1

1.2 The Purpose and Significance of the Study-1

1.3 The Structure of the Thesis-1

Chapter Two Literature Review-3

2.1 Theoretical Prerequisites-3

2.1.1 The Theory of Categories-3

2.1.2 The Cognitive Theory of Metaphor-4

2.1.3 The Space Category-4

2.2 The Classification of Space Category-5

2.2.1 The Form of the Space Category-5

2.2.2 The Semantic Classification of the Space Category-5

2.3 Previous Studies-6

Chapter Three The Contrastive Study on Space Category Between English and Chinese-7

3.1 The Contrastive Study on the Expression Ways of Space Category-7

3.1.1 The Expression Ways of Space Category in Chinese-8

3.1.2 The Expressive Means of Space Category in English-8

3.2 The Contrastive Study on the Expression of Locality Category-9 

3.2.1 The Expression of Space Locality between English and Chinese-9

3.2.2 The Expressive Means of Space Category in English-10

3.3 The Contrastive Study on the Expression of Displacement Category-11

3.3.1 The Description of Displacement Category-11

3.3.2 The Contrastive Study of English and Chinese Dispacement Verbs-11

Chapter Four Conclusion-14

References-15

Abstract

Space is a fundamental category in human cognition. Generally speaking, space concepts are the same as space category. However, it also have subtle difference. The space concept refers to the meaning range of words, but the space category refers to things in the cognitive classification, so the space category and cognition are linked more closely. This thesis takes space category as the study objective, but also discusses methods and problems on space research. Comparing space category between English and Chinese, this thesis aims to find out the similarities and differences in space category through the different expression ways of space category, locality category and displacement category. 

The whole thesis consists of four chapters. Chapter One briefly introduces background, the purpose and significance of the study, and the structure of the thesis. Chapter Two presents the theory of categories, the cognitive theory of metaphor, the classification of space category and previous studies. Chapter Three aims to clearly make the contrastive study on space category between English and Chinese through the different expression ways of space category, locality category and displacement category. The last chapter concludes the whole thesis with major findings. 

Key words:  space category   locality category  displacement category