An Analysis of Northern Sotho Idioms with Reference to Conceptual Metaphor Theory. Issue 1 (2nd January 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Naicker, Suren
• Is Part Of: Language matters. Volume 50:Issue 1(2019)
• Page Start: 115
• Page End: 136
• Publication Date: 2019-01-02
• Subjects: Cognitive Linguistics -- Conceptual Metaphor Theory -- metaphorical idioms -- Northern Sotho; Africa -- Languages -- Periodicals; 496.05
• DOI: 10.1080/10228195.2018.1539118
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1022-8195

Abstract

Abstract: A selection of idiomatic expressions is analysed here using Conceptual Metaphor Theory as an analytical framework. This theory is critiqued with reference to the "invariance principle, " which aims to explain the mechanisms behind the mapping of metaphors, including the factors which restrict these mappings. Following cognitive linguists like Gibbs, idioms are seen as analogous to any other linguistic metaphors, and are presented as conventional manifestations of underlying conceptual metaphors. The idioms were selected from two texts, and were attested by six native speakers of Northern Sotho, who checked both the accuracy of the translation and the import of the metaphorical idioms. The standard version of the invariance principle, as presented by George Lakoff in his initial works, needs to be updated, as it fails to account for how idioms are interpreted. The findings here concur with the critiques of this principle as found in works by scholars like Wallington and Stockwell.