The Analysis of Metaphors of Saadi’s Boostan Based on Conceptual Blending Theory

Abstract

The aim of the present study study is to describe and analyze the conceptual domains used in metaphors of Saadi’s Boostan based on conceptual blending theory as presented by Fauconnier and Turner (1998, 2002). This theory uses mental spaces to describe and analyze metaphors that are two input spaces: a generic space and a blended space. In this research the mental spaces of each metaphor in Saadi’s Boostan are described to determine which conceptual domains are involved in the construction of mental spaces in each metaphor. Then, the significance or non-significance of using these conceptual domains are measured using X2 test in SPSS. The results show that the conceptual domains used in the metaphors of Saadi’s Boostan can be grouped into 13 groups: (1) personification, (2) journey for the life concept, (3) using orientation for positive and negative entities, (4) natural phenomena, (5) animals, (6) tastes, (7) agriculture (8) body organs, (9) being containment by non-containers, (10) things, (11) actions, (12) human characters, and (13) locations. When constructing metaphors, these conceptual domains are embedded in an input space and together with the other input space intended by the poet, are projected into a blended space and make a metaphor. The results show that all the metaphors of Saadi’s Boostan can be described and analyzed based on conceptual domains in constructing the mental spaces suggested in conceptual blending theory

Keywords

• metaphor
• saadi’s boostan
• ccnceptual blending theory
• conceptual domains
• fauconnier and turner