Synesthetic metaphors in Polish from the perspective of frame semanticsMAGDALENA ZAWISŁAWSKAUNIVERSITY OF WARSAW
Synesthetic metaphorsI understand synesthetic metaphors according to Wering et al. (2006): a metaphor is synesthetic only when its source domain pertains to perception (visual, auditory, olfactory, tactile, or gustatory). If the target domain does not evoke perception, we can talk of a weak synaesthetic metaphor. If both the source and the target domain evoke perception, we deal with a strong synaesthetic metaphor (Werning, Fleischhauer, Beşeoğlu 2006).
SYNAMET Microcorpus of Synaesthetic Metaphors. Towards a Formal Description and Efficient Methods of Analysis of Metaphors in Discourse. UMO/2014/15/B/HS2/00182, financed by the Polish National Science Centre.
Synesthetic metaphors and frame semantics
Recent works on metaphor have employed the Fillmorean frame semantics framework in order to account better for metaphor's both cognitive and linguistic properties (Dancygier, Sweetser 2014; Ziem 2014, Dodge et al. 2015; Sullivan 2015).
Why frames?1. Frame semantics offers a holistic approache to
linguistic anylisys (unlike the structural semantics).2. Frame – as the system of concepts – contains not
only linguistic knowledge, but any kind of knowledge that is relevant to understand discourse.
3. Frame is coherent, conceptual gestalts organized in a hierarchical structure that contains slots and values (Dodge et al. 2015).
Scope of the presentation
Adjetives of tactile perception:GORĄCY (HOT)ZIMNY (COLD)GŁADKI (SMOOTH)SZORSTKI (ROUGH, COARSE)
38%
49%
10%
4%Number of appearance in NCP (the balanaced subcorpus)
gorący (hot)zimny (cold)gładki (smooth)szorstki (rough)
Sources National Corpus of Polish (NCP)DICTIONARIES: Bańko, Mirosław (2000): Inny słownik języka polskiego
PWN. Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN (ISJP). Bańko, Mirosław (2004): Słownik porównań. Wyd. 1.
Warszawa: Wydawn. Naukowe PWN (SP). Dubisz, Stanisław (2003): Uniwersalny słownik języka
polskiego. Wyd. 1. Warszawa: Wydawn. Naukowe PWN (USJP).
ADJECTIVES OF THE TACTILE PERCEPTION
GORĄCY : ZIMNY HOT : COLD
Semantic relations between the adjectives gorący and zimny
ISJP: antonyms.USJP: (gorący ‹hot› : lodowaty ‹ice-cold›; zimny :
ciepły ‹warm›. They name the opposite and outermost sides of
the same attribute – the temperature of an object.
HOT ZIMNY
TEMPERATURE
SOURCE OF HEAT
OBJECTNATURAL
ARTIFICIAL
ORGANISM
HUMAN
OTHER MAMMALS
BIRDSPROPERTIES CHANGEABLE
INFLUENCE ON MAN
POSITIVE
NEGATIVE
Body temperature
Hot body means:• illness: gorączka
«fever»;• very strong
emotions, e.g. anger, love, excitement: gorączkować się «to be (all) keyed up», gorzeć miłością, nienawiścią «to be burning with love, hate».
Cold body menas:
• illness: zimnica «malaria»;
• fear: kogoś oblewa zimny pot «to break out in a cold sweat from fright », zimno się komuś zrobiło «one shuddersout of fear»;
• death: zimny «deceased, dead», zimny jak trup «cold as as a corpse».
Object temperature
Prototypical hot objects in Polish idioms SUN FIRE STOVETheir typical colors are : red, orange and yellow.
woda (water) herbata (tea) powietrze (air) zupa (soup) kawa (coffee) mleko (milk)
669
419
170119 109 91
Most typical noun collocations with the adjective gorący in NCP
Number of collocations
Hot objects are good for us as:• they worm us and heat the air, water, or a
room,• they let us cook food. Hot objects are bad for us as:• they can make air or room too hot and it is
unpleasant or even dangerous for us: gorąc ‹heat›,
• they can burn us: Kto się na gorącym sparzył, ten na zimne dmucha. (One once burnt is blowing on cold ‹once bitten, twice shy›.)
Prototypical cold objects in Polish idioms
ICESTONEFISHSTEELROCKMARBLETheir typical colors are: white, blue, grey.
woda (water) powietrze (air) piwo (beer) wiatr (wind) napój (drink)
857
117 9257 54
Most typical noun collocations with the adjective zimy in NCP
Number of collocations
Cold objects are good for us as:• we can safely touch them: dmuchać na zimne (to blow at
cold ‹to play it safe›), zimne ognie ‹sparklers›;• when it’s hot outside, or our body is hot, we use them to
refresh ourselves: zimny kompres ‹cold compress›. Cold objects are bad for us as:• we don’t like touching them: zimny jak ryba ‹to be a cold
fish›; • cold food is not tasty. Too cold air or water is bad for us as:• we don’t like when it’s too cold outside: zimnica ‹very
cold, unpleasant weather›;• we don’t like too cold water: zimny prysznic ‹a cold
shower›.• too cold weather can be dangerous for us.
Gorący (hot) and zimny (cold) adjectives in strong and weak synesthetic metaphors
GORĄCY ZIMNY
STRO
NG
SYN
ESTH
ETIC
M
ETAP
HO
RSVISUAL
PERCEPTION
GORĄCY (HOT)gorące barwy,
kolory (hot colors ‹warm colors›)
ZIMNY (COLD)zimne barwy,
kolory (cold colors ‹cool colors›)
AUDITORY PERCEPTION
GORĄCY (HOT)
gorące rytmy hot rhythms ‹Latino
rythms›
gorący doping ‹rousing cheers›
gorące oklaski ‹warm applause›
ZIMNY (COLD)zimne dźwięki (cold sounds) ‹higher tones›
Weak synesthtetic metaphorsGORĄCY (HOT)
HO
T
HOT OBJECT
SHORT TIME SHORT
IMPACTGOOD
BAD
HOT BODYREASON
SYMPTOMS
SHORT TIMEWE HAVE TO ACT FAST• gorąca linia
‹hotline›• gorący pieniądz
‹hot money›
WE HAVE TO DO A LOT• gorący
czas/okres/tydzień ‹busy time, period, weak›
THE OBJECT IS NEW, FRESH (hot bread)• gorący temat ‹hot
topic›• gorąca wiadomość
‹breaking news›
IMPACTGOOD• gorące życzenia ‹warm wishes›
• gorące powitanie ‹warm welcome›
BAD• gorący czas ‹hot time›
• gorący punkt ‹hot point/ torrid area, war zone›
HOT BODYREASON• LOVE
• gorący wielbiciel ‹ardent admirer› • gorący romans ‹burning romance›
• ANGER• gorący spór ‹heated dispute›
• COMMITMENT• gorący zwolennik ‹ardent
supporter›
SYMPTOMS• PERSONALITY
• gorące serce ‹enthustiastic›• gorąca krew ‹hot blood›
• MANNNER OF SEPAKING• gorący apel ‹urgent appeal›• gorąca modlitwa ‹fervent prayer›
• MANNER OF BEHAVIOR• gorąca atmosfera ‹hostile
atmoshpere›
Weak synesthtetic metaphorsZIMNY (COLD)
GORĄCY (HOT)
STRONG EMOTIONS (anger, love, passion,
excitement)
POSITIVE EMOTIONS (love, passion)
ZIMNY (COLD)NO EMOTIONS• reason
• zimna krew (cold blood)• zimna kalkulacja (cold
calculation)• ruthlessness
• zimny drań (ruthless bastard)• zimne serce (cold heart)
NEGATIVE EMOTIONS (fear)• kogoś oblewa zimny pot
‹one broke out in a cold sweat›: one was terrified
ZIMNY (COLD)• NOT DIRECT, NON
MILITARY CONFLICT• zimna wojna ‹cold war›
GORĄCY (HOT)• DIRECT,MILITARY
CONFLICT• gorąca wojna ‹hot war›
ADJECTIVES OF THE TACTILE PERCEPTION
GŁADKI : SZORSTKISMOOTH : ROUGH
Semantic relations between adjectives gładki and szorstki
USJP: antonyms. ISJP: szorstki ‹rough, coarse› : gładki ‹smooth›; gładki :
szorstki/ chropawy/ chropowaty ‹rough, coarse›.The adjectives name the early (szorstki) and final
(gładki) state of the object: gładzik ‹calender, plane›; wygładzić ‹to smooth sth away/out›.
SZORSTKI GŁADKI
TEXTURE
OBJECT
NATURAL
SURFACE
ARTEFACT
SURFACE
ORGANISM
HUMAN
SKIN
HAIR
ANIMAL
SKIN
COAT
SHELL
PLANT
BARK
LEAVES
GŁA
DKI
(S
MO
OTH
) • When we touch a surface we don’t feel any bumps.
• Our hand moves on such surface FAST and EASY.
• When we touch such surface it feels NICE.
• We can PROCESS some objects in order to make them smooth.
SZO
RSTK
I (R
OU
GH
) • On a surface we feel bumps, or unevenness.
• Our hand moves on such surface with with DIFFICULTY.
• When we touch such surface it doesn’t feel nice and sometimes it is PAINFUL.
Prototypical smooth objects in Polish idioms TABLE ICE GLASS ALABASTER VELVET SATIN SILK BOTTOM OF
A BABYwłosy (hair) ciało (body) masa (dough) policzek (cheek) slab
38
3028
24
16
Most typical noun collocations with the adjective gładki in NCP
Numbers of collocation
Prototypical rough objects in Polish
RICE BRUSH
język (tongue) dłoń (palm) skóra (skin) policzek (cheek) ręka (hand) wełna (wool)
1716
15 15
12
10
Most frequent collocations with the adjective szorstki in NCP
Numbers of collocations
Strong synesthtetic metaphorsGŁADKI (SMOOTH)SZORSTKI (ROUGH)
VISUAL PERCEPTION• GŁADKI (SMOOTH)
• plain (a dress)• no wrinkle (a face)• no waves (a lake)• no hills (a plain)• no curves (a line)
• SZORSTKI (ROUGH)• with small, numerous
twists (a shoreline)
AUDITORY PERCEPTION• GŁADKI (SMOOTH)
• nice, pleasant sounds • SZORSTKI (ROUGH)
• a sound that is unpleasant, shrill, out of tune
COMPLEX PERCEPTION• GŁADKI (SMOOTH)
• no visible and perceptible irregularities (e.g. asphalt, road)
Weak synesthtetic metaphorsGŁADKI (SMOOTH)SZORSTKI (ROUGH)
GŁA
DKI
(SM
OO
TH)
EASY to move hand, NICE feeling EASY, NICE
gładkie życie (easy life)
gładkie zwycięstwo (easy victory)
Efect of PROCESSING
REFINED, ELEGANT
gładki wiersz (fluid poem)
gładki styl (elegant style)
NICE, BUT DEVOID OF CONTENT
gładkie słowa (smooth words)
gładki banał (smooth banality)
SZO
RSTK
I (RO
UG
H,
COAR
SE) UNPLEASANT,
PAINFULwhen we touch it
szorstkie słowa (gruff words)
szorstki człowiek (a gruff man)
UNPROCESSED object szorstki styl (an unrafined style)
Frames and metaphorGORĄCE SŁOWA VS GŁADKIE SŁOWAHOT WORDS SMOOTH WORDS
CONDUIT METAPHOR: IDEAS (OR MEANINGS) ARE OBJECTS
LINGUISTIC EXPRESSIONS ARE CONTAINERS (Reddy 1979)
„SURFACE” OF A WORD: WHAT WE SEE (READ) OR HEAR. IT CAN BE
CORRECTED.
MEANINGIDEA
IT CAN MAKE PEOPLE TO DO
SOMETHING
SUFRACE OF A AN OBJECT: ROUGH TEXTURE CAN BE PROCESSED TO BECOME
SMOOTH
TEMPERATURE OF THE OBJECT
CAN HEAT OTHER
OBJECTS
Gorące słowa poetów, filozofów mobilizowały całe zbiorowości do narodowych zrywów. (NCP)[Passionate words of poets, philosophers encouraged whole communities to mass uprising.]
Żaden rząd po 1989 r. nie wykazywał woli politycznej, by rozwiązać problem repatriacji. Płyną tylko gładkie słowa - stwierdza profesor Zygmunt Kolenda. (NCP)[No government after 1989 has demonstrated the political will to solve the problem of repatriation. Only smooth words are floating – states professor Zygmunt Kolenda.]
GORĄCE SŁOWA(HOT WORDS)
CAN MAKE OTHER PEOPLE TO FEEL
SOMETING
FULL OF EMOTIONS,
ENTHUSIASM, PASSION
GŁADKIE SŁOWA (SMOOTH WORD)
NICE, ELEGANT ON THE SURFACE, BUT DEVOIDED OF
ANY MEANING, IMPORTANT IDEAS
Conclusion
1.Metaphor productivity of the analyzed adjectives is different and it is subordianted to its importance to men, its frequency and complexity of source frame’s structure.
2.Metaphoric transfer of adjectives of tactile perception depends on the both frames’ structure and their internal logic: corresponding slots are filled by the adequate attributes. This is why we can say gorące/ gładkie słowa (hot/smooth words), but we can’t say *gorący frazes, banał (hot platitude/ banality).
3.Frames contains not only literal knowledge about the world, but also basic premetaphors (e.g. WORD ARE CONTAINERS FOR IDEAS) (cf. Ritchie 2006).
Literature Diederich C. 2015. Sensory Adjectives in the Discourse of Food. A frame-semantic approach to
language and perception. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company. Dodge, E., Jisup, H., Stickles, E. 2015. MetaNet: Deep semantic auotmatic metaphor analysis.
Procedings of the Third Workshop on Metaphor in NLP. Eds. Ekaterina Shutova, Beata Beigman Klebanov, and Patricia Lichtenstein. Denver, CA: Associaton for Computational Linguistics.
Fillmore, C. J. 1982. Frame semantics. Linguistics in the Morning Calm, 111–137. Seoul, South Korea: Hanshin Publishing Co.
Reddy, M. J. 1979. The conduit metaphor. A case of frame conflict in our language about language. Metaphor and thought, ed. by Andrew Ortony. Cambridge, New York: Cambridge University Press.
Ritchie, L. David. 2006. Context and connection in metaphor. Palgrave Macmillan. Sullivan, K. 2014. Frames and Constructions in Metaphoric Language. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John
Benjamins Publishing Company. Werning M., Fleischhauer J., Beseoglu H. 2006. The cognitive accessibility of synaesthetic metaphors.
Proceedings of the Twenty-eighth Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. (Eds.) R. Sun & N. Miyake. London: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates: 2365–2370.
Ziem, A. 2014. Frames of understanding in text and discourse. Theoretical foundations and descriptive applications. Amsterdam, Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing.
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