Abstract: Plants have a close relationship with human beings, most of which are very rich in metaphorical meanings. Plant metaphor is a kind of conceptual metaphor in nature. Conceptual metaphor is deeply rooted in our bodily experience. Therefore, plant metaphor is also a cognitive way. This paper aims at analyzing a large amount of linguistic data and making a contrastive study of plant metaphors in English and Chinese to find out why such similarities and differences have come into being. The study shows that the similarities of plant metaphors in English and Chinese are due to the common basic body experience while the main causes to the differences between the two languages are the way of thinking, the cultural traditions, the natural environment, social conventions and the aesthetic standards. The thesis concludes that an awareness of the similarities and differences of plant metaphors in English and Chinese are of great importance in effective cross-cultural communication.

Key words: plant metaphor; conceptual metaphor; cultural relativity; contrastive study in English and Chinese

CONTENTS

Abstract

摘要

1.Introduction.1

2. Literature Review 1

2.1 The Contemporary Study of Metaphor

2.1.1 The Definition of Conceptual Metaphor

2.1.2 Working Mechanism of Conceptual Metaphor

2.1.3 Cognitive Functions of Conceptual Metaphor

  2.2 The Research of Plant Metaphor at Home and Abroad

3. Plant Metaphors3

3.1 The Definition of Plant Metaphor

  3.2 The Classification of Plant Metaphor

4. Contrastive Study of Plant Metaphors in English and Chinese5

4.1 Similarities of Plant Metaphors in English and Chinese

  4.2 Differences of Plant Metaphors in English and Chinese

  4.3 Reasons for the Similarities and Differences

4.3.1 Reasons For the Similarities —— Cognitive Universality

4.3.2 Reasons For the Differences —— Cultural Relativity

      4.3.2.1 Difference in Ways of Thinking

      4.3.2.2 Difference in Cultural Traditions

      4.3.2.3 Difference in Natural Environment and Social Conventions

4.3.2.4 Difference in Aesthetic Standards

5.Conclusion.11

Bibliography.13

Acknowledgments14