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2 - The Abstract Understood Figuratively, the Concrete Understood Literally, but the Concrete Understood Figuratively?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 April 2020

Zoltán Kövecses
Zoltán Kövecses
Affiliation:
Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest
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Summary

On the basis of the evidence in this chapter, it seems that figurativity (that is, understanding concepts by means of metaphor or metonymy) does not really distinguish concrete concepts from abstract ones. Both types of concepts (concrete and abstract) are characterized by being understood metaphorically and metonymically. As a result, we face a dilemma in accounting for the unidirectionality of metaphorical mappings in conceptual metaphors. We cannot claim that the concrete is understood in a literal way and we make use of this in comprehending and creating abstractions.

Keywords

abstract conceptconcrete conceptliteral meaningfigurative meaningconstrual
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Chapter
Information
Extended Conceptual Metaphor Theory , pp. 22 - 33
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2020

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