CIMCYC, Sala 1, lunes 2 de junio, 12:00-13:00.
People not only talk metaphorically, we also think metaphorically, conceptualizing countless abstract domains like time, value, and mathematics in terms of more concrete domains like space. Where do our mental metaphors come from? Metaphor theorists posit that hundreds of metaphors in language and thought have their basis in bodily interactions with the physical world. Yet, the origins of most mental metaphors are difficult to discern, because the patterns of linguistic, cultural, and bodily experience that could give rise to them appear mutually inextricable. In this talk, I’ll discuss three mental metaphors for which the contributions of language, culture, and the body can be distinguished unambiguously. By analyzing the distinct ways in which politics, time, and emotional valence come to be metaphorized in terms of left-right space, it is possible to illustrate the distinct linguistic, cultural, and bodily origins of the mental metaphors that scaffold our thoughts, feelings, and choices.
Suggested readings:
Casasanto, D. (2013). Experiential Origins of Mental Metaphors: Language, Culture, and the Body. In The Power of Metaphor: Examining Its Influence on Social Life. M. Landau, M.D. Robinson, & B. Meier (Eds.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association Books.
LINK: http://www.casasanto.com/papers/Casasanto_Origins_of_mental_metaphors_2013.pdf -> http://www.casasanto.com/papers/Casasanto_Origins_of_mental_metaphors_2013.pdf
Casasanto, D. & Bottini, R. (2014). Spatial language and abstract concepts. WIREs Cognitive Science, 5, 139–149. doi: 10.1002/wcs.1271
http://www.casasanto.com/papers/Casasanto&Bottini_WIRES_2014.pdf