Conceptual metaphor of food in Iraqi Turkmani

Abstract EN

One of the most prominent theories which are concerned with figurative and non-literal language is metaphor.

Some theories consider metaphor as a device in language, in contrast to the cognitive and conceptual metaphor theory by Lakoff and Johnson (1980a) in which metaphor is defined as understanding concepts (target domain) in terms of more concrete concepts (source domain).

This study investigates food metaphors in Iraqi Turkmani proverbs in the city of Telafer.

It aims to reveal concepts which are conceptualized or understood by concrete concepts of food related terms in Iraqi Turkmani proverbs, and to reveal the bases and motivations of these metaphors.

The study assumes that various and different concepts are conceptualized and understood in terms of food related terms, moreover, experience and culture are employed to serve as bases of metaphors.

The study collects written and spoken data from books and native speakers of Telafer.

The data is translated literally and non- literally.

The study adopts Baker's (1992) strategies in non-literal translation.

The first level of analysis commences by obtaining the correct interpretations of metaphors from adults and specialists.

The second level of analysis is divided into two sections.

The first section includes implicit metaphors for which two models are employed.

The models are by Lakoff and Turner (1989) the “GENERIC IS SPECIFIC”, and Lakoff and Johnson (2003) “Metaphors We Live By”.

These models are adopted to investigate food metaphor in Iraqi Turkmani proverbs.

In the second section, which includes explicit metaphors, the model by Lakoff and Johnson (2003) is adopted.

The study concludes that the ability of conceptual metaphor theory (henceforth: CMT) contributes to reveal various concepts which are understood in terms of more concrete concepts.

In addition, experience and cultural values play a role in motivating the metaphorical conceptualization.