The Reason Why I Choose to Read Metaphors We Live by

悦悦悦

Among numerous classic works, Metaphors We Live By caught my attention. By referring to relevant materials, I learned the following information about this book:
I.Historical Background
    In the 1960s and 1970s, the field of linguistics was undergoing a drastic transformation. Previously, structural linguistics dominated, mainly focusing on the formal structure of language, such as phonemes and grammar rules, attempting to understand the essence of language by analyzing the internal structural relationships of language. However, with the deepening of research, scholars gradually realized that simply analyzing the language form was far from enough. Chomsky’s transformational - generative grammar brought new ideas, shifting the focus to the generative mechanism of language, but still failed to fully explain the deep - seated connections between language, thought, and culture. It was at this crucial moment when academic development hit a bottleneck and was in urgent need of a breakthrough that Metaphors We Live By was published in 1980. It completely shattered the narrow perception in traditional linguistics that regarded metaphors merely as a rhetorical device used to beautify language and add literary grace. In the past, metaphors were seen as “add - ons” to language, lingering on the periphery of language research. This book innovatively proposed that metaphors are actually key tools for humans to understand the world and construct their thinking. This view was like a thunderclap, causing a huge stir in the fields of linguistics, as well as related disciplines such as philosophy and psychology. It opened up a brand - new and highly dynamic research path for language research and became a significant milestone in the history of linguistics.
II.Author Information
    This book was co - written by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson. As one of the core founders of cognitive linguistics, Lakoff has long taught at the University of California, Berkeley. His academic career has always revolved around the in - depth exploration of the complex relationships among language, cognition, and bodily experience. In his early research, he challenged traditional linguistic theories. For example, he pointed out that language does not exist in isolation but is deeply rooted in human bodily perception and daily experiences. Take the concept of space as an example. Our understanding of spatial orientations such as front and back, up and down stems from our actual movements in space, and this bodily experience further influences the formation and use of spatial vocabulary in language. Lakoff’s view subverted the traditional model of studying language divorced from real - life, injecting new vitality into linguistic research. Johnson also achieved remarkable results in the field of cognitive science. He focused on the interdisciplinary research of philosophy and cognitive linguistics, delving into the formation mechanism of the human conceptual system. His research revealed the metaphorical expressions of philosophical concepts in language and how these expressions shape human thinking and behavior. Relying on their profound academic accumulations and keen insights into cutting - edge academic issues, the two authors collaborated to complete this epoch - making work, contributing a brand - new research perspective and method to the academic community.
III.Basic Content
    The core idea of the book is that metaphors are by no means just decorative embellishments of language, but rather fundamental modes of human thinking and understanding of the world. In daily life, a large number of concepts we use, such as time, love, and argument, are constructed and understood through metaphors. Take the common metaphor “Time is money” as an example. We closely connect the concept of time with that of money. This metaphorical mapping deeply influences our attitudes and behaviors towards time. We say “spend time” and “save time”, cherishing time as we do money, endowing time with economic value. Thus, when arranging work and leisure activities, we unconsciously measure the input and output of time in the same way we measure money. The book elaborates in detail on the working mechanism of metaphors, specifically including the mapping process from the source domain to the target domain. The source domain is usually a familiar and concrete conceptual field, such as the money domain in the above example; the target domain is a relatively abstract and difficult - to - understand conceptual field, that is, the time domain. Through a series of systematic mapping rules, some characteristics of the source domain are transferred to the target domain, enabling us to understand unfamiliar concepts by means of familiar things. At the same time, through rich and diverse examples, such as in the metaphor “An argument is a war”, we say “attack the opponent’s view” and “defend one’s own position”, vividly revealing the universality and fundamentality of metaphors in language use and thinking construction, allowing readers to clearly realize that metaphors are everywhere and constantly influence our thinking and expression.
IV.Significance
    From an academic perspective, Metaphors We Live By has strongly promoted the in - depth interdisciplinary integration of linguistics, philosophy, cognitive science, and other disciplines. In the field of linguistics, it has prompted linguists to shift from simply focusing on language form to deeply exploring the cognitive mechanisms behind language, providing new entry points for grammar and semantics research, such as the metaphorical cognitive explanation of polysemy. In the field of philosophy, it offers a brand - new perspective for exploring the formation of concepts and the construction of knowledge, breaking the traditional static analysis model of abstract concepts in philosophy and revealing the close connection between concept formation and metaphorical thinking. In the field of cognitive science, it helps to understand the organization and operation of the conceptual system in the human cognitive process, providing theoretical support for artificial intelligence to simulate human language understanding and thinking processes. In daily life, this book can help us better perceive the underlying thinking patterns behind language. When we hear expressions like “Life is a journey”, we can quickly understand the implications of life planning and the perception of life's ups and downs. It can significantly improve our language expression and comprehension abilities, enabling us to convey our intentions more accurately and understand the profound meanings of others’ words during communication. Moreover, different cultures have unique metaphorical systems. For example, in Western cultures, the “heart” is often associated with emotions and courage, while in some Eastern cultures, the “heart” is more closely related to morality and thought. Reading this book allows us to keenly detect these cultural differences and promote cross - cultural communication and understanding. Whether you are engaged in academic research or hope to improve your thinking ability and communication effectiveness, this book is of inestimable value.

悦悦悦

原本选择阅读的是辜鸿铭的《中国人的精神》，之前已经提交过阅读笔记，但由于班级选读书目人数限制，选择了《我们赖以生存的隐喻》，这是补交的笔记，介绍选择这本书的缘由。