Abstract:The study of metaphor has a very long history. Traditionally, metaphor, as a linguistic phenomenon and a feature of language, is viewed as a decorative addition to language which is used in poetry or other literary works. With the multi-disciplinary development of metaphor study in the recent decades, metaphor is regarded not only as a matter of language, but one of the basic cognitive mechanisms, so it now attracts a great deal of attention from linguists. Vocabulary plays an essential role in language learning and it accompanies the process of English learning all the way. Lots of scholars hold that metaphor is an important way of expanding word meanings and English vocabulary evolves from the basic meaning. Therefore, after learners have mastered some basic vocabulary and learned about some knowledge of conceptual metaphor, they cam be able to infer word meanings in a metaphorical way. In the process of mastering metaphor, thinking in English can be developed and the efficiency in vocabulary learning can be improved as well. 

The thesis contains five chapters. Chapter one is a general introduction to the purpose significance of the thesis, and gives a brief outline of the thesis. Chapter two makes a detailed literature review of metaphor, including the traditional views and contemporary views on metaphor. Chapter three provides the theoretical basis of the whole thesis and its relation to vocabulary acquisition. Chapter four is about the necessity of acquisition of metaphor awareness and competence in English vocabulary acquisition. Chapter five makes the conclusion of the research. It points out the major findings, at the same time, calls attention for further research.

Keywords:  metaphor  vocabulary learning  efficiency

Contents

Abstract

摘要

Chapter One Introduction-1

1.1 Purpose and Significant of the Thesis-1

1.2 Organization of the Thesis-1

Chapter Two Literature Review-2

2.1 The Meaning of Metaphor-2

2.2 Traditional Views on Metaphor-2

2.2.1 Comparison Theory-2

2.2.2 Substitution Theory-3

2.3 Contemporary Views on Metaphor-3

2.3.1 Interaction Theory-4

2.3.2 Cognitive Theory-5

2.4 Summary-6

Chapter Three Conceptual Metaphor Theory and Vocabulary Acquisition-7

3.1 Learning Polysemous words-7

3.2 Learning Idioms-8

3.3 Learning New Words-9

Chapter Four Cultivation of Metaphor Awareness and Competence in English Vocabulary Acquisition-10

4.1 Metaphorical Awareness and Metaphorical Competence-10

4.1.1 Metaphorical Awareness-10

4.1.2 Metaphorical Competence-11

4.2 Necessity of Cultivating Metaphorical Awareness and Metaphorical Competence-11

4.3 Acquirability of Metaphorical Awareness and Metaphorical Competence-12

Chapter Five Conclusion-13

References-15