Abstract

  Polysemy is emphasis and focus of language study as one of the common language phenomena all the time. Nevertheless, it is not illustrated for traditional linguistics from the perspective of cognitive until that cognitive linguistics provides a brand-new perspective for it. Furthermore, metaphor plays an extremely important role in the process of study on polysemy on the basis of cognitive linguistics. For metaphor is not only a kind of language phenomenon but also a catholic cognitive activity. And also, English polysemy teaching goes with metaphor hand in hand on account of the ubiquitousness of metaphor. Therefore, this paper is going to lead readers to get familiar with the status quo of study on polysemy and metaphor at first,  and then we will move to illustration about semantic change of relevant vocabulary in detail (e.g. scapegoat, nightmare) based on cognitive view on metaphor. 

  What is more, the thesis is about to classify relative vocabulary by means of word formation so as to make it well-organized. As a result, this  paper is aimed at answering two questions as follows, the first one is, which kind of teaching method should we employ to improve English polysemy teaching? And the second one is, how metaphor advances the semantic evolution of vocabulary and English polysemy teaching?

Key words: Polysemy;  Metaphor;  Cognitive Linguistics;  English Teaching

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1  Introduction-1

 1.1 Background  -1

 1.2 Significance -1

 1.3 Layout -2

2  Literature Review-3

 2.1 Polysemy-3

 2.1.1 The Definition of Polysemy-3

 2.1.2 The Characteristics of Polysemy -3

 2.2 Major Approaches to Polysemy-4

 2.2.1 Traditional Approaches to Polysemy -5

 2.2.2 The Cognitive Approach-6

 2.3 Summary-6

3  Theoretical Basis -8

 3.1 The Definition of Metaphor-8

 3.1.1 Reference View -8

 3.1.2 Substitution View-9

 3.1.3 Interaction View -9

 3.1.4 Cognitive View.10

 3.2 Cognitive View on Metaphor-10

 3.2.1 Major Characteristics of Metaphor -11

 3.2.2 Classification  .13  

 3.2.3 Working Mechanisms ofMetaphor.13

  3.3 Summary-14

 4  Polysemy Based on Metaphor-15

  4.1 Functions of Cognitive Metaphor in the Formation of Polysemy -15

  4.2 Data Analysis -16

  4.2.1 Blending-16

4.2.1.1 The Definition of Blending-16

4.2.1.2The Etymology of 'Scapegoat' -16

4.2.1.3 The Senses of 'Scapegoat'-17

4.2.1.4 Metaphorical Analysis of  'Scapegoat'-17

  4.2.2 Compounding-19

4.2.2.1 The Definition of Compounding-19

4.2.2.2  The Senses of ‘Nightmare’-19

4.2.2.3 The Etymology of ‘Nightmare’-20

4.2.2.4 Metaphorical Analysis of 'Nightmare'-20

  4.2.3 Clipping-21

4.2.3.1 The Definition of Clipping-21

4.2.3.2 The Etymology of ‘Wig’.22

4.2.3.3 The Senses of ‘Wig’-22

4.2.3.4 Metaphorical Analysis of ‘Wig’-22

 4.3 Summary-23

5  Conclusion-24

Bibliography-26

Acknowledgments28