Conceptual Metaphor and Vocabulary Teaching in the EFL Context

Xin Fang

School of Foreign Languages, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.

DOI: 10.4236/ojml.2014.42030                

Abstract

Metaphor, as a matter of thought, a way of cognition, is pervasive in our everyday life and language. As human beings’ important cognitive way, metaphor also serves as one of the important ways for language to develop, including vocabulary. Traditionally, most students memorize vocabulary mechanically with unpleasant results. They don’t realize most words come from metaphorical way, and metaphor is an important process of word meanings expanding and evolution. This paper will give a brief discussion about conceptual metaphor theory and analyze how to apply this theory into vocabulary teaching in the EFL context, in order to help learners to learn vocabulary thoroughly, systematically, and efficiently.

Keywords

Metaphor, Cognition, Conceptual Metaphor Theory, Vocabulary Teaching

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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