PEOPLE ARE ANIMALS: A study on cognitive models in different age groups
KEY WORDS: BLEND – IMPLICATURE- ON LINE- TRANSPARENT- METAPHOR
AUTHOR: Marisa Hoffmann
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Area: Cognitive Linguistics
Main Issue under Investigation: Idiomaticity
Abstract
Proverbs are rich linguistic tools; they are metaphorical in nature, they have great pragmatic value and, in addition, they may be proof of individuals belonging to a specific linguistic community. After giving an overview of the main positions as regards metaphor, pragmatics and culture, I have made an attempt in this paper at analyzing through proverbs and idiomatic expressions in Spanish, which contain the conceptual metaphor PEOPLE ARE ANIMALS, whether two different adult age groups of similar socio-economic position have the same cognitive model for their instantiations, or if they differ so much that it may be proof of different perceptions of their world. The results collected are discussed, their possible implications interpreted, and finally, some comments are made as to the relevance of raising awareness to the fact that communication, and teaching for that matter, would improve if differences in cognitive models were taken into account.
