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How do Mandarin speakers conceptualize time? Beyond the horizontal and vertical dimensions.
1School of Foreign Languages, Sun Yat-sen University, No.135, Xingang Xi Road, Guangzhou, 510275, China. sunjuan5@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
Cognitive Processing
|July 26, 2020
Summary
Mandarin speakers may use vertical metaphors to conceptualize time, potentially indicating a cyclical view of time. This research explores the vertical axis of time conceptualization in Mandarin, expanding on previous studies.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Linguistics
- Psycholinguistics
- Cultural Psychology
Background:
- Most languages use horizontal metaphors for time.
- Mandarin speakers may use both horizontal and vertical spatiotemporal metaphors.
- Linguistic factors include vertical metaphors and historical writing direction shifts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To re-examine vertical spatiotemporal metaphors in Mandarin.
- To explore the underlying representations of time.
- To propose an extended theoretical explanation for vertical time conceptualization.
Main Methods:
- Linguistic analysis of spatiotemporal metaphors.
- Review of existing literature on time conceptualization in Mandarin.
- Theoretical exploration of cyclical time concepts.
Main Results:
- Previous studies focused only on top-to-bottom vertical time (past-up, future-down).
- This paper suggests a broader understanding of vertical time metaphors is needed.
- Evidence points towards a potential cyclical concept of time.
Conclusions:
- Vertical spatiotemporal metaphors in Mandarin warrant further investigation.
- A cyclical concept of time may underlie Mandarin speakers' use of vertical metaphors.
- This research expands the understanding of non-Western time conceptualization.
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