Metaphors in Betrayal in the City: a Cognitive Linguistics Approach
Abstract
This study presents the results of a Cognitive Linguistics approach to metaphors in
Betrayal in the City. The study seeks to find out whether metaphors in the text are
categorizable in terms of Imbuga??˜s conceptualization of life in the ??—City??˜. The study uses
Contemporary Theory of Metaphor in the analysis of various metaphors in the text in
terms of source and target domains. Most metaphors cannot be paraphrased in literal
terms without loss to meaning; thus, a cross-domain mapping based on systematic
correspondences between the source domain and target domain will be carried out. The
study aims at determining Imbuga??˜s use of metaphors to reveal major and minor themes
in the text. For the reader or hearer to understand the meaning of the metaphor in the text,
he/she must understand the attributes of the source domain that are mapped onto the
target domain. The metaphors can only be experienced and understood in terms of the
domains. The study found out that Imbuga has used plant, food, body parts, animals and
disease as source domains. Each of the domains is expressed depending on the theme it is
highlighting. Food metaphors are used to reveal greed in the ruling regime. Body parts
reveal the injustices heaped onto the citizens by the president of the independent state
together with his unflinching aides. Disease metaphors reveal the disillusionment that has
resulted from series of betrayals in the state of Kafira.
Publisher
UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI
Collections
- Final [891]