Abstract:Based on the theory of Metaphorical Concept by Lakoff, this thesis mainly gives a contrastive study on the metaphorical concepts concerning DOWN in English and Chinese with concrete examples. In English, DOWN mainly expresses such meanings as unhappiness, sickness, low status, depravity, events that previously happened；while in Chinese, DOWN can express low status，depression，death，and events that will happen in the future. From the contrastive study, it is easy to find DOWN both in English and Chinese mostly expresses such negative meanings as unhappiness，badness and low status and the differences of them are as follows: (1) The degree of low status expressed by DOWN in English and Chinese is different; (2) DOWN in Chinese can express cooking or no difficulty in doing something, while there are not such meanings in English; (3) DOWN in Chinese often expresses events that will happen in the future, while it expresses the opposite meaning in English. All of these are attributed to the fact that people from different cultural backgrounds hold different sensations, understandings, and experiences towards the material world. However, there exist a lot of similarities due to similar perceptive basis and concept of time. This thesis will surely deepen people’s understanding of metaphorical concept concerning DOWN in English and Chinese. Meanwhile, it will bring a positive effect on understanding of differences and similarities between the two cultures.

Keywords:  metaphorical concepts  DOWN  contrastive study

Contents

Abstract

摘要

Chapter One Introduction-1

1.1 Definition of Metaphorical Concept.1

1.2 Resons for Present Study1

1.3 The Framework of the Thesis.1

Chapter Two Previous Studies on Metaphoriacl Concept concerning DOWN -2

Chapter Three Metaphorical Concept concerning DOWN in English-3

Chapter Four Metaphorical Concept concerning DOWN in Chinese-7

Chapter Five Similarities and Differences of DOWN in English and Chinese-10

4.1Similarities of DOWN between English and Chinese.10

4.2Differences of DOWN between English and Chinese. .11

4.3 Reasons for Similarities and Differences12

Chapter Six Conclusion.13

References-14