Ẩn dụ ý niệm trong các diễn ngôn chính trị (trên tư liệu tiếng anh và tiếng việt) tt tiếng anh

VIETNAM ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
GRADUATE ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
----------------------

NGUYEN TIEN DUNG

CONCEPTUAL METAPHOR IN POLITICAL
DISCOURSES (FROM ENGLISH & VIETNAMESE
RESOURCES)

Field of study:
Code:

Linguistics
9.22.90.20

SUMMARY OF PHD THESIS IN LINGUISTICS

HANOI - 2019


The thesis is completed at:
GRADUATE ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
VIỆN NGÔN NGỮ HỘC VIỆN KHOA HỌC XÁC HỘI

VIỆT NAM
Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Hong Con

Examiner 1: Prof. Dr. Do Viet Hung
Examiner 2: Prof. Dr. Nguyen Quang
Examiner 3: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Van Tinh

The thesis is defended at the Board of Examination of Academy level,
summoned at the Graduate Academy of Social Sciences, Vietnam
Academy of Social Sciences, 477 Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi.
At … o’clock date … month … year 2019.

Archived at:
the National Library
the Library of the Graduate Academy of Social Sciences


PREFACE
1. THE NECESSITY OF THE TOPIC
1.1. From the perspective of the cognitive linguistics, metaphor is a typical and
effective cognitive instrument for human to conceptualize abstract concepts, and a
human’s reasoning mode of the world. Most human’s cognitive process of the
surrounding world is based on metaphorical concepts which are to structurize and exert
effects on human’s languages. Apart from its importance, metaphor is found prevalent
in all facets of life. Metaphor is used commonly in daily conversations and in such
fields as economics, politics, culture, education, science. The most fundamental and
universal concepts of the world are cognitized via metaphorical mappings originating
from realistic and specific experiences undergone or accumulated in daily life.
Reseaching metaphor from the perspective of cognitive linguistics is a new trend which
draws the interest of many temporary linguists.
1.2. There has been much research on literature, poetics, science, law, press and
on metaphor in political discourse in the world. However, research on conceptual
metaphor in Vietnam is limited in terms of number and variety, let alone research on
metaphor in political discourse.
1.3. Conceptual metaphor in political discourse is a complex but attractive issue
since each political discourse contains tactics, strategies and impacts of the whole

political system and a culture which are expressed vividly and persuasively through
the use of political metaphor of political speakers.
The choice of the dissertation topic “Conceptual metaphor in political
discourses (from English and Vietnamese resources)”, the researcher wishes to offer
additional evidence in this field of research in Vietnam, helping to further clarify how
native speaker of English and Vietnamese cognitize the world.
2. THE OBJECT AND SCOPE OF RESEARCH
2.1. The object of research
The object of research in this dissertation is conceptual metaphors in a number
of political discourses of political leaders in such English speaking countries as the
United States, the United Kingdom and Australia as well as Vietnamese political
leaders.
2.2. The scope of research
The dissertation focuses on structural metaphor and ontological metaphor in
English and Vietnamese political discourses of a number of political leaders such
English speaking countries as the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia as
well as Vietnam since the 20th century.
3. THE OBJECTIVE AND DUTY OF RESEARCH
3.1. The objective of research
The thesis researches the use of structural and ontological metaphors in English
and Vietnamese political discourses from the perspective of cognitive linguistics in an
attempt to clarify the features of various types of conceptual metaphors commonly
used in English and Vietnamese political discourses, the role of these conceptual


metaphors, the similarities and differences of conceptual metaphors in the political
discourses of the two languages. The thesis then presents explanations to the
similarities and differences (if applicable) on the linguistic, cultural and reasoning
basis.
3.2. The duty of research

(1) Investigating the research and theoretical basis of conceptual metaphor in English and
Vietnamese political discourses;
(2) Collecting and describing conceptual metaphor in English and Vietnamese
political discourses to clarify the use, the conceptualization and the role of conceptual
metaphor in English and Vietnamese political discourses;
(3) Contrasting to figure out the similarities and differences and analyze the
effects of language, culture and reasoning to explain the above features of conceptual
metaphor in English and Vietnamese political discourses.
4. METHODOLOGY
The thesis uses such methods of research as: analysis and description; discourse
analysis; comparison-contrast. In addition, the following techniques are also utilized:
statistics and classification.
5. THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE DISSERTATION
5.1. In theory
The research findings will contribute to concepts, linguistic phrases, semantics,
pragmatics and mappings of conceptual metaphor in English and Vietnamese political
discourses, a little-researched field in Vietnam. The research will also assert the
advantage of cognitive linguistics and theory of conceptual metaphor in the analysis
and comparison of English and Vietnamese political discourses.
5.2. In practice
The thesis will help linguists to futher understand conceptual metaphor from the
perspective of cognitive linguistics in English and Vietnamese political discourses.
The research will also help translators and interpreters of political English,
lecturers and students majoring in English have deeper understanding of English and
Vietnamese political discourses.
The research findings will help with the translation and interpretation of political
materials, compilation and design of Engligh teaching materials, especially for the
ESP context, improving the effectiveness and quality of teaching material use and
English teaching – learning at the universities.
6. THE STRUCTURE OF DISSERTATION

The thesis comprises three chapters (apart from the Preface, Conlcusion, List of
dissertation-related published works of the researcher, List of References, and
Appendices): Chapter 1: Overview of previous studies and Theoretical Base; Chapter
2: Investigating the structural metaphor in English and Vietnamese political
discourses; Chapter 3: Investigating the ontological metaphor in English and
Vietnamese political discourses.


Chapter 1
OVERVIEW OF PREVIOUS STUDIES AND THEORETICAL
BACKGROUND
1.1. Overview of previous studies
1.1.1. Researching metaphor from the traditional perspective
The classic linguistic theory regards metaphor as an issue of linguistics rather
than of reasoning or action; and metaphor is believed not to be found in daily
language. In other words, metaphor is found only in poetics - a special type of
language. Metaphor is based on the similarities or comparison between the literal and
figurative meanings of a linguistic phrase and such similarities make it possible to
explain the use of a word in metaphorical manner. Some Vietnamese linguists also
see the similaritiers between two objects as the base of metaphor (Do Huu Chau,
1962; Nguyen Thien Giap, 1998).
1.1.2 Researching metaphor from the perspective of cognitive linguistics
1.1.2.1 Foreign research
Research in cognitive linguistics dates back to the 1980s with such names as G.
Lakoff, M. Johnson, G. Fauconnier, Ch. Fillmore, R. Jackendoff, R. Langacker, L.
Talmy, M. Turner, A. Wierzbicka ... Unlike the traditional perspective, cognitive
linguistics regards metaphor as an important instrument for conceptualization.
Cognitive linguistics studies metaphor via experiences and sees metaphor as a
cognitive phenomenon rather than a linguistic one.
In 1980 Lakoff and Johnson initiated the theory of conceptual metaphor and in

the past years, the theory has developed intensively and extensively. The initial
research trend regards conceptual metaphor as arising mainly from embodiment.
Lakoff (1987) points that the emotional metaphors are found in language and arise
from human’s cultural and bio-physical ground. Grady (1997) has made major
progress in the theory of metaphor when asserting hat daily experience and emotional
experience of human is the ground for subjective assessments of linguistic cognition.
Fauconnier và Turner (2002) have developed the theory of blended space with
metaphorical mappings serving as a neuro map and creating natural neuro
mechanisms in metaphorical reasoning on the physical basis.
Later, with some other researchers, Lakoff has developed the theory about the
role of metaphor in the creation of human’s conceptual system and structure of
natural language into the theory of embodied mind, researching the reliance of
human’s reasoning capacity and worldview on the structure of human’s body and
mind.
Metaphor is a cognitive mechanism through which the logic of abstract concepts
is replaced with the logic of more concrete concepts. It is a significant mechanism
through which we can have complicated reasoning. The cognitive mechanism of
metaphor comprises the source domain and target domain in human’s perception with
the features of the source domain mapping onto the target domain. Both the source
domain and target domain are concepts structured as the field-function, center-


periphere model with the concepts in the center being universal and the periphere
comprising linguistic and national cultural elements to be found in a typical cultural
“frame” or “foundation”. The focal point of conceptual metaphor is not the language
but the way we conceptualize a mind field through another mind field.
Researchers in other fields have also applied the theory of conceptual metaphor
to investigate metaphor in law, poetry, politics, psychology, physics, computer
science, math and philosophy. Research findings of metaphor structure have helped to
clarify the way man reasons in certain intellectual fields.

1.1.2.2. Domestic research
In Vietnam, Nguyen Lai is regarded as the first linguist researching cognitive
tendency with the textbook “Words denoting to movement in Vietnamese language”
(1990) which studies the semantic development of words denoting movement RA VÀO, LÊN - XUỐNG, ĐẾN - TỚI, LẠI - QUA, SANG - VỀ from the perspective of
cognitive linguistics with the embodiment theory seeing the human’s body as the
source.
The one who officially laid the foundation for cognitive linguistics in Vietnam
systematically is Ly Toan Thang (2005) with the book titled “Ngôn ngữ học tri nhận
– từ lý thuyết đại cương đến thực tiễn tiếng Việt”. The author studies the way to
perceive space and time in languge when approaching the space with the mancentered principle; accordingly, language reflects the way man perceives the world
through pairs of location concepts according to the position of man in the space like
above - under, front - back, right - left, in - out,… and time concepts according to the
position of man through 3 tenses: past, present and future.
In 2008, Nguyen Van Hiep looked at the approach of cognitive linguistics to the
role of meaning when analyzing and describing syntax. In 2009, Tran Van Co
systematically and comprehensively synthesized the central issues related to the
theory of conceptual metaphor from the “Metaphors we live by” of Lakoff and
Johnson (1980) and “Women, Fire and The Dangerous Things: What Categories
Reveal about The Mind” of Lakoff (1987).
In the recent years, most research in cognitive linguistics has been in conceptual
metaphor. Phan The Hung (2007: 12) rejects comparison view when claiming that
“metaphor is not simply the hidden comparison but the classification under the deep
structure of reasoning”. The author states that: metaphorical comparison conforms to
the layer of hierachy and the nature of classification is the basis of metaphor;
metaphor is irreversable and the relation between 2 objects in metaphor is not
assymmetric. Vo Kim Ha (2011) studies the expression of metaphor in Vietnamese
language according ot the theory of prototype in comparison with English and French
using the press articles and literature works as the linguistic data. Ha Thanh Hai
(2011) researches the conceptual metaphor in English – Vietnamese economic press
articles on the basis of the relation between language, culture and reasoning. Ly Lan

(2012) studies from multi-perspectives the “embodiment” in the expression of
emotional concepts of HAPPINESS, LOVE, SCARE, ANGER. Tran Thi Phuong Ly


(2012) studies the conceptual metaphor of plants, the conceptual transfer model from
concept of plants to other concepts. Vi Truong Phuc (2013) investigates the emotional
conceptual metaphors of human. Nguyen Thi Bich Hanh (2015) uses the conceptual
metaphor theory to study conceptual metaphors in the lyrics of Trinh Cong Son, a
research work with the cross-interaction between language, poetry and music;
Nguyen Thi Bich Hop (2012) also uses the theory of conceptual metaphor to study the
cognitive features and cultural traits of Vietnamese people through the conceptual
metaphor “food”. Nguyen Thi Nhu Ngoc (2015) investigates the use of conceptual
metaphor in American political speeches.
It can be stated that in Vietnam, the issues of cognitive linguistics in general and
the theory of conceptual metaphor in particular have drawn the interest of many
linguists. Nevertheless, research of conceptual metaphor in political discourses in
Vietnam is still limited, highlighting the necessity of further research on the issue.
1.1.3. Research of conceptual metaphor in political discourses
1.1.3.1 Foreign research
There have been a number of research works on conceptual metaphor in political
discourses in the world. In his book “Moral Politics: What Conservatives Know That
Liberals Don’t, Lakoff (1996) analyzes the viewpoints being the foundation of
political thinking in the US and sees the conceptual metaphor FAMILY at the center
of the social conceptualization system in American politics. Lakoff has listed a
number of common conceptual metaphors namely THE NATION IS A FAMILY,
THE GOVERNMENT IS A PARENT, THE CITIZENS ARE THE CHILDREN.
Vestermark (2007) investigates the choice and use of conceptual metaphor in
inaugural speeches of four American Presidents: Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush,
Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, coming to the conclusion that the deliberate use of
conceptual metaphors in the speeches of the four Presidents is to exert an impact on

the attitude and thinking of the listeners. The author has noticed the frequent use of
personification concept to regard America as a person in the speeches of the four
Presidents, with the conceptual metaphors namely NATION AS A PERSON,
NATION WITH HUMAN ATTRIBUTES and NATION ACTING AS HUMAN.
Analysing of 06 discourses of President George W. Bush, Fadda (2006) notices
the appearance of the conceptual metaphor WAR AS A FAIRY TALE. Meadows
(2006) analysing the speeches of American politicians about Iraq in the 2004-2005
period also confirms the commonality of the conceptual metaphor WAR AS A
FAIRY TALE.
Arcimaviciene (2008) witnesses the commonality of the conceptual metaphors
POLITICS AS SPORTS / GAMBLING in the UK while the metaphor POLITICS AS
A TEAM GAME / HUNT is common in the Republic of Latvia despite deriving from
the same general conceptual metaphor POLITICS AS SPORTS.
Taiwo (2013) mentions the commonality of such conceptual metaphors related
to the nations, politicians and politics in English political discourses of Nigeria as


NATION AS A FAMILY, NATION AS A PERSON, POLITICIAN AS BUILDER,
POLITICS AS A BATTLE and POLITICS AS A JOURNEY.
Stenvoll (2011) points out the presence of the conceptual metaphor POLITICS
IS PHYSICS, Pikalo (2011) points to the conceptual metaphors INDIVIDUALS AS
SOCIAL ATOMS, STATES AS MASS PARTICLES, and Ringmar (2011) mentions
STATE AS A MUSICAL DIRECTOR and STATE AS A MACHINE.
Investigating the conceptual metaphor NATION AS A FAMILY in speeches of
American politicians like Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and John McCain, Ahrens
and Sphia Yat Mei Lee (2009) notices the more common use of the metaphor
GOVERNMENT AS A NURTURING PARENT than the use of the metaphor
GOVERNMENT AS A STRICT FATHER no matter whether those are from the
Republican party or the Democratic one. Such findings differ from the previous
comments of Lakoff (1996) that Republican party members tend to refer to the model

of STRICT FATHER in their speeches.
It can be seen that research on conceptual metaphor in political discourses varies
but research findings reveal a high degree of concentration on such conceptual
metaphors as NATION AS A PERSON, NATION WITH HUMAN ATTRIBUTES
and NATION AS A FAMILY, which is in line with the viewpoint of Lakoff (1996).
1.1.3.2 Domestic research
In Vietnam there has been some research on conceptual metaphors in political
discourses. Nguyen Thi Nhu Ngoc (2015) in her thesis titled “Ẩn dụ trong văn bản
diễn thuyết chính trị Mỹ và việc dịch ẩn dụ từ tiếng Anh sang tiếng Việt” has
classified conceptual metaphors in political discourses into 14 source domains (13
source domains already mentioned in previous research and a newly found source
domain – economic / financial value) and 4 common target domains. Nguyen Tien
Dung (2015) studies the structural conceptual metaphor NATION IS A BUILDING
in English and Vietnamese political discourses and confirms the universal similarity
in the way the US and Vietnamese politicians express the conceptual metaphor
NATION IS A BUILDING. In another work, Nguyen Tien Dung (2016) investigates
the conceptual metaphora in English political discourses and notices the diversity of
conceptual metaphors in English political discourses but the common focus on such
ontological metaphors as NATION AS A PERSON, NATION WITH HUMAN
ATTRIBUTES and NATION AS A FAMILY. Resrarching the conceptual metaphor
POLITICS AS A JOURNEY in articles on Nhan dan newspaper – online version,
Nguyen Thi Bich Hanh and Ho Thi Thoa (2018) point to 4 conceptual metaphors:
POLITICS AS A ROCKY JOURNEY, POLITICS AS A JOURNEY OF
TRAVELERS WITH THE SAME PURPOSE, POLITICS IS A JOURNEY OF
DIRECTION AND CHOICES, POLITICS IS A RACE TO DESTINATION and
confirm the existence of the simulation mechanism of 2 domains (journey and
politics) in the language and culture of the Vietnamese. Nguyen Tien Dung (2018)
investigates the conceptual metaphors in speeches of President Ho Chi Minh and
notices the commonality of such sources as HUMAN ACTIVITIES, FAMILY,

JOURNEY, BUILDING and LIVING BODY with 22 different conceptual
metaphors.
As a matter of fact, research on conceptual metaphors in political discourse is
considerable but is still limited in Vietnam, failing to draw the interest of many
Vietnamese linguists in the cognitive approach.
1.2. Theoretical background
1.2.1. An overview of cognitive science and cognitive linguistics
Cognitive science was born in the second half of the 20th century with the
purpose to study human’s intelligence from perception to action, from language to
reasoning. Cognitive science concerns the mind and the way information is processed
in the mind. Cognitive science sets the goal to find answers to the reasoning and
experience of the world, the conceptual system and the way to organize human’s
conceptual system.
In the late 1970s, some research in linguistics started turning towards the
cognitive approach with the interest in the relation between language and mind,
between language elements and the externalities, specifically the way human perceive
and classify objects and phenomena in the surrounding world mapped onto language.
By the late 1980s, cognitive linguistics theory was developed by Fillmore, Talmy and
especially Lakoff with his research on metaphor and Langacker with the formation of
cognitive grammar theory.
According to Ly Toan Thang (2008), cognitive linguistics is a new trend in
modern linguistics with the foucs being “researching language on the ground of
human’s experience and perception of the world as well as the way human perceive
and conceptualize the surrounding world”. Tran Van Co (2007) states that cognitive
linguistics researches human’s mental process through natural language and
differentiates the two pictures of the world from the view of cognitive linguistics: the
scientific picture of the world formed form the logical concepts reflecting human’s
cognition of the objective reality; and the language picture of the world being the way
human embody the worldview through language materials with the objective reality

perceived by different body organs.
It can be said that cognitive linguistics is a way to approach languages based on
human’s experiences of the world and the way human perceive and conceptualize the
world. Cognitive linguistics is confined to cognitions related to human’s study and
use of languages. The objective reality reflected in human’s brain forms the world and
structure of cognition. Cognitive linguistics aims at researching the effects of
cognitive structure and the rules of cognitive structure on languages.
Ly Toan Thang (2005) states that cognitive linguistics consists of three main
approaches with different key points: the “experience” approach, the “prominence”
approach and the “attention getter” approach.
1.2.2. Concepts and conceptualization
Cognitive models are structured by concepts. Cognitive linguistics regards concepts
as the top research object. Concepts are understood as a unit of perception, the mental


symbols reflecting the way human perceives the surrounding world and interacts with that
world. Concepts include relatiopns and impressions being experiences of language users.
Concepts cover pragmatics, interaction, society-culture of languages in use. Concepts are
not only the outcome of the reflection of the objective world into human’s mind but
also the product of the cognitive process. Concepts are universal and national since
they are closely attached to a nation’s language and culture. The structure of concepts
reflects the psychology of language and is the mid-layer linking language and
cognition.
Conceptualization is understood as the process to form concepts, the process of
development from feeling to reasoning; in other words, conceptualization is the
process of development from abstract reasoning to vivid intuition. One of the
fundamental theories of cognitive linguistics is: semantics is conceptualization.
Language units express concepts which are co-related in meaning to those language
units. This relation is visualized in a conceptual structure comprising the concept
shadow and the concept foundation, also called cognitive domains. Hence, the

meaning of language units must be defined in terms of shadow concepts and
foundation concepts.
1.2.3. Conceptual metaphor
Conceptual metaphor is one of the form of conceptualization, the mapping of
one structure from a concept domain onto another concept domain, the means of
cognition of man in general. Therefore, the similarity between conceptual metaphors
in different languages is fundamental and the difference, if there is, is found in the
dimension being activated; in other words, conceptual metaphors of different
languages are mainly alike and the difference is only found in language expressions
reflecting the differences in the choice of the perspectives of a concept or partial
concepts in a concept domain.
The cognitive mechanism of conceptual metaphors is related to two knowledge
domains, namely the source domain and the target domain, which exists inherently in
human’s perception. The two domains are systematically connected for there are
systematic similarities between the two domains or a relation in line with human’s
experiences.
Conceptual metaphor is a combination of mappings from the source domain to
the target domain where metaphorical linguistic expressions display conceptual
metaphors. The source domain and the target domain are concepts structured as the
field-function model: center-periphere, with the concept in the center bearing
universality of mankind and at the periphere being national language and culture in a
specific cultural “frame”.
The view “the target domain is the source domain” illustrates the tendency of
man reasoning about abstract concepts through more concrete concepts.
The mapping in the conceptual metaphor structure is a fixed system of
correspondences between elements forming the source domain and the target domain.
When the system of correspondences is activated, from the source domain the


mappings are transferred onto the target domain. It can be said that to perceive the

sense of a conceptual metaphor, it is necessary to understand the system of mapping
of the source-target pair.
1.2.4. Classification of conceptual metaphor
1.2.4.1. Classification as to the cognitive function
Structural metaphor
Structural metaphor is a kind of metaphor where a concept is structured
metaphorically through another concept; in other words, this kind of metaphor helps
us to understand the target domain through the structure of the source domain with the
mapping of elements of the source domain onto the target domain.
Ontological metaphor
Ontological metaphor is the process of “vật thể hóa” the abstract ontologies by
giving an abstract concept in the target source an ontological position and defining
their frontier in the space. That allows us to see abstract phenomena as concrete objects
thanks to the capacity to vật thể hóa of our perception.
Orientational metaphor
Orientational metaphor organizes the whole system of concepts in co-relation
with another system with the foundation being the experiences of mankind about the
surrounding space in the daily life. Most orientational metaphors are related to spatial
positioning with the anti-paring like up-down, in-out, front-back, deep-shallow,
center-periphere,… Orientational metaphor is not arbitrary but based on physical and
cultural experience.
1.2.4.2. Classification as to the source domain
Apart from classification as to the cognitive function, conceptual metaphors can
also be classified according to the source domain. Deignan (1995) identifies 12
common source domains in English. Kõvecses, Lakoff, Johnson and some researchers
in their studies of political discourses have added 3 source domains, raising the total
number of common source domains of conceptual metaphors in English to 15.
1.2.5. Discourse and political discourse
Discourse refers to language action, language in use in socio-cultural context.
Discourse is a unity, organized and structured according to certain rules and order.

Regarding the fields of knowledge, discourse can be grouped as: literature discourse,
scientific discourse, religious discourse, moral discourse, economic discourse,
political discouse, press discourse, administrative discourse, legal discourse and
military discourse.
Political discourse is decided by the political context with the author/speaker
being political irganizations or politicians; the addressee being the general public; the
objective, content and function of discourse being political issues. The goal of
political discourse is to manipulate the listener and serve as an important instrument
for the political speaker to pursue and execute power. Political discourse is the
discourse of power, closely attached to the concept of power. Political speakers use


metaphor to persuade listener since metaphor is one of the most common instruments
to exert heavy-weight persuasion and undertake the propaganda in political discourse.
Summary of Chapter 1
Conceptual metaphor is reasoned on the basis of concepts. Concepts are not only
universal but also socio-culturally typical. The mechanism of conceptual metaphor is
in line with the mapping mechanism between the two space domains. Conceptual
metaphor in political discourse is complicated but very interesting since each
discourse contains tactics, strategies and effects of the whole political system and the
culture expressed vividly and persuasively through the use of conceptual metaphors
of politicians.
Chapter 2
INVESTIGATING STRUCTURAL METAPHORS IN ENGLISH AND
VIETNAMESE POLITICAL DISCOURSES
2.1 Structural metaphors in English political discourses
2.1.1 Structural metaphors with the source domain HUMAN ACTIVITIES
2.1.1.1 POLITICS AS A JOURNEY
Conceptual metaphor POLITICS AS A JOURNEY is commonly found in
political discourses and can be defined according to the following mapping:

a) traveler

politicians / government

b) path / road

political activities

c) destination

political goals

d) means of transport

policies of government

đ) obstacle

political problems

The main features of the conceptual metaphor POLITICS IS A JOURNEY are
go / move forward, step, journey, traveler, path/pathway, road, route.
The conceptualization of political activities as a journey can help with clear
visualization and awareness of the issue. Politicians also face problems in their
political career. They bear burdens, making it hard to move to the destination. Such
burdens can be the responsibilities and duties on those who are national leaders. The
journey is mainly towards ahead on a fixed route. However, the travelers may lag
behind their companions as they fail to surpass the obstacles. And sometimes they
find themselves at a crossroad and they wonder which path to choose to get to the
destination. Likewise, in the political life, politicians sometimes face problems and

have to make a hard decision, choosing an appropriate policy to reach the set goal.
Under this concept, there are a number of sub-level conceptual metaphors
POLITICS AS A ORIENTATIONAL JOURNEY, POLITICS AS A JOURNEY ON


A ROUTE, POLITICS AS A JIOURNEY OF TRAVELERS WITH THE SAME
DESTINATION, POLITICS AS A JOURNEY WITH OBSTACLES.
2.1.1.2 POLITICS AS BUILDING
The conceptual metaphor POLITICS AS BUILDING comprises two sub-level
conceptual metaphors THE NATION IS A BUILDING and POLITICIAN IS A
BUILDER. The conceptual metaphor POLITICS AS BUILDING can be identified as
the following mappings:
a) foundation

base of a political system

b) building

government system

c) collapse

failure of political system

d) fracture

weakness

of

government

system
đ) stability

stability of political system

e) builder

political leader

f) build

form political system

g) cement

connector

of

government

system
The features of the sub-level conceptual metaphors THE NATION IS A
BUILDING and POLITICIAN AS A BUILDER are often expressed through such
words and phrases as build / rebuild, cement, collapse, construct, crack / fracture,
foundation / ground, shaking, solid, stable, wall.
The concept BUILDING is a very familiar concept to human since it is one of the
essential needs of human: food, clothes, accommodation and workplace. Human

evolved from apes to primitive people living in caves and late civilized people living
and working in modern buildings. It can be said that building sites develop through
time, marking the development and evolution of human’s civilized society. Hence, it
can be seen that the concept building is an appropriate source domain to help us
express the abstract concept nation growing and developing.
2.1.1.3 POLITICS AS WAR
Human often conceptualizes the source domains of war and conflict in the fields
of politics, love, argument and economics; therefore, the conceptual metaphor
POLITICS AS WAR is one of the most common conceptual metaphors expressed in
political discourses.


The conceptual metaphor POLITICS AS WAR and its sub-level metaphors
POLITICIANS AS SOLDIERS and POLITICAL FIELD AS BATTLEFIELD can be
identified as the following mappings:
a) battlefield

political field

b) soldier

politician

c) war, conflict

clashes among political parties

d) fight, attack

political move

đ) weapon

political trick

The concept fight/war is one of the familiar concepts of human because
throughout the history of formation and development of man’s society since the early
time, man has fought non-stop against severe nature, beasts, enemies, invaders and
other problems so as to exist and develop. This is expressed in the subconscious
metaphorical reasoning of man and metaphors have functioned to describe the reality.
2.1.2.

Structural

metaphors

with

the

source

domain

NATURAL

ENVIRONMENT
2.1.2.1 POLITICS AS A WEATHER PHENOMENON
Weather has always been a common factor in human life since the time of
hunting and gathering for livelihood, then settling to live on farming to the civilized

society. Hence, the presence of weather in conceptual metaphors in political
discourses can be anticipated.
The conceptual metaphor POLITICS AS A WEATHER PHENOMENON and its
sub-class ones such as INNOVATION AS WIND, CHANGE AS STORM can be
identified as in the following mappings:
a) weather

political environment

b) dawn

new period

c) sunset

end of a period

d) wind

innovation

đ) storm

political instability

2.1.2.2 POLITICS AS LIGHT AND DARK


The source domain NATURAL ENVIRONMENT also comprises LIGHT and
DARK and the research findings from English political discourses reveal the presence

of the conceptual metaphor POLITICS AS LIGHT AND DARK.
The conceptual metaphor POLITICS AS LIGHT AND DARK and its sub-class
ones can be identified as in the following mappings:
a) light

positive factor

b) dark

negative factor

What is common in the political discourses studied is the policians
conceptualizing the negative factors like hatred or diseases as darkness and positive
factors like freedom as light of the sun or of dawn. The concepts of light and darkness
are universal due to the close attachment to man’s life and development along the line
of history.
2.2 Structural metaphors in Vietnamese political discourses
2.2.1 Structural metaphors with the source domain HUMAN ACTIVITIES
2.2.1.1 POLITICS AS A JOURNEY
The metaphor POLITICS AS A JOURNEY, in the view of many researchers, is
very common in various types of discourses, including political discourses thanks to
its familiarity embodied in man’s daily life.
The conceptual metaphor POLITICS AS A JOURNEY can be illustrated in the
following mappings:
a) traveler

politicians / government

b) road / route

political activities

c) destination

political goals

d) milestone

political achievement

đ) obstacle

political instability

e) bog down

political gridlock

The conceptual metaphors with the source domain JOURNEY are highly conventional
and easily perceived by listeners. The findings reveal the presence of four sub-class
conceptual metaphors, namely REVOLUTION AS A JOURNEY, WAR AS A JOURNEY,
PATRIOTISM AS A JOURNEY and ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AS A JOURNEY.
Of the words and phrases expressing the features of the source domain
JOURNEY, the word “pathway” accounts for up to 48% in the 56 political discourses
in question since political leaders in Vietnam tend to disseminate policies of the Party
and the State in their speeches and the concept pathway is often selected to concretize


the abstract policies as viewed by the common people who then relate to a specific
journey leading to the destination.

2.2.1.2 POLITICS A S BUILDING
The conceptual metaphor POLITICS AS BUILDING can be illustrated as in the
following mappings:
a) foundation

base of a political system

b) house

government system

c) collapse

failure of political syste

d) crack down

weakness

of

government

system
đ) firm and solid

stability of political system

e) roof

leaders

f) build

form the government

The conceptual metaphor POLITICS AS BUILDING is the most commonly used
in the Vietnamese political discourse in question. The common sub-class conceptual
metaphors in Vietnamese political discourses include NATION AS A BUILDING,
LEADERS AS ROOF, POLICY AS A BUILDING and BELIEF AS A BUILDING.
2.2.1.3 WAR AS HUMAN ACTIVITIES
The conceptual metaphor WAR AS HUMAN ACTIVITIES can be expressed as
in the following mappings:
a) escalate

intensify war activities

b) descend

reduce war activities

c) bog down

gridlock in war activities

d) heal

overcome war consequences

The conceptual metaphor WAR AS HUMAN ACTIVITIES comprises such sub-class

metaphors as WAR AS HUMAN MOVEMENT, WAR AS VIOLENCE, WAR AS
ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES and WAR AS A JOURNEY.
The presence of the conceptual metaphor WAR AS HUMAN ACTIVITIES in
Vietnamese political discourses is relatively limited since most linguistic data in use in
this research is in the peacetime and the topic of war is less common than other
contemporary topics.


2.2.2. Structural metaphors with the source domain NATURAL
ENVIRONMENT
2.2.2.1 POLITICS AS A WEATHER PHENOMENON
Weather is an indispensible part in man’s work and life, which can be reflected
in the presence of weather in conceptual metaphors in Vietnamese political discourses.
The conceptual metaphor POLITICS AS A WEATHER PHENOMENON can be
seen in the following mappings:
a) weather

political environment

b) wind

innovation, revolution

c) storm

political change, war

The conceptual metaphor POLITICS AS A WEATHER PHENOMENON
comprises such sub-class metaphors as INNOVATION AS A WIND, CHANGE AS A
STORM, PROBLEMS AS TIDES and PATRIOTISM AS A WAVE. The findings

reveal an interesting phenomenon of conceptual metaphors when the same source
domain can map onto two different target domains, forming two different conceptual
metaphors with even anti-meanings.
2.2.2.2 POLITICS AS LIGHT
The conceptual metaphor POLITICS AS LIGHT can be mapped as follows:
light

positive factor

What is found common is the Vietnaamese political leaders conceptualizing possitive
factors as light, a universal concept as light indicates clarity, the source of life, the future and
hope.
Summary of Chapter 2
The findings show that models of structural metaphors conform to the rule of
single linear mapping from the source domain to the target domain, displaying the
partiality of the conceptualization process and the hierachy of the conceptual
structure with the existence of the coneptual metaphors and their sub-class ones.
Specifically, the two source domains HUMAN ACTIVITIES and NATURAL
ENVIRONMENT in English political discourses consist of five conceptual metaphors
and twelve sub-class conceptual metaphors while in the Vietnamese data there are
five conceptual metaphors and sixteen sub-class ones.
Chapter 3
INVESTIGATING ONTOLOGICAL METAPHORS IN ENGLISH AND
VIETNAMESE POLITICAL DISCOURSES
3.1. Ontological metaphors in English political discourses
3.1.1. Ontological metaphors with the source domain HUMAN ACTIVITIES
3.1.1.1 THE WORLD AS A COMMUNITY


The conceptual metaphor THE WORLD AS A COMMUNITY can be described

as follows:
a) community

groups of nations

b) neighbor

adjacent nation

c) friend

nation in cooperation

d) enemy

nation in conflict

The conceptual metaphor THE WORLD AS A COMMUNITY has three subclass metaphors, namely NATION AS A PERSON, NATION HAS HUMAN
FEATURES and NATION ACTS AS HUMAN with the total number of turns being
144, the highest of all the ontological metaphors recorded. That is because American
politicians tend to personify the United States of America to show the role of a leader in
the community of nations worldwide. Political leaders of English speaking nations see
themselves and the government in power as public servants of the people, of the nation
and hence the thesis records the sub-class conceptual metaphor GOVERNMENT AS
PUBLIC SERVANTS.
3.1.1.2 THE NATION AS A FAMILY
The conceptual metaphor THE NATION AS A FAMILY can be seen in the
following mapping:
a) parents

government

b) children

citizens

c) care

beneficial policy

d) brother, sister

fellow citizens

đ) nơi sinh sống

territory

The concept FAMILY is often employed by politicians to exert familiar impact
on listeners because once the relation between the government and the citizens is
conceptualized as the relation between parents and children, every policy and
regulation of the government can be seen as necessary for the sake of the people’s
interest and comparable to the care of parents towards children. Even when such
policies are strict, adversely affecting the citizens but once they are conceptualized as
parents’ care for the sake of their children’s future, politicians will receive
understanding and support of the people. It can be said that politicians use the
conceptual metaphor NATION AS A FAMILY in this case to call for sharing and


support of the people for the government’s policies and regulations is a smart and

effective measure.
3.1.1.3 BAD THINGS ARE ENEMIES
In the real life, human often distinguish friends from foes. Friendship is reliable
and can offer good things whereas enemies are scary as they can exert negative
effects. As a result, the conceptualization of bad things as enemies is based on man’s
real-life experiences.
The conceptual metaphor BAD THINGS ARE ENEMIES can be presented as
follows:
a) bad things

enemy

b) fight bad things

fight enemies

c) bad things are

enemies surrender

prevented
3.1.2 Ontological metaphors with the source domain NATURAL
ENVIRONMENT
3.1.2.1 GOVERNMENT AS A MACHINE
The US, the UK and Australia are the world’s leading industrialized nations and
the concept machine is not alien to people in their daily life. Therefore, the
appearance of the concept machine when the management of the government is in
question is inevitable.
The conceptual metaphor GOVERNMENT AS A MACHINE can be identified
in the following mapping:

a) boat / ship

nation

b) engine

government in question

c) steering

managing the nation

d) instrument

policy to manage the nation

đ) gridlock

problems

in

the

government’s

operation
3.1.2.2 POLITICS AS ANIMALS AND PLANTS
Animals and plants are one of the source domains to constitute the conceptual
metaphors since animals and plants are common in man’s daily life, attaching to

man’s life throughout the history from the time of hunting and gathering to the
domestication of wild animals and plants to form farming jobs. Therefore, man’s rich


knowledge about the source domain ANIMALS AND PLANTS is often used to help
man perceive and reason about the abstract target domains.
The conceptual metaphor POLITICS AS ANIMALS AND PLANTS can be
identified in the following mapping:
a) trunk

government

b) branch

government organ

c) root

citizen

d) seed

new policy

đ) fruit

benefit for citizens

e) farmland

society

f) cultivate

develop

The course domain ANIMALS AND PLANTS is frequently used to
conceptualize the diplomatic relation between people according to the conceptual
metaphor RELATION AS PLANTS. In addition, peace between nations can also be
conceptualized from the source domain PLANTS and arises another conceptual
metaphor PEACE AS PLANTS.
3.1.3 Ontological metaphors with the source domain LIVING BODY
The findings from the English political discourses show two conceptual
metaphors NATION AS A LIVING BODY and BAD THINGS ARE ILLNESS.
The ontological metaphors with the source domain LIVING BODY can be
illustrated as follows:
a) living body

nation

b) wound

negative effects on nation

c) epidemic

bad effects on nation

d) heal

overcome bad effects on nation

As the nation is a living body, it can have wounds on its body. As the nation can
be hurt by negative factors, such bad influences are conceptualized as diseases
harming the living body.
3.2 Ontological metaphors in Vietnamese political discourses
3.2.1. Ontological metaphors with the source domain HUMAN ACTIVITIES
3.2.1.1 THE WORLD AS A COMMUNITY


The conceptual metaphor THE WORLD AS A COMMUNITY comprises such
sub-class metaphors as NATION AS A PERSON, NATION HAS HUMAN
ATTRIBUTES and NATION ACTS AS HUMAN.
The conceptual metaphor THE WORLD AS A COMMUNITY can be mapped
as follows:
a) community

group of nations

b) neighbor

adjacent nation

c) friend

nation in cooperation

d) enemy

nation in conflict

Nations are often conceptualized as people living in the world community with
many social relations: neighbouring relations, friendship and even hatred.
Aprt from the above sub-class metaphors, the findings also reveal the sub-class
metaphor GOVERNMENT / LEADERS AS CIVIL SERVANTS, CITIZENS AS
MASTERS. This metaphor can concretize the status and role of leaders in the
government in relation with people, highlighting the difference of the people’s
revolutionary government, the excellence of the nation of the people and for the
people.
3.2.1.2 NATION AS A FAMILY
The use of the conceptual metaphor NATION AS A FAMILY in Vietnamese
political discourses is relatively limited. Still, the thesis identifies 3 sub-class
LEADERS AS PARENTS, CITIZENS AS CHILDREN and PEOPLE IN A NATION
AS SIBLINGS.
The conceptual metaphor NATION AS A FAMILY and its sub-class ones can
be mapped as follows:
a) extended family

nation

b) family relation

national feeling

c) sibling

fellow citizen

d) house

national territory

The conceptualization of nation as a family reflects a cultural trait of the
Vietnamese with more focus on family as a collective and highlights household
activities. Therefore, Vietnam’s political leaders use conceptual metaphors in their
speeches to exert positive effects and call for national solidarity and miraculous
strength of the nation.
3.2.1.3 THE BAD AS AN ENEMY


In Vietnam President Ho Chi Minh was the pioneer in using the source domain
enemy to conceptualize the bad things. He used a simple word “giặc” (enemy) to
concretize what must be condemned or destroyed in a concerted effort.
The conceptual metaphor THE BAD AS AN ENEMY can be described in the
following mappings:
a) enemy

bad things

b) soldier

people

c) frontier

field of life

3.2.2 Ontological metaphors with the source domain NATURAL
ENVIRONMENT
3.2.2.1 THE GOVERNMENT AS A MACHINE

The conceptual metaphor THE GOVERNMENT AS A MACHINE and its subclass ones can be illustrated as follows:
a) machine

government

b) boat

revolutionary course

c) engine

leader

d) operate

government’s activities

The features of the conceptual metaphor THE GOVERNMENT AS A
MACHINE has a lower frequency of use in Vietnamese political discourses possibly
because Vietnam is far behind such English-speaking countries as the US, the UK and
Australia in terms of industrial development, especially the UK as one of the first
countries in the world undergoing the First Industrial Revolution.
3.2.2.2 POLITICS AS PLANTS & ANIMALS
The features of the conceptual metaphor POLITICS AS PLANTS & ANIMALS
has the frequency of use as low as of the conceptual metaphor THE GOVERNMENT
AS A MACHINE.
The conceptual metaphor POLITICS AS PLANTS & ANIMALS can be
presented in thw following mapping:
a) tree

Government

b) seed

young government

c) fruit

achievement

d) cultivate

build & protect government


đ) forest

strong government

Though the frequency of use of the features of the conceptual metaphor
POLITICS AS PLANTS & ANIMALS is not high but the sub-class metaphors vary:
YOUNG IS SEED, DEVELOPMENT IS BROWING SEED, STRONG IS FOREST,
REVOLUTIONARY COURSE AS PLANTS, SUCCESSFUL REVOLUTION AS
FRUIT, PEOPLE AS TRUNK, GOVERNMENT AS TREE, RELATION AS TREE,
FOLLOWERS AS DOGS and EXPLOITED PEOPLE AS BUFFALOES.
3.2.3. Ontological metaphors with source domain LIVING BODY
The features of the source domain LIVING BODY has a low frequency of use
(only 30 times) in the Vietnamese political discourses but there are up to 02
conceptual metaphors, being NATION AS A LIVING BODY and THE BAD AS A
WOUND / DISEASE.

The conceptual metaphor NATION AS A LIVING BODY and THE BAD AS A
WOUND / DISEASE can be mapped as a follows:
a) body

nation

b) disease / wound

bad effects on nation

c) mầm họa

risk of bad effects

d) heat / depoison

solution to bad effects

President Ho Chi Minh was one of the political leaders of Vietnam frequently
using the source domain DISEASE to concretize negative socio-political issues as
well as bad things to concemn and eliminate in his discourses.
Summary of Chapter 3
The analysis of the linguistic phrases containing metaphorical features as well as
sub-class ontological metaphors in the political discourses of the two languages has
helped to clarify the similarities and differences of the role of conceptual metaphors
and their use by political leaders of the two languages.
In this chapter, we have summed and analysed linguistic data containing
ontological conceptual metaphors of the three source domains HUMAN’S
ACTIVITIES, NATURAL ENVIRONMENT and LIVING BODY in English and
Vietnamese political discourses. The findings show that English political discourses

have 15 ontological metaphors with seven upper-class and eight sub-class metaphors
while Vietnamese political discourses also contain seven upper-class metaphors but as
many as 22 sub-class metaphors.
CONCLUSION
1. Based on the analysis and comparison of various kinds of conceptual
metaphors used in political discourses in English and Vietnamese, the thesis has
concluded as follows:


The political discourses in question contain many metaphors, indicating the
importance of conceptual metaphor for political discourses as identified by many
researchers.
In terms of cognitive function, structural metaphors and ontological metaphors
are two types of metaphors commonly used in political discourses both in English and
Vietnamese. Orientational metaphors are in less frequent use.
Regarding the source domain, both the structural and ontological metaphors of
such source domains as HUMAN’S ACTIVITIES, NATURAl ENVIRONMENT and
LIVING BODY are found common in political discourses, not only in the literature as
claimed by the traditional linguistics.
In political discourses, the conceptual metaphors not only bear rhetorical nature
to beautify the language but also perform cognitive function. They help language
users understand the abstract concepts through concrete concepts in the source
domains derived from embodied experiences closely related to human like their daily
activities or the surrounding natural environment. Apart from the cognitive function,
conceptual metaphors used in political discourses persuade listeners when the speaker
wishes to present a certain political view on an issue.
The thesis findings also show how the system and hierarchy of the conceptual
metaphors in the two languages and the political issues are conceptualized in political
discourses of the two different languages and cultures.
Based on the description and contrast, the thesis points out certain similarities

and differences of the conceptual metaphors used in English and Vietnamese political
discourses. In general, the number and frequency of use of metaphors in the English
political discourses are higher than in the Vietnamese ones. The difference in terms of
the number of upper-class metaphors between the English and Vietnamese political
discourses is inconsiderable, which makes it possible to claim that those upper-class
conceptual metaphors found in this language can also appear in the other language.
The difference tends to be found mainly in the sub-class conceptual metaphors as
shown in the two main chapters of the thesis.
The difference in the use of conceptual metaphors in the political discourses of
the two languages may derive from the fact that Vietnamese political discourses tend
to disply the formaility of politics, partly limiting the use of conceptual metaphors of
Vietrnamese politicians, apart from President Ho Chi Minh. Also, the Vietnamese
traditionally regard the use of metaphors as a rhetorical means to beautify the
language, bearing the personal trait and being suitable for literature. Hence, creative
metaphors are not common in Vietnamese political discourses. The only figure
showing creativity in the use of metaphors in his political discourses is President Ho
Chi Minh.
A number of sub-class conceptual metaphors display cultural and living
environmental differences. As a result, cross-language comparing and contrasting the
use of conceptual metaphors prove to be useful.


2. From the investigation of conceptual metaphors in English and Vietnamese
political discourses, we have a number of recommended applications in language
teaching as follows:
According to Lakoff and Johnson (1980), metaphor is embedded in many
linguistic phrases; therefore, blending the teaching of conceptual metaphors in foreign
language teaching promises positive outcome, especially in vocabulary teaching.
Metaphor is significant in the use of language and the complicated structure of
metaphor can help language users understand the systematic relation of objects and

phenomena.
In reality, foreign language learners with good language proficiency may not be
able to master the language since the awareness of the hidden message in the
discourses is more important than mastering the vocabulary and grammatical rules.
Metaphor is a product of culture, the essence of the national cultural value of a
language so foreign language teaching and learning must be attached to the provision
of cultural knowledge in general and metaphor in particular.
Conceptual metaphor is the essence of culture, a symbol of knowledge in the
form of language, the means through which human perceive the physical world, the
mental world and the emotional world. Hence, the knowledge of metaphor is
indispensable in foreign language teaching and learning to help language learners
both the language proficiency and the cultural understanding to master the language
in question.
Students majoring in politics in an attempt to acquire professional knowledge
should be well aware of the metaphorical nature of political discourses and be able to
interpret such metaphors. English lessons in politics should comprise activities and
exercises to enhance the learners’ awareness of professional English vocabulary, the
reading comprehension of major-related documents and the ability to formulate
political documents in a native-like manner when translating political documents.