Metaphors of Emotion in Kurdish: An Analysis from the Perspective of Image Schema Theory

Abstract

Most emotional concepts people use in their everyday lives are metaphorically structured
and understood. Therefore, the study of emotional metaphors becomes significant for an
adequate understanding of emotional reality. The present study is intended to analyze
metaphors of emotion in Kurdish from the perspective of image schema theory in cognitive
linguistics. The study aims to examine the role of image schemas in constructing and
understanding metaphors of emotion in central Kurdish and their meanings. The study
seeks to answer some questions, such as: Is the theory of image schema applicable to
the metaphors of emotion in central Kurdish? How are emotions of happiness, sadness,
anger and love conceptualized in Kurdish from the perspective of Image Schema theory?
What are the major types of image schema that are commonly found in central Kurdish
emotional metaphors? To answer the above questions, a qualitative analysis of data has
been adopted as a method of data analysis. Depending on the analysis of the data, the
study comes up with the idea that the theory of image schema is applicable to the metaphors
of emotions in central Kurdish and that the most common image schemas in the
central Kurdish data, in descending order, are the FORCE, LINK, CONTAINER, PATH,
and PART- WHOLE schema.