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1、MetaphorInterpretationasEmbodiedSimulationRAYMONDW.GIBBS,JR.Abstract:Cognitivetheoriesofmetaphorunderstandingaretypicallydescribedintermsofthemappingsbetweendifferentkindsofabstract,schematic,disembodiedknowledge.Myclaiminthispaperisthatpartofourabilityto
2、makesenseofmetaphoricallanguage,bothindividualutterancesandextendednarratives,residesintheautomaticconstructionofasimulationwherebyweimagineperformingthebodilyactionsreferredtointhelanguage.Thus,understandingmetaphoricalexpressionslike‘graspaconcept’or‘ge
3、tover’anemotioninvolvesimulatingwhatitmustbeliketoengageinthesespecificactivities,eventhoughtheseactionsare,strictlyspeaking,impossibletophysicallyperform.Thisprocessofbuildingasimulation,onethatisfundamentallyembodiedinbeingconstrainedbypastandpresentbodi
4、lyexperiences,hasspecificconsequencesforhowverbalmetaphorsareunderstood,andhowcognitivescientists,moregenerally,characterizethenatureofmetaphoricallanguageandthought.1.IntroductionUnderstandingmetaphor,similarlytoallaspectsoflanguage,requireslistenerstodra
5、winferencesaboutspeakers’possiblecommunicativeintentionsinsayingwhattheydid.Althoughlistenerscaninfermeaningsthatdeviatefromwhatspeakersstrictlyintendtoconvey,makinganestimateofwhatspeakershadinmindwhentalkingisacriticalpartoflinguisticinterpretation.Onew
6、ayofinferringwhatspeakersmeanistosimulatewhatitmustbeliketobethatpersonandhavetheparticularthoughtsheorshehadatthemomentofproduction.Myclaiminthispaperisthatimaginativesimulationprocesses,whicharefundamentallypartoftheembodiedmind,guidemanyaspectsofmetaph
7、orunderstanding.Considersomeexcerptsfromanarticle,titled‘Griefasajourney’onapopularinternetwebsitethatprovidesinformationandsupportforprofessionalsandlaypersons(http://www.helphorizon.com):‘Thelossofalovedoneisnotsomethingthatanyoneever‘getsover’.Wemay‘ge
8、tusedto’ourlovedonenotbeinginourlives,butwenevergetoverthefactthatapieceofourheartwillbemissingforever.‘So,whattodoif‘gettingover’ourlossisnotarealisticoption.Wejourneythroughit,eventuallyrecoveringfromourwounds.But