The Criticism, Analysis, and Comparison of Classic Metaphors with Lakoff and Johnson’s Conceptual Metaphors

Abstract

In recent years, metaphor has attracted the attention of scholars and poets as well as readers of literary passages because of including features like exaggeration, brevity, and artistic and literary beauty creations. According to the linguists, majorities of language materials as well as the most complicated scientific theories are understood by metaphor. Since several studies are done and published with the application of Lakoff and Johnson theory, there is a question concerning the similarities in two different attitudes in two languages and literary domains that they accorded and conceptualized. After the case study and library study about classic metaphor in old books and the content analysis and its comparison with metaphor with its new concept, the present study concluded that despite the existing similarities and differences, theory of cognitive linguists is relatively exaggerated and in most of cases, many suggested issues in contemporary theory is the same as concepts of classic eloquence theory which have been raised with different titles. Also, in spite of benefits, the contemporary theories left some issues related to classic metaphors unanswered and is not responsive to some eloquence questions considering the society’s language and literary demands.