• Conceptual metaphors help us understand abstrac

ideas by comparing them to things we can see,

touch, or experience directly.
• There are two main roles for the conceptual
domains posited in conceptual metaphors:
• Source domain: the conceptual domain from which
we draw metaphorical expressions (e.g., love is
a journey).
• Target domain: the conceptual domain that we try
to understand (e.g., love is a journey).
What is conceptual theory? EXAMPLES FOR LOVE (TARGET) IS A JOURNEY
(SOURCE):
• This relationship isn't going anywhere
• This couple is in dead-end relationship
MIND DEVELOPMENT IS A
PLANT MIND
Target
Domain DEVELOPMENT

Source
Domain PLANT
 Our minds
Like Plants, Minds Need
need
Care:
learning and
• WATERING PLANTS
experiences
Plants need water and care to
to become
grow
smarter and
wiser.

Growing Ideas, Like Minds produce

ideas and thoughts
Branches: when nurtured and
• Plants grow branches encouraged.
Harvesting
Success:
• plants bear
fruit when minds can
they grow achieve success
well (after through learning
caring for and applying
them) knowledge.
 ENVIRONMENTAL HARM
IS PHYSICAL INJURY
Physical injury
Source Domain (damaged lungs, chest
pain)

Environmental harm
Target Domain (pollution from
factories, mining dust,
smog)
Factory Smoke and Factory pollution is like
Lungs: harmful smoke filling
Lungs filled with your lungs, causing
images of factories health problems.
and smoke.

Mining Dust and Dust from mining is like

Respiratory Issues: inhaling tiny harmful
Lungs with mining particles that damage
equipment and dust your lungs, leading to
inside. breathing issues.
Smog and Chest Pain:
• Breathing smoggy air is like filling your lungs with harmful
A person with a cloudy, substances, causing chest pain and illness.
polluted chest area.