Document Type : Research

Authors

• Bahar Pourshahian ¹
• Arezoo Najafian ²
• Belghis Rovshan ³
• Mehdi Sabzevari ⁴

¹ Ph.D in Linguistics, Lecturer in Department of Linguistics; Faculty member of Jahrom University, Jahrom, Iran

² Ph.D in Linguistics, Associate Professor in Department of Linguistic and Foreign Languages; Faculty member of Payame Nur University,Tehran, Iran

³ Ph.D in Linguistics, Professor in Department of Linguistic and Foreign Languages; Faculty member of Payame Nur University,Tehran, Iran

⁴ Ph.D in Linguistics, Associate Professor in Department of Linguistic and Foreign Languages; Faculty member of Payame Nur University, Shahryar, Iran

Abstract

INTRODUCTION
This article is studying Persian compound adjectives based on conceptual blending theory. The method of the research is descriptive-analytic and the data collection is corpus-based. The research data are 400 compound adjectives from language data base of Persian language (PDLB). The goal of the research is to determine the cognitive processes involving in forming Persian compound adjectives (metaphor, metonymy and metaphor-metonymy) and to determine the level of creativity of compounding processes according to Benczes classification and to determine the interaction between endocentric and exocentric compounds according to Benczes results (2006). The results show that in forming Persian compound adjectives, the frequency level of metaphor is the most. then  Next frequency level belongs to metaphor-metonymy while the frequency of metonymy is indeed the least. According to Benczes (2006), with the  stronger  metaphoric relations, the  creativity level and the abstractness of  meaning  indeed increase. The research results show that Persian speakers have more willing to use metaphoric meaning for producing and understanding compound adjectives. As with the level of creativity, the metaphor-metonymy process has the most frequency. Drawing from the fact that metaphor holds the most number of the frequency of the conceptual blending process, it can be concluded that
Persian speakers have no problem with understanding metaphoric meanings and have more willing to understand metaphoric meanings. Creating meanings through metaphoric compounds simplifies perception of metaphoric concepts for us. This vast use of metaphor and metonymy shows the creativity and dynamism of language. The creativity level of metaphor-metonymy conceptual blending is more than others.
Foucounier and Turner (2003) considered the mental blending spaces and conceptual blending theory with four-part patterns. In their opinion, mental spaces are small conceptual packages which are made through speaking and thinking and are used in special situations for perceiving events and verbs. These mental spaces  include  smaller elements. Each of these elements is formed based on cognitive framework and special meaning models. According to conceptual blending theory, four spaces are involved in forming meanings: 1- Input space which is the source domain, 2- Output space which is the target domain, 3- General space which includes an abstract and schematic structure and is common between all available spaces, even the blending space that chooses between available structure in input spaces, uses the a part of structural features of general space. 4- Blending space that is made  through the interjection of two input spaces on the fourth space.

DATA ANALYSIS
In this section, all cognitive processes and dynamic cognitive processes of all data, are determined according to the conceptual belnding theory of Benczes (2006). According to the proposed cognitive concepts, we study all the meaning structures of compound adjectives that are metaphor ormetonymy and then we examined the relation between head and dependent components and their classifications. Table 1 below shows all the data analysis with an example of each analysis:
 
Table 1: Cognitive analysis of compound adjectives
"Reference to PDF article"
 
As an example we point to an extended explanation of several data based on conceptual blending theory. Explanations are related to input, output, general space, and blending space with drawing diagram of four-part spaces which are related to them and creativity level of each process.
For example, consider the adjectives like zaban basteh that refers to one with closed tongue and  pashne boland that refers to high-heeled shoe. These adjectives have blending meaning that are the results of interjections of the two components of that adjective on the blending spaces. On the basis of conceptual blending theory of Benczes (2006), each  adjectives can be classified within metaphor, metonymy, or blending. Following below, consider the cognitive analysis of the adjective zaban basteh: closed tongue.
 Zaban basteh ( closed tongue) is a compound adjective which describes an animal and consists of negative meaning with passion and emotional meaning. In the first input, there is a tongue, tongue is the symbol of speaking faculty. Second, input is an adjective, basteh means closed and related to everything that can moves but  is in prison and cannot move. In output space, only human being can talk and animal cannot talk. In blending space, tongue is a thing that can move,  but something made it closed and has not any proficiency. On the other hand,  it is not only tongue needed for speaking;  other parts of the mouth are also needed for speaking, so there is a component to whole relation between the two compound adjective components and this compound is acceptable and is used. The whole component refers to a creature who cannot use its tongue.
 
"Reference to PDF article"
Figure1: Blending space of adjective zabanbasteh:closed tongue)
 
In terms of creativity level, we have the pattern below:
  Do del(indesisive)  ˃   zaban basteh(closed tongue)  ˃   pashneh boland (high-heeled shoe)
The creativity and abstractness level of do del (indesisive) are more than zaban basteh and the creativity level of zaban basteh is more than pashneh boland. There is no concrete and real relation between do and del and the main meaning of dodel is not the total meaning of each component that are so and del and we cannot achieve the main meaning from the the total meaning of each component. However, the relation between zaban(tongue) and basteh(closed) is less abstract and basteh(closed) is oppressed and refers to one who is unable to speak because of closed or basteh, as if this meaning is rather guessable from the total meaning of each component.
Obviously, Persian speakers can understand the meaning of pashneh boland(high-heeled) because the abstract level between the two components of this compound word is less than the other two adjectives.

Below is the table no. 2 that shows the conceptual blending processes of all the data:
"Reference to PDF article"
Figure 2- conceptual blending frequency  
                                       
"Reference to PDF article"
Figure 3- conceptual blending frequency    
 
CONCLUSION
As it has been observed, the frequency of metaphors is the highest, and after that, blending and finally metonymy. In this study, from the analysis of 400 compound adjectives in the Persian Language Data Base (PLDB)and the analysis of the conceptual blending processes used in each of these adjectives, we conclude that the frequency of occurrence of the metaphorical process with 50% in semantic construction of Persian compound adjectives were the most common. After that, blending was with 47%, and finally, metonymy with only 3%, were used in semantic constructions.
Considering that the highest frequency used in the use of conceptual blending processes belongs to metaphor, we conclude that Persian speakers have no problem in understanding the metaphorical meaning of words and are more inclined to use metaphorical meanings to understand concepts. Creating meaning through metaphorical combinations makes it easier for us to understand abstract concepts. This extensive use of metaphors convey the creativity and dynamism of language. As we have said, according to Figures 11-1, the creativity of the metaphor-metonymy process was greatest. The stronger the metaphorical connection between the components of a compound, the more creative that compound is. The creativity level of cognitive processes is shown with the pattern below:
 Metaphor-metonymy ˃ metaphor ˃    metonymy
                                                                                   Pattern 1
             In this research, we studied 400 adjectives from Persian language data base (PLDB). As we considered the frequency level of conceptual processes in the table 2, metaphor is the most common process and  blending and  metonymy illustrate less frequency, respectively. We can conclude that Persian speakers have no problem with understanding and using metaphor in their talkings and this shows the dynamism and creativity of language. Creating meanings through metaphoric compounds simplifies abstract concepts for us. The creativity levelof cognitive processes is shown with the pattern below:
                                                 Metaphor-metonymy ˃ metaphor ˃    metonymy
                                                                                   Pattern 1
The  stronger the metaphoric relation between components of a compound word, the more creative  theyare.

Keywords

• Persian compound adjectives
• Conceptual blending
• Metaphor
• Metonymy
• Creativity