Metaphorical Conceptualization of “PLANT” in Nassiriya Iraqi Arabic

Abstract

     Nassiriya dialect has a large number of conceptual metaphors used in everyday language. This study sheds light on the plant metaphors (i.e. the conceptual metaphors in which the concept of plant is the source domain), and to what extent Nassiriya speakers use these metaphors to guide their listeners’ attentions to particular points. There are various concepts expressed using the concept of plant to be more conceived. Here is a real concern with analyzing these metaphors, including the concepts of plants employed as source domains. These metaphors are structural, orientational or ontological. Depending on the Conceptual Metaphor Theory adopted by Lakoff and Johnson (1980), the data are analyzed and interpreted accordingly.                                   

Key Words: conceptual metaphors, source domain, target domain and plant metaphors