Conceptual Blending Theory and Idioms: Rich Sources of Conceptual Blends
Muhammet Fatih Adıgüzel
This chapter explores idioms as exceptionally rich sources of conceptual blends within the framework of Conceptual Blending Theory (CBT), originally developed by Fauconnier and Turner. Idioms, often non-compositional and culturally embedded, require the integration of multiple input mental spaces to generate emergent meaning in the blended space that cannot be directly retrieved from the literal inputs alone. Unlike straightforward metaphorical mappings in Conceptual Metaphor Theory, idioms frequently involve selective projection, composition, completion, and elaboration processes that produce novel inferences and creative conceptual structures. Drawing on examples primarily from Turkish and cross-linguistic data, the analysis demonstrates how idiomatic expressions construct dynamic networ...
Cultural surreal hybrid creatures in idioms: From blended concepts to metaphorical source domains
Muhammet Fatih Adıgüzel
This chapter investigates the role of cultural surreal hybrid creatures in idiomatic expressions, bridging Conceptual Blending Theory (Fauconnier & Turner) and Conceptual Metaphor Theory (Lakoff & Johnson). Many idioms draw on fantastical, culturally specific hybrid beings—such as half-human/half-animal or monstrous composites—that originate as blended conceptual structures in the mind. These blends integrate input spaces (e.g., human traits, animal behaviors, mythical elements) to create emergent meanings that cannot be reduced to their literal components. The analysis focuses on Turkish idioms featuring such entities (e.g., involving dragons, centaurs-like figures, or folkloric monsters), demonstrating how surreal hybrids function as powerful metaphorical source domains for abstract conc...