A Study On Associative Compound Characters Meaning Construction And Evolution In The Perspective Of Conceptual Blending Theory

In the view of the status quo which is academic member paid much more attention to configuration than meaning conformation, this paper studies the associative compounds’ meaning construction and evolution in the light of conceptual blending theory of the second generation of cognitive linguistics on the basis of forefathers’ research. Firstly, it reviews the research achievements which contribute to the relation of form and meaning, and analyzes the connotation and extension of associative compound characters, and then puts forward that associative compounds are mixed characters with new configuration and meaning, which is composed of ideograms in the surface structure and is composed of conceptual integration in the deep meaning. Secondly, it makes conceptual integration analysis of the commonly used typical associative compounds characters in the ancient period represented by oracle, Xiao Zhuan in Shuo Wen Jie Zi, Li-Kai and modern simplified characters, and finds out that the emergence and development of associative compounds characters is closely related with concept of integration of thinking, that their meaning construction process is the conceptual integration process, and that the evolution of form and meaning are affected by the conceptual blending. Conceptual Integration Networks could be able to provide a mode and operational program for the interpretation of form and meaning:each ideogram is equivalent to an input space, in which they represent concepts and map to each other; then activate some framework in the generic space; after that selective projection integrates with the background knowledge in the blended space and produces emergent meaning. During the progress, spaces affect and interact with each other. The analysis procedure can present all generative process of meaning, provide detailed classification for associative compounds characters avoiding the problem of "others" of our predecessors, and explain some phenomenon about the thinking of ideograph, such as the numerous variants in ancient times, motivation reconstruction in the process of evolution and the enduring appeal of Zi Shuo phenomenon. Therefore, this paper argues that it is feasible and well worth doing to study associative compound characters in the perspective of Conceptual Blending Theory.