An ICM-based Study Of English Conundrums

As a fascinating phenomenon, English conundrum has attracted the attention of scholars of various persuasions. So far, a multitude of studies of English conundrums have been made in rhetoric, psychology and linguistics. But none of them have proved to be effective for revealing the mechanism of English conundrums. In view of this, this thesis attempts to make a tentative study to analyze and explore the internal mechanism of conundrums in the light of Idealized Cognitive Model Theory developed in cognitive linguistics in recent years.In the present research, English conundrums are analyzed within the framework of Idealized Cognitive Models. Based on this theory and natural observation of the data, the conundrums can be divided into two kinds: conundrums based on ICM-extending and conundrums based on ICM-highlighting. Through examples each kind is discussed and interpreted in detail to reveal that ICM theory offers a better and deeper understanding of conundrums. Thus this research is of great importance in both theoretical and practical aspects.As has been discussed throughout the thesis, the present study provides a new approach for conundrums in English. Unlike the previous studies, this study focuses its attention on the inner mechanism of conundrums. Needless to say, in spite of limitations in the research per se, observing and addressing English conundrums by virtue of Idealized Cognitive Models is a good point of departure.