The Implications Of Cognitive Metaphor Theories In Senior High School English Vocabulary Teaching

Vocabulary teaching and learning is an integral part of foreign language teaching and learning. Its effect is directly related with the quality of foreign language teaching and learning. The Lexical Method puts vocabulary teaching and learning to the front of language teaching and learning; and the Cognitive Method introduces psychology into language teaching. All these methods can be useful to improve vocabulary teaching and learning. However, affected by the traditional teaching methods for a long time, our current foreign language vocabulary teaching and learning in senior high schools is not systematic and perfect. Some problems still exist in practical teaching and learning: the learners' vocabularies are inadequate and without systematisation; the learners neglect the natural meaning connection between words; the learners are confused about the lexical meanings, meaning changes of words, and the meanings items of polysemous words, etc. The main reason led to the unsatisfactory of the current situation of vocabulary teaching and learning is lack of a new method to effectively improve vocabulary teaching and learning.The application of cognitive metaphor in English vocabulary teaching and learning has its practical meaning: firstly, metaphoric thought plays a role in the original form and construction of vocabulary, so tracing the etymology of vocabulary and analyzing the formation of words are useful for learners to learn and grasp the form of words; secondly, conceptual domain helps the systematisation of vocabulary teaching and learning and domains-mappings are helpful for learners to understand the meaning of vocabulary, such as: the changes of lexical meanings, different meaning items of polysemous words etc.; thirdly, the systematization, universality and nationality of metaphors and vocabulary are helpful for learners to learn vocabulary easily and firmly, and are also helpful for learners to learn vocabulary and understand the meanings of vocabulary in different contexts. In view of the current situation of foreign language vocabulary teaching and learning by applying metaphor in Chinese senior high schools so as to effectively enlarge the learners' vocabulary and improve the learners' understanding of lexical meanings.The thesis is made up of six chapters, including the introduction and the conclusion.Introduction briefly introduces the research background, definitely presents the goal, practical significance, and main contents of this thesis. Chapter Two reviews the history of metaphor research, basic working mechanisms and the functions of metaphor.Chapter Three deals with the relationship between vocabulary teaching and metaphor from theoretical consideration, the development of metaphor in foreign language teaching and learning, and the researches of some scholars and linguists in this field.Chapter Four presents a model of English vocabulary teaching and learning by applying metaphor in Chinese senior high schools.Chapter Five sets an example of applying the modle in English vocabulary teaching by analysising an English text.The last part is Conclusion.