Cognitive model of children’s metaphor Tamara I. Dotsenko Perm State Pedagogical University , Perm, Siberskaya,24, Olga V. Shabalina Perm Krai In-Servise Theacher Traiming Institute , Perm, Lebedeva,2 1

Introduction In modern linguistics the metaphor is understood as: Trop (poetics,stylistics, rhetoric) Language phenomenon — a source of new words meanings Сognitive phenomenon 2

The research of children’s metaphor is usually connected with: the problem of its recognition/non- recognition the recognition of it as language phenomenon 3

The origin of metaphorical children expressions is caused by difficulties in speech communications: misunderstanding the adults search of a nomination for a new object Exit out of difficulty catching similarity between objects 4

Hypothesis of research: аs a result of catching similarity between objects in the mind of the child the primary cognitive model of metaphor, or сognitive model of a children’s metaphor is formed 5

The aim of researching: to reveal structure cognitive models of children's metaphor 6 Materials of researching: 105 object-verbal and 106 word-verbal metaphorical pairs

The description of experiment: Examinees: two groups (32 persons each) of 5-6 year-old children The stimuli: оbjects: мяч (a ball), варежка (mitten), мыльница (a soap tray), карандаш (a pencil) a correlate-word for these оbjects The experimental task: answer the question: “To what is it similar?”. 7

Method of modeling: the semantic analysis the comparative analysis of object- verbal and word-verbal metaphorical pairs the quantitative analysis (calculation of relative frequency and the correlation analysis) 8

Fields-sources (thematic zones) of children's metaphor Metaphor - is the transfer of knowledge from the field of our experience (field- source) to another less familiar field - the target (Lakoff) In experiment field - target – is the material of a stimulus field-source – are the answers of the examinees 9

Frequency of semantic zones of the field- source of a metaphor №Zone of themeChildren objectword 1 Geometrical figures 0,370,27 2 Household objects 0,200,23 3 Toys 0,120,07 4 Instruments of writing and drawing 0,070,04 5 Parts of the man’s body 0,070,04 6 Fruits 0,050,09 7 Plants and their parts 0,050,06 8 Heavenly bodies 0,040,06 9 Living beings and parts of their bodies 0,010,05 10 Graphic signs 0,010,03 11 Clothes 0,01 12 Foodstuff 0,000,03 13 Fantastic characters s 0,000,02

From the table follows: 1)all the thematic zones of the object field-source are included into the field-source of a word 2)the most often activated are the two thematic zones «geometrical figures» «household objects» 11

Semantic attributes in the structure of a children's metaphor Integrated semantic attributes (ISA) - are common for stimuli and answer- reactions ISA are found for each separate pair are compared in correlating object-verbal and word-verbal pairs 12

Integrated semantic attributes in object-verbal and word-verbal pairs

The figure shows: 1) 92% correlating pairs are organized by the ISA in which sensually perceived attributes of objects are represented 2)the Spirmen factor has shown a high correlation of ISA in both the pairs: мяч (a ball) rs=0,875, варежка (mitten) rs=0,765, мыльница (a soap tray) rs=0,850, карандаш (a pencil) rs=0,950. The children's metaphor represents the uniform mechanism of catching of the similarity between the objects, poorly differentiated in relation to a object and a word

Ways of the organization of integrated semantic attributes in structure of a children's metaphor Integrated semantic attributes are organized 1) by the semantic complex (SC): not dismembered dismembered 2)by one member semantic attribute 15

The ways of the integrated semantic attributes in a children's metaphor organization stimulus object-verbal pairword-verbal pair average 0,830,050,120,860,020,12 Not dismembered SC Dismembered SC One member Not dismembered SC Dismembered SC One member Average shows: the basic way of the semantic attributes in a children's metaphor organization is not a dismembered semantic complex 16

Types of integrated semantic attributes in the structure of a children's metaphor

The figure shows : 1)On the basis of frequency semantic types the following characteristics are received: «form» — is the main structuring attribute (0,55 ); «function», «structure», «material» - are strong central attributes (0,13) «contiguity in space», «color», «size» — are weak peripheral attributes (0,03-0,01) 2) The Spirmen factor, close to 1 (rs=0,98), specifies the full correlation of semantic types for object-verbal and word-verbal metaphorical pair 18

1)The children's metaphor is the mechanism of catching similarity between the objects, poorly differentiated in relation to a subject and a word. Conclusions:

1)The children's metaphor is the mechanism of catching similarity between the objects, poorly differentiated in relation to a subject and a word. 2)The field-source of a children's metaphor includes a set of thematic zones. The basic thematic zones of the field-source are «household objects» and «geometrical figures». Conclusions:

1)The children's metaphor is the mechanism of catching similarity between the objects, poorly differentiated in relation to a subject and a word. 2)The field-source of a children's metaphor includes a set of thematic zones. The basic thematic zones of the field-source are «household objects» and «geometrical figures». 3)Similarity between the objects or their images is usually caught by not dismembered complexes of semantic attributes, in which sensually perceived attributes of objects are represented Conclusions:

1)The children's metaphor is the mechanism of catching similarity between the objects, poorly differentiated in relation to a subject and a word. 2)The field-source of a children's metaphor includes a set of thematic zones. The basic thematic zones of the field-source are «household objects » and «geometrical figures ». 3)Similarity between the objects or their images is usually caught by not dismembered complexes of semantic attributes, in which sensually perceived attributes of objects are represented 4)Not dismembered semantic complexes include the following attributes: "form", "structure", "function", "material", « a contiguity in space », "color", "size". Conclusions:

1)The children's metaphor is the mechanism of catching similarity between the objects, poorly differentiated in relation to a subject and a word. 2)The field-source of a children's metaphor includes a set of thematic zones. The basic thematic zones of the field-source are «household objects » and «geometrical figures ». 3)Similarity between the objects or their images is usually caught by not dismembered complexes of semantic attributes, in which sensually perceived attributes of objects are represented 4)Not dismembered semantic complexes include the following attributes: "form", "structure", "function", "material", « a contiguity in space », "color", "size". 5)Not dismembered semantic complex represents a probability organized structure. Its main attribute is "form". The attributes "structure", "function" and "material" characterize its center, and « a contiguity in space », "color" and "size" - periphery. Conclusions:

1)The children's metaphor is the mechanism of catching similarity between the objects, poorly differentiated in relation to a subject and a word. 2)The field-source of a children's metaphor includes a set of thematic zones. The basic thematic zones of the field-source are «household objects » and «geometrical figures ». 3)Similarity between the objects or their images is usually caught by not dismembered complexes of semantic attributes, in which sensually perceived attributes of objects are represented 4)Not dismembered semantic complexes include the following attributes: "form", "structure", "function", "material", « a contiguity in space », "color", "size". 5)Not dismembered semantic complex represents a probability organized structure. Its main attribute is "form". The attributes "structure", "function" and "material" characterize its center, and « a contiguity in space », "color" and "size" - periphery. 6)The success of the child in his speech activity, the processes of speech perception and production, are determined by the degree his cognitive metaphor model formation. Conclusions:

Thanks for attention! 20

Cognitive model of children’s metaphor Tamara I. Dotsenko Perm State Pedagogical University , Perm, Siberskaya,24, Olga V. Shabalina Perm Krai In-Servise Theacher Traiming Institute , Perm, Lebedeva,2 2121