Conceptual Metaphors for Life in Pashto

Abstract

This paper, using Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) as theoretical framework attempts to identify, analyze and interpret Metaphors for life in Pashto language. It argues that since life is a very rich conceptual domain, therefore it has more than one conceptual mapping. It identifies eight conceptual metaphors for Life in Pashto speech community, and demonstrates through mapping and entailment that how the target domain life is understood through several source domains in the Pashto language and culture. The identified metaphors for life are: Life is a Food, Life is a Journey, Life is a Person, Life is a Container, Life is Music, Life is a Burdon, Life is a Gamble and Life is a Trial.