Metaphorical elaborating and network models in a collection of contemporary Persian poetry

This research aimed to investigate the possible advantage of conceptual blending theory to illustrate hidden aspects of poetic creativity, which is called elaborating device in conceptual metaphor theory.

We collected 54 poems with equal ratios on the basis of a simple random sampling of Simin Behbahani, Fereydon Moshiri, and Forough Farokhzad’s poetic notebooks. The descriptive- analytic method was used to estimate properties of conceptual blending analysis and extract network models to discuss the metaphorical elaborating and its features that conceptual metaphor theory cannot adequately explain about them.

Two micro-models are extracted. In the first model, mental space or a blended space, resulting from a network in a background, reflects some concepts into both input spaces of the other network in the foreground, simultaneously, based on stimulation of similar aspects. In the second model, there are two networks. Some aspects of the first input of the second network have been conceptualized in the first network previously, and the access principle provides a connection between them. By mapping and integrating second network inputs, these aspects connect to more extra information. Integration of the micro-models and the creation of a macro-model is possible.

Conceptual blending theory is based on the description of mental spaces integration and process of reflection or connection between networks in which the fundamental structure of generic space is often organized according to a conventional conceptual metaphor, but they can represent some dynamic features, provides sharp illustration about the motivation and manner of metaphorical elaborating.