The Cognitive Analysis of Container and Inside Matter in the Conceptualization of the Abstract Concepts of the Repentance Chapter: A Study Based on Lakoff and Johnson’s Ontological Conceptual Metaphors

The contemporary achievements of linguistics indicate that in addition to conveying reflective themes, language represents cognitive themes and induces mental themes. Accordingly, cognitive semanticists have conducted studies in this regard and have given in some theories. One of these theories is George Lakoff and Mark Johnson’s conceptual metaphor theory. Our study set out to examine the conceptualizations of the abstract concepts existing in the Repentance Chapter based on the container metaphor – as one of the source domains of ontological metaphors – via a descriptive-analytical approach. Our analysis of the obtained cases demonstrated that each of the abstract concepts is formed based on the conditions of the verse – i.e., the theme and objective of the verse is formed based on the container or the inside matter – and the conceptualizations are not accidental at all. For instance, with regard to the abstract concept of fitna, we see that the conceptualization is based on both the container and the inside matter (object/material), which is a small example of the infinite knowledge and wisdom of the sublime God. Likewise, the conceptualizations in other verses are totally related to the requirements and station of the theme and purpose of the verse. The frequencies obtained from the Repentance chapter reveal that the conceptualizations based on the container are more than the conceptualizations based on the inside matter. The reason for this is the emphasis on the precise selection of the source domain and its relationship with the verse theme and purpose.