Narrowing and Broadening

In fact, the two mechanisms in imagistic similes are not incompatible with each other. To be precise, it is possible to apply both the prototype effect and the image schema in a single imagistic simile. As mentioned in the previous chapter, both mechanisms are primitive cognitive byproducts of the ICM, which aims to reflect our mental concepts. While the prototype effect involves the gradience of classification, the image schema focuses on mappings with experiential schematic structures. Therefore, it is unnecessary for them to form an exclusive relationship. In this section, we analyze the imagistic similes requiring both narrowing and broadening, and discuss the reasons why it is necessary to place both mechanisms of these imagistic similes under investigation.

As evident in examples (6.12) and (6.13), since the metallic feeling of coffee is an indescribable sensation, the speaker is forced to find its prototype closest to the ideal concept.

An “iron spoon” or “aluminum foil” also evokes the rust taste similar to the speaker’s ideal concept. However, because an iron spoon and aluminum foil are rarely tasted or even eaten by people, the speaker needs to recall a daily situation wherein the audience may happen to taste these objects. Therefore, the accidental action of “touching” or “biting” these objects is

used to help express the gustatory imagery.

(6.12)

[鐵鏽味]就是像那種，你就覺得，可能是牙齒碰到湯匙，那種鐵腥的感 覺。

[The metallic taste] is just like the kind of sensation you would feel, like, if your teeth touched an iron spoon, that kind of metallic feeling.

(6.13)

Espresso 的部分，組員覺得喝起來很像咬那個鋁箔紙的味道…

In tasting the espresso, our members have felt that it tastes like how it would biting into aluminum foil…

In the speaker’s recollection, the PROCESS schema employed for mapping the perceptual action (coffee tasting) onto another physical action (biting) constructs a vivid scenario, allowing the audience to immerse into the situation for bodily experiences. At this point, the image schema applied here is to achieve a more precise mapping of a prototypical object in order to capture the ideal sense of flavor. Moreover, it is because of this construed situation based on the PROCESS schema that association between cupping and other actions is allowed.

Similarly, we assume that crossmodal interactions happen at the same time as well. We discuss the crossmodality of imagistic similes in section 6.2.

On the topic of bitterness, our data show that medicine is a common object indicated as the prototype of bitterness. Yet, simply describing the bitter flavor as reminiscent of pills and medicinal powder seems to lack specification of the quality of bitterness. In the following two examples, the speaker uses the CONTAINMENT, SURFACE,and ORIENTATION schemas to indicate the precise position of the bitter feeling (i.e., CONTENT) in the BACKSIDE or UPSIDE

of the mouth (i.e., CONTAINER).Notably, in example (6.14), the SURFACE of the bitter feeling

is the soft palate rather than the tongue. It reflects a common controversial issue involving the tongue map illustrating different positions where subtype senses of the gustatory feeling are located. The tongue map proposed by Edwin G. Boring was later discovered to be mistakenly translated from its original German version by Hänig (1901). In fact, there are no specific positions for the five distinctive subtypes (i.e., acidity, sweetness, bitterness, saltiness, and umami) to be detected on the tongue. In addition, besides being on the upper surface of the tongue, the taste buds are also located on the soft palate, upper esophagus, cheek, and epiglottis. Through these image schemas, the speaker specifies the spatial relations of the flavor.

(6.14)

然後尾段的部分有焦糖，還有像是藥粉卡在上顎的苦味這樣。

And then at the end of the taste, there is a caramel flavor, and a bitterness much like the bitter taste of medicine stuck on the palate.

(6.15)

Espresso 的苦味會很明顯，像是那種吃藥丸，沒有吞成功會留在舌跟後 面的味道。

The bitterness of the espresso is very obvious: it is like the taste of taking a pill, and having it stay on the root of the tongue after failing to swallow it successfully.

Meanwhile, the INANIMATE MOTION schema can help the speaker explain how the bitter feeling lasts. In example (6.15), the persistence of bitterness is elaborated as another inanimate motion, that is, of “being stuck,” which may evoke painful and annoying feelings.

The speaker tries to create a scenario that matches the identical feeling evoked from tasting the coffee, in terms of both spatial and durative aspects of the flavor.

The perception of acidity is often accompanied by aggressive feelings or high-intensity events. For example, the acidity can feel as forceful as if the gums are being punched and enduring a violent attack (see example (6.16)). Moreover, aggressive acidity felt in the mouth can feel like “a vigorous right-wing radical” (激進的極右派分子) as though the tongue is fighting with the acidity.

(6.16)

最後餘韻的部分覺得特別的酸，很像是打在牙齦上的鳳梨酸。

The aftertaste is especially sour, very much like the acidity of pineapple punching the gums.

(6.17)

Espresso 很像是葡萄酒的酸味，整個酸味是很激烈但是是有個性的，猶

如舌頭打架的感覺，整個espresso 喝起來很像是一個激進的極右派分子。

The espresso has a flavor similar to the acidity of grape wine. That acidity is very aggressive, but it has its unique personality, as if the tongues are fighting. The espresso tastes like a right-wing radical.

To describe the coffee’s quality of acidity, the speaker uses fruity objects such as pineapple and grape (wine) that are prototypical to the ideal concept of “acidity,” and right-wing radical as a closer entity meaning “aggressiveness.” Despite this, the ANIMATE MOTION schema matches the two ideal concepts together, forming “aggressively sour.” For example, the

“punching the gums” action activates the agency of acidity, and the “tongues fighting” action highlights the fierce response from the sour feeling.