<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>This paper seeks to examine nine slang words created newly in Cantonese, which started their life journey from the inventions of individuals and now constituting the established lexical means of expressing cultural conceptualizations. These slang expressions are analyzed with reference to the theory of conceptual integration (also known as “blending”) developed in Fauconnier and Turner 2002. In the analysis, four different types of conceptual integration network (i.e., simplex networks, single-scope networks, double-scope, and multiple-scope networks) are used to unravel the increasingly complex systems of cognitive operations with which the “slang” blends are created. During the discussion of the conceptual integration networks here, we were able to see how elements and relations from familiar conceptualizations can be transformed into new and meaningful ones that align along with the changes in cultural conceptualizations. It is hoped that this study shows that, despite having wide applications in the English language, the blending theory can provide an integrated and coherent account of the cognitive mechanisms by which colloquial words are constructed and construed in terms of cultural experiences specific to a given non-Anglo locality.</p>
</abstract>

This paper seeks to examine nine slang words created newly in Cantonese, which started their life journey from the inventions of individuals and now constituting the established lexical means of expressing cultural conceptualizations. These slang expressions are analyzed with reference to the theory of conceptual integration (also known as “blending”) developed in Fauconnier and Turner 2002. In the analysis, four different types of conceptual integration network (i.e., simplex networks, single-scope networks, double-scope, and multiple-scope networks) are used to unravel the increasingly complex systems of cognitive operations with which the “slang” blends are created. During the discussion of the conceptual integration networks here, we were able to see how elements and relations from familiar conceptualizations can be transformed into new and meaningful ones that align along with the changes in cultural conceptualizations. It is hoped that this study shows that, despite having wide applications in the English language, the blending theory can provide an integrated and coherent account of the cognitive mechanisms by which colloquial words are constructed and construed in terms of cultural experiences specific to a given non-Anglo locality.

Conceptual Blending and Slang Expressions in Hong Kong Cantonese

Studies in Chinese Linguistics

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

{"article-title":"Conceptual Blending and Slang Expressions in Hong Kong Cantonese"}

This paper seeks to examine nine slang words created newly in Cantonese, which started their life journey from the inventions of individuals and now...

Conceptual Blending and Slang Expressions in Hong Kong Cantonese

Published Online: Jun 30, 2021

Page range: 97 - 119

Received: Sep 21, 2020

Accepted: Jan 27, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/scl-2021-0003

Keywords
conceptual integration, conceptual blending, slang, Cantonese, Hong Kong culture

© 2021 May L-Y Wong, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Conceptual Blending and Slang Expressions in Hong Kong Cantonese

Published Online: Jun 30, 2021

Page range: 97 - 119

Received: Sep 21, 2020

Accepted: Jan 27, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/scl-2021-0003

Keywordsconceptual integration, conceptual blending, slang, Cantonese, Hong Kong culture

© 2021 May L-Y Wong, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
conceptual integration, conceptual blending, slang, Cantonese, Hong Kong culture