A comparative analysis of POSITIVE IS FRONT and NEGATIVE IS BACK metaphors in Korean Sign Language with Korean and English

This paper examines how Korean Sign Language (KSL) employs space and movement to express metaphors. By analyzing metaphors such as POSITIVE IS FRONT and NEGATIVE IS BACK in both Korean and English, the study identifies a shared feature: horizontal metaphors are prevalent across spoken and sign languages. However, while spoken languages express these metaphors through lexical words within sentences, KSL integrates them into the sublexical elements of individual signs, such as location and movement. These components undergo iconic and metaphorical mapping, reflecting KSL’s ability to embed metaphor at the lexical level. Drawing on Taub’s (2001) concept of double mapping, this paper demonstrates how KSL’s visual-spatial modality allows signers to process metaphors more explicitly and dynamically, offering new insights into the conceptualization of abstract ideas across both sign and spoken languages.