Embodied Cognition and Metaphorical Expressions of English Perceptual Vocabulary

Understanding abstract concepts is not a purely logical process but is deeply rooted in humans' bodily interactions with the external world. Based on the theory of embodied cognition, this paper conducts a systematic analysis of the metaphorical and metonymic mechanisms underlying perceptual vocabulary in English. Firstly, it demonstrates the view that linguistic meaning originates from bodily experiences, clarifies the core mediating role of perceptual vocabulary in the construction of abstract meaning, and expounds on the cognitive projection principle of conceptual metaphors as applied to perceptual terms. Secondly, it critiques the limitations of traditional research on English perceptual vocabulary, including the separation of language from embodied experience, the lack of a systematic framework for exploring metaphorical mechanisms, and the disconnection between theoretical research and practical applications (e.g., language teaching). Finally, the paper proposes an embodied research paradigm for studying perceptual vocabulary, and employs corpus-based research methods to empirically reveal the mapping patterns between perceptual domains and abstract domains. On this basis, it further develops targeted embodied vocabulary teaching strategies. In conclusion, deconstructing the metaphorical generation and interpretation process of English perceptual vocabulary not only deepens the cognitive explanation of linguistic phenomena related to perceptual terms but also provides a new theoretical basis and practical guidance for English vocabulary teaching.