The dynamic interplay of metaphor and iconicity in Korean Sign Language

Abstract This study explores a typological gap in sign language research by investigating how metaphor and iconicity interact in Korean Sign Language (KSL) using Taub’s (2012. Iconicity and metaphor. In Roland Pfau, Markus Steinbach & Bencie Woll (eds.), Sign language: An international handbook, 388–412. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter) double mapping model. Focusing on the verb [UNDERSTAND], the research illustrates how KSL integrates iconic and metaphoric elements simultaneously. The articulatory form iconically depicts tool-mediated penetration (source) while metaphorically framing understanding as mutual agreement (target) through the communication is sending schema. A comparison with ASL’s [THINK-PENETRATE] reveals that while the underlying conceptual metaphors are shared, their linguistic realizations are distinct. KSL’s bidirectional movement suggests a conceptualization framed by reciprocity and mutual confirmation, whereas ASL’s unidirectional thrust emphasizes individual cognitive breakthrough. The results suggest that double mapping operates as a crosslinguistic cognitive strategy for encoding abstract concepts, yet its realization may be culturally modulated. This paper advocates for frameworks that incorporate embodied cognition, modality affordances, and cultural context in sign language research, laying the groundwork for more extensive corpus-based and elicitation studies.