Figurative expressions relating to human body parts in Najdi Arabic proverbs: a cognitive-linguistic approach

This thesis investigates the various modes of figurative language in 43 Najdi
proverbs derived from al-Juhaymān’s seminal work العرب جزيرة قلب في الشعبية األمثال
al-Amṯālu aš-Šaʕbiyyatu fī Qalbi Jazīrati al-ʕarab ‘Popular Proverbs from the
Heart of the Arab Peninsula’. In essence, this research work aims to answer
the following research questions: 1. What is the proportion of human bodypart proverbs among the different figures of speech used in Najdi Arabic?; 2.
What is the most frequent figure of speech with regard to the physical body
parts and limbs?; 3. What are the respective frequencies of different figurative
meanings for each human body-part proverb?; and 4. What is the most
frequent figurative meaning of each body part? Chapter 1 provides an
introduction that incorporates the following core issues: sources of data;
theoretical objectives for choosing to investigate proverbs involving the head,
face, nose, tongue, hand, and leg; a list of proverbs chosen for this study; an
elucidation of the prevailing research gap; the analytical goals of the study;
the key research questions being assessed; an explication of the reasons for
choosing bayān (tropes) and conceptual metaphors for the study; general
definitions of proverbs; a brief background of the Arabic language; a concise
presentation of the history and cultural features of the Najdi region; and lastly,
there will be an examination of the role of proverbs in Najdi culture. Chapter 2
addresses the conceptual contours of culture, societal values, as well as a
brief introduction to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Chapter 3 presents the theoretical demarcations of proverbs, namely by
covering their historical origins and aspects; formal and structural-semantic
features; the main differences between proverbs and other similar tropes; the
categories and characteristics of proverbs; communicative and social
functions of such maxims; the understanding of culture through proverbs, and
finally the classification of proverbs in relation to figuration.
Chapter 4 explores the place of figurative language in Arabic rhetoric
compared to its status in Western approaches, especially from the perspective
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of cognitive linguistics; it also examines bayān motifs and the dynamics of
Conceptual Metaphor Theory; lastly, some examples of the figurative
meanings of the six body parts – which are the theoretical focus of this section
– are evaluated.
Chapter 5 explains the methodology of this study with reference to its
philosophy, strategy, and design. Chapter 6 is the core of the thesis, analysing
the body-part itself as well as the overall meaning of each of the selected
proverbs. This is conducted using bayān tropes and Conceptual Metaphor
Theory. Chapter 7 presents a discussion of the analyses conducted in Chapter
6, as well as providing a conclusion to the results emerging from this study.
Chapter 7 intensively explores the results of analysing the data in Chapter 6
through the theme of bayān and the conceptual prism of Conceptual Metaphor
Theory. Finally, chapter 8 provides answers to the research questions.