Metaphorical Conceptualisation of Market as a Journey: A Contrastive View

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine how the concept of market can be metaphorically expressed through the concept of journey and identify the similarities and differences in the use of the conceptual metaphor MARKET IS A JOURNEY in English and Vietnamese economic news. The research combines quantitative and qualitative research methods, employing classification statistics, descriptive analysis, comparative–contrastive approaches, and the Metaphor Identification Procedure by the Pragglejaz Group for identifying metaphors. The research results reveal that six prominent attributes of the source domain of JOURNEY are used to construct the target domain of MARKET. The journey metaphor serves a crucial communicative function by simplifying complex economic concepts and encouraging participants to approach market activities with patience, resilience, and strategic planning. The research has practical implications for language teaching and learning, translation, journalism, and policy-making by providing a framework to understand and effectively communicate market-related concepts.