Metaphors Used among Thai Adults for Addressing themselves and their Beloved Ones

Abstract

This article aimed at studying metaphors used among Thai adults for addressing themselves and their beloved ones. The data had been collected from 100 respondents of online questionnaires posted on YelloTalk Thai application and mainly studied on the framework of Conceptual Metaphor. The study revealed that 17 different metaphorical expressions, used for addressing the addressors, were found. They presented, in order of decreasing frequency, 2 conceptual metaphors: ADDRESSOR IS ANIMAL, ADDRESSOR IS SOME TYPE OF HUMAN. Whereas 30 different metaphorical expressions, used for addressing the addressees, were found. They presented, in order of decreasing frequency, 5 conceptual metaphors: ADDRESSEE IS SOME TYPE OF HUMAN, ADDRESSEE IS ANIMAL, ADDRESSEE IS IMAGINARY CHARACTER, ADDRESSEE IS SEXUAL ORGAN and ADDRESSEE IS OBJECT. Interestingly, the metaphorical expressions, used for addressing the addressors and the addressees, shared a significant aspect. That was Thai adults were likely to compare themselves and their beloved ones with animals and some types of humans, which were different from themselves, particularly in terms of habits and appearance. It is because they perceived these qualities from each other so well enough that they could form those conceptual metaphors mentioned above in their minds.