Metaphorical Mapping of Spatial Prepositions IN, ON, AT Based on Image Schema Theory

Abstract

Based on the theory of image schema, this paper constructs a metaphorical mapping mechanism of the spatial prepositions ‘IN, ON, and AT’ from spatial to non-spatial categories. It is found that they have differences in their basic spatial concepts that IN represents a three-dimensional concept of ‘body’, ON refers to a two-dimensional concept of ‘plane’, and AT shows a zero-dimensional concept of ‘point’. In addition, after metaphorical mapping, the spatial differences are equally applied to the non-spatial concepts of IN, ON, and AT.