The Conceptual Metaphor of Sorrow Is Tears in a Number of English and Vietnamese Song Lyrics in the 20th Century

Abstract

Several works in cognitive linguistics have focused on the conceptual metaphor sorrow in relation to other domains. Little attention has been paid to the link between sorrow and tears that appears in Vietnamese song lyrics. This article explores the conceptual metaphor sorrow is tears featured in 300 English and Vietnamese song lyrics in the 20th century written/composed by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Phạm Duy, Vĕn Cao, Trịnh Công Sơn, and Thanh Tùng. It appears that sorrow is tears is common in both languages, reflecting the cultures, histories, and mindsets of those using the two languages as mother tongues/first languages. The conceptual metaphor sorrow is tears appears more in Vietnamese songs than in English ones, indicating a preference for the imagery of tears in Vietnamese culture. The connection between emotion and nature is expressed differently; Vietnamese culture emphasizes the close link between humans and nature, while Western culture focuses on empathy and personal reflection.