ICONICITY AND/OR METAPHOR IN THE YOGA JARGON?

Abstract

In this paper, we carry out a study of metaphors in a corpus of 80 yoga
terms and verbal expressions accompanying the execution of yoga postures. The
motivation for the choice of this topic is tounderstand how metaphor and iconicity
can help communication in the context of yoga practice. The general framework
adopted for this purpose is cognitive linguistics because metaphor is a key
instrument in the presentation and understanding of yoga poses. We have identified
and classified metaphors in the corpus according to the visual resemblance of asana
names that evoke the mechanism of the Great Chain of Being, “a scale of forms of
being – human, animal, plant, inanimate objects” (Lakoff and Turner 1989: 167). We
have also considered fragments from yoga lessons where metaphorical verbal
structures point to the teacher’s linguistic creativity. Besides, the frequent use of
prepositions and the use of the definite article instead of the possessive adjective
before body part names round up the jargon characteristics in the context of asana
practice.