Exploring Conceptual Metaphors of Emotion, Time, and Identity in Pim Wangtechawat’s The Moon Represents My Heart

Authors

  • Pakthima Supanchaikul

    English Department, Bangkok University, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i10.11223
Received: 23 July 2025 | Revised: 13 August 2025 | Accepted: 18 August 2025 | Published Online: 15 October 2025

Abstract

This study examines the role of conceptual metaphors related to emotion, time, and identity in meaning-making within Pim Wangtechawat's The Moon Represents My Heart by analyzing their application throughout three diasporic generations. Despite the proliferation of conceptual metaphor research within cognitive linguistics, there are no studies employing integrated multi-lens frameworks on contemporary Thai-authored English narratives, with even fewer investigating intergenerational transitions. To rectify this deficiency, we performed a two-stage thematic analysis of the novel's text, utilizing Lakoff's structural mappings, Kövecses's culturally grounded emotion model, and Semino's narrative-function approach. Three independent coders attained high Item-Objective Congruence, and the incorporation of theory triangulation with subject-matter specialists enhanced the credibility and reliability of our coding. This research indicates that first-generation voices utilize containment and inheritance metaphors to strengthen communal identity; second-generation characters transform these mappings into hybrid constructs that reflect filial tension; and third-generation protagonists employ dynamic, journey-oriented metaphors that balance heritage with self-expression. This study is limited by its examination of a single English-language text, lacking direct comparison to the Thai original or other Thai-authored works. Subsequent study ought to include bilingual corpora and cross-linguistic analyses, while also broadening the dataset to encompass various texts and genres, to enhance our comprehension of the functioning of metaphorical framing across languages, contexts, and developing diasporic identities.

Keywords:

Conceptual Metaphor; Diasporic Literature; Cultural Identity; Emotion; Time; Generational Difference; Thai Diasporic Narrative; Cognitive Linguistics

References

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How to Cite

Supanchaikul, P. (2025). Exploring Conceptual Metaphors of Emotion, Time, and Identity in Pim Wangtechawat’s The Moon Represents My Heart. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 7(10), 1268–1287. https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i10.11223

Issue

Vol. 7 , Iss. 10 (October 2025)

Article Type

Article

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Copyright © 2025 Pakthima Supanchaikul

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This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.