Nov. 9, 2023: Dr. Bairam Khan to Present
Dr. Bairam Khan, Visiting Assistant Professor of Hindi-Urdu in the Middle East and South Asia Studies Program at Wake Forest University, will give talk sponsored by the Linguistics Program on Thursday, November 9, at 3:30 p.m. in 313 Greene Hall.
Talk: “Color Metaphors: Mapping the Cultural Geography and Thoughts through a Conceptual Metaphor (CMT) Approach“
Abstract: Metaphor serves as a powerful tool for expressing thoughts through language, and color metaphors are an intriguing category that has been extensively studied in linguistic and cognitive frameworks. This research aims to explore the role of color metaphors in mapping the cultural geography and thought patterns of diverse speech communities. Using the conceptual metaphor theory proposed by Lakoff, this study investigates how different cultural backgrounds influence the use and interpretation of color metaphors. By analyzing linguistic data collected from various cultural contexts, it sheds light on the influence of color metaphors in shaping cultural identities and cognitive processes. This research examines how color metaphors are employed and understood in different cultural contexts, and how they contribute to the formation of cultural identities and thought patterns. The findings of this study enhance our understanding of the intricate relationship between language, culture, and cognition, providing insights into how color metaphors reflect cultural nuances.
Bio: Bairam Khan is a Linguistics PhD who is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor of Middle East and South Asia Studies at Wake Forest University, where he teaches Hindi-Urdu. Prior to this position, he worked as a Graduate Student Instructor in the Department of Linguistics at the University of Michigan and as a lecturer in the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, from 2018. He also taught at Aligarh Muslim University’s Department of Linguistics from 2016 to 2018. His research interests are South Asian Linguistics and Applied Linguistics. He has presented papers on language and linguistics at academic conferences and symposia in Europe, the US, and South Asia. He has also published articles on language and linguistics. Bairam is a South Asianist who is passionate about multilingualism and multiculturalism.
