Twenty-second International Conference on New Directions in the Humanities

Abstract

In recent years, scholars have increasingly focused on investigating temporal and spatial issues in Old English texts. However, existing research reveals challenges in reconstructing the Anglo-Saxon concept of time. This study aims to address these challenges by reinterpreting Old English texts within a targeted framework. Unlike previous approaches that heavily rely on cognitive linguistics, this study adopts a more nuanced perspective that considers the historicity of the Anglo-Saxon worldview. By analyzing and sublating cognitive linguistic approaches to Anglo-Saxon language studies, this study seeks to develop a more comprehensive understanding of temporal concepts in Anglo-Saxon literature. Through a thorough examination of cognitive semantic theories (Conceptual Metaphor Theories, Image Schema Theories, and Theory of Prototypes Category) and their applications to Old English texts, this study aims to shed light on the limitations of existing methodologies and to propose alternative approaches to studying time in Anglo-Saxon England. Additionally, this research critiques the ahistorical corporality of cognitive linguistics through the method of knowledge archaeology, aiming to uncover and address the inherent limitations of cognitive linguistic approaches. Ultimately, this research seeks to contribute to a deeper and more nuanced understanding of temporal-spatial concepts in Anglo-Saxon literature by emphasizing our phenomenological approach.