Analyzing the Senses of "علی" (on) in Kashshaf on the Basis of Conceptual Metaphors

Analyzing meanings on the basis of conceptual metaphors is a rather new approach in cognitive semantics. The authors of the present essay claim that Zamakhshari's explanations about the senses of prepositions show methodological and conceptual resemblance to the conceptual metaphor theory. In this research we aim to find out: 1. Dozamakhshari's explanations about the senses of علی follow a unified framework? 2. Does this framework show resemblance to conceptual metaphor theory? 3. Does analyzing the senses of prepositions employing the conceptual metaphor theory have contributions for the semantics of prepositions? To answer these questions the interpretations of twelve verses in which the preposition علیis used were analyzed on the basis of Kashshaf. Consequently we found out that Zamakhshari's explanations about the senses ofعلی in those verses showed theoretical uniformity and methodological and conceptual resemblance to the conceptual metaphor theory.