A Cognitive Analysis of Meaning Construction in Movie Discourse Based on Conceptual Blending Theory: A Case Study of the Salesman

This article is aimed at a cognitive analysis of meaning construction in the movie discourse based on Fauconnier and Turner’s (2002) conceptual blending theory. The present research used a qualitative content analysis methodology with a descriptive-elaborative approach to survey the mapping procedures and the constitutive elements of the conceptual framework of the movie Salesman, an Iranian film directed by Asghar Farhadi. The conceptual blending theory illustrates a system of background cognition including the categorizations, mapping, structural projections and dynamic mind stimulants. Accordingly, the presence of multiple inner layers and various vital relations such as identity, cause and effects, changes, time and representations made Salesman a blended mirror structure where a blended concept of loss is projected. The findings of this study emphasize the necessity of the focus on mind in discourse studies showing that the extension of the conceptual blending theory to analyze the discourse of movies can enrich the meaning construction affairs in the film and cinema industry. key words: conceptual blending theory, vital relation, discourse, movie, seller