Gestalt Transformation Between Bodily Motions and Emotions: A Case Study in Chinese Bodily Motion-Emotion Expressions
Forum for Linguistics and Translation Studies June 15, 2026 DOI: 10.65348/j.issn.2836-645x.2026.01.004 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Linguistics |
| Key points | Argues that bodily motion-emotion expressions arise from a gestalt transformation involving metonymy and metaphor, guided by principles of reification, multistability, invariance, and emergence, and constrained by intentionality and context. |
Abstract
This research elucidates the cognitive mechanisms of bodily motion-emotion expressions and strengthens the theoretical foundation for embodied meaning construction in language. A detailed analysis of the essence of consciousness activity in constructing bodily motion-emotion expressions through gestalt transformation implies a development from primary consciousness to reflective consciousness, restricted by intentionality and context. Furthermore, it argues that the mapping from bodily motion to emotion constitutes a gestalt transformation that operates through two distinct mechanisms: metonymy based on substantial existence, and metaphor based on state of existence. The entire cognitive process follows four gestalt principles: reification, multistability, invariance, and emergence. In addition, we construct bodily motion–emotion expressions via causal implications constrained by intentionality and situational context.