Contrast Cognitive Research on Locality Words "Shang" and "ON"

The locality words Shang(上)and ON share a lot of similar uses.But the differences between them are obvious.When they denote spatial concept,they both indicate either on a one-dimensional line or on a two-dimensional surface.In an ON phrase,two objects usually touch and attach to each other.However,in a shang phrase,the two objects described here are not necessarily attached to each other.When they are used to imply time,they both refer to either a period of time or a point of time.In other metaphorical use,shang may be used to refer to social status or a kind of a state,which is a characteristics that is not possessed by ON.Besides time metaphor,the meaning of ON usually extends from its literal meaning of upon to implied meaning of in some respect.