Meeting : 3
Semantics IG 0352
Metaphor
Learning Outcome
• Students are able to analyze metaphors
based on the kinds and the domain
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OUTLINE
• Metaphorical linguistic expressions
• Conceptual metaphors
• Kinds of metaphors
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Metaphorical linguistic expressions
• The linguistic expression containing
metaphors.
• e.g.
• I demolished his argument (lakoff and
Johnson)
• Sam is a pig.
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Conceptual metaphor
• Conceptual = thinking
• Metaphor is a kind of thinking or conceptualization
• Conceptual metaphor is usually written in CAPITAL
LETTERS
• ARGUMENT IS WAR
–
–
–
–
–
–
Your claims are indefensible.
He attacked every weak point in my argument.
You disagree? Okay, shoot!
If you use that strategy, he’ll wipe you out
He shot down all my arguments
(Lakoff and Johnson:2003)
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Conceptual metaphors
Conceptual metaphors equate two concept areas:
Source domain : the concept area from which the
metaphor is drawn. The familiar area of knowledge 
WAR
Target domain : the concept area to which the metaphor is
applied. The less familiar area of knowledge 
ARGUMENT
• The source domain is used to understand the target
domain
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CONCEPTUAL METAPHORS
• TIME IS MONEY  can be expressed in
the following metaphorical linguistic
expressions
• 1. ______________
• 2. ______________
• 3. ______________
• 4. ______________
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Kinds of conceptual metaphors
• Structural
• Orientational
• Ontological
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STRUCTURAL METAPHORS
• ‘cases where one concept is
metaphorically structured in terms of
another’ (Lakoff and Johnson:2003:14)
• Source domains supply frameworks for
target domains. E.g. ARGUMENT IS WAR
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ORIENTATIONAL METAPHORS
• ORIENTATIONAL METAPHORS give
concepts spatial orientation by associating
an abstract knowledge area with some
aspect of experiential knowledge
grounded in how human beings
understand their orientation in physical
space. E.g. up vs down, front vs back
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ORIENTATIONAL METAPHORS
• HAPPY IS UP; SAD IS DOWN
– I am feeling up
– My spirits rose
– My spirits sank
– I’m feeling down
• My income rose last year
• He sank into coma
• If you’re too hot, turn the heat down
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Ontological metaphors
• Conceptualizing and talking about things,
experiences, and processes, however vague or
abstract they are, as if they have definite
physical properties
• INFLATION IS AN ENTITY
–
–
–
–
Inflation is lowering our standard of living
We need to combat inflation
Inflation makes me sick
Buying land is the best way to dealing with inflation
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