7 Metaphor and the (1984–5) Miners’ Strike: A Multimodal Analysis

Abstract

Introduction Recent research in cognitive linguistics and cognitive linguistic critical discourse studies (CL-CDS) has shown that metaphor plays a significant role in structuring our understanding of social identities, actions and events. This research also demonstrates that metaphorical modes of understanding are not restricted in their articulation to language but find expression too in visual and multimodal genres of communication. In this chapter, I show how one metaphorical framing – strike is war – featured in multimodal media representations of the 1984–5 British Miners’ Strike. I analyse this metaphorical framing from a critical semiotic standpoint to argue that the conceptualisations invoked by these framing efforts served to ‘otherise’ the miners while simultaneously legitimating the actions during the strike of the government and the police. I begin with a brief introduction to the British Miners’ Strike. I then introduce in more detail cognitive metaphor theory and the notion of multimodal metaphor. Next, I briefly introduce the data to be analysed. Subsequently, I show how the strike is war metaphor featured in the language of news reports as well as in two multimodal genres – press photographs and editorial cartoons – and consider the potential (de) legitimating effects of this framing. Finally, I offer some conclusions. The Media and 1984–5 British Miners’ Strike The 1984–5 British Miners’ Strike represents one of the most pivotal and controversial periods in British industrial relations history. The action began on 6 March 1984 in response to the closure of several coal pits and the belief that the government planned further closures which would ultimately bring the UK coal industry to an end. The strike lasted a year until the miners returned to work on 4 March 1985. The year-long strike witnessed bitter disputes between Margaret Thatcher, the then prime minister, and the National Union of Mineworkers led by Arthur Scargill. Throughout the strike, there were also several flashes of violence between police and miners on the picket line, most notoriously at the Orgreave coking plant. This often involved so-called flying pickets, miners who would travel to picket still operational mines, and Metropolitan Police officers who had been redeployed in key areas of Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire.