Metaphor Analysis Research Articles

From egg & sperm to reconceiving medical education: Why teaching about metaphor is essential to remedy injustice.

From egg & sperm to reconceiving medical education: Why teaching about metaphor is essential to remedy injustice.

Romantic Jealousy, Intimate Partner Violence, and Envy: An Ethnographic Study of Acid Attacks in Cambodia.

Acid attacks are generally considered to be a pernicious expression of gender-based violence (GBV) and a global health issue that until recently mainly affected countries in Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and Latin America. However, little is known about the cultural contexts for acid attacks and, in particular, the culture-gender intersect. In Cambodia, the first publicly reported case took place in 1999, and attacks have continued since then. This study aims to identify the cultural construction and meaning of acid attacks from the inside out to provide evidence to guide culturally acceptable interventions. Ethnographic fieldwork was conducted with survivors, their families, and perpetrators in towns and villages across Cambodia, representing 88 cases of acid attacks. Qualitative analysis was conducted to identify the cultural beliefs related to the perceived causes and significance of acid attacks. The "cultural attractors" driving acid attacks are based on Khmer Buddhist beliefs such as karmic links between perpetrator and their target, inherited endowment, character, the Buddhist "triple poison," zodiacal birth status, astrological incompatibility of a couple, and moral blindness. One group of attacks can be seen as gender-based, either triggered by romantic jealousy or in the context of intimate partner violence. A second group, triggered by envy, is not gender-based and arises as a result of community conflict and inequity. The analysis of conceptual metaphors can enrich our understanding of the complex emotions of romantic jealousy and envy. The cultural lens enriches an intersectoral understanding of violence, including GBV, wherein local Buddhist "cultural attractors" explain the cruelty of perpetrators and the suffering of survivors. Further research can inform the cultural responsiveness of multidisciplinary interventions involving trauma-informed Buddhist therapy.

Exploring the dynamic metaphor patterns in describing English public speaking anxiety among Chinese learners

Abstract This study aims to explore the dynamic metaphor patterns in describing English public speaking (EPS) anxiety among Chinese learners. Metaphor is frequently used to describe complex emotional states, mental processes, and difficult experiences (Kövecses, Zoltán. 2003. Metaphor and emotion: Language, culture, and body in human feeling. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press). This investigation is based on the discourse dynamics approach (Cameron, Lynne & Robert Maslen (eds.). 2010. Metaphor analysis: Research practice in applied linguistics, social sciences and the humanities. Toronto: University of Toronto Press). Fifteen Chinese learners were interviewed to present their EPS anxiety experiences in three speech types. A blended approach (combining naturalistic and elicited metaphors) was employed in the interviews. A total of 2006 metaphor vehicle terms were identified from the transcripts of interviews. The fitted log-linear model did not retain the highest level of the three-way interaction between VEHICLE GROUPING, TOPIC TERM and SPEECH TYPE. However, two possible bivariate associations (i.e., VEHICLE GROUPING * TOPIC TERM, and SPEECH TYPE * TOPIC TERM) were retained and discussed as metaphor patterns. In terms of the topics, metaphors of ANXIETY and OTHER (classroom environment, task demands, teacher feedback, peer pressure, emotional states of other people) were used more to describe EPS anxiety in the first informative speech but less in the third persuasive speech.

A Study of Conceptual Metaphors in Chinese and English Inspirational Songs

Based mainly on the conceptual metaphor theory of cognitive linguistics, this paper is a study of Chinese and English popular song lyrics with inspirational themes.Based on a self-constructed corpus of Chinese and English songs, this paper summarizes the types of inspirational metaphors in Chinese and English songs, conducts a comparative analysis of conceptual metaphors in Chinese and English inspirational songs, summarizes the similarities and differences, and explores the reasons behind the differences, thus demonstrating the cog-nitive nature of metaphors and enriching the cognitive connotation of meta-phors.

A Corpus Study of Cyberbullying Metaphors Used on Social Media: Employing Conceptual Metaphor Theory

This study delves into the theoretical analysis of metaphors employed by male and female users on Facebook to cyberbully five Arab female celebrities. Employing Conceptual Metaphor theory, the investigation focuses on two primary facets: women's appearance and behaviors. The study compiles and scrutinizes two corpora—715 metaphors provided by male commenters and 140 metaphors provided by female commenters. The metaphors are collected from comments written on the official Facebook pages of these celebrities in January 2021. The source domains concerning appearance are categorized into: ANIMALS, CARS, REPULSIVE OBJECTS, FOOD, MALES, PRODUCTS, and FRIGHTENING OBJECTS. Conversely, there are two source domains that depict clothes: HOUSEHOLD ITEMS and PLACES. Behaviors-related source domains are grouped into: ANIMALS, LOOSE/PUBLICLY EXPOSED OBJECTS, LOW, and SICK. Upon comparing frequencies, it is observed that the source domains MALES and ANIMALS are more frequently utilized by males in metaphors depicting appearance, whereas the source domain REPULSIVE OBJECTS is more prevalent in females' comments. The study also reveals that, in alignment with the objectification theory, males tend to view females as objects of sex. Males focus on describing the uncovered parts of celebrities’ bodies and they conceptualize the open clothes, that show females’ sexual attraction, as open places.

Pain, Warfare, and Commodity: Metaphorical Renderings of Dysmenorrhea and the Female Body in Young Women’s Narratives

ABSTRACT In China, nearly half of women have experienced dysmenorrhea. However, the articulation and management of this female-specific pain remain constrained. By conducting a critical metaphor analysis of interviews with 33 young Chinese women experiencing dysmenorrhea, this study seeks to uncover the nuanced layers of meaning enmeshed within their discourse regarding dysmenorrhea and their bodies. Our examination unveils four metaphors entwined with dysmenorrhea: the curse upon women, the sentinel of the female body, the codewords of emotional bonding among women, and the exclusive dividend of womanhood. Simultaneously, four metaphorical representations of the female body enduring dysmenorrhea emerge: the machine experiencing component breakdowns, the hidden jail, the vessel of sexuality and reproduction, and the product under male gaze. Notably, despite advocating for gender equality, many women strategically appropriate stereotypical gender roles to secure short-term gains. The female body assumes a dual role as both a battleground for power struggles and a commodified entity, where health issues intertwine with gender hierarchies, parent–child relationships, and workplace dynamics, collectively shaping women’s self-awareness and paradoxical responses to dysmenorrhea.

미술치료사의 역할에 대한 은유분석: 미술치료 전공 대학원생을 중심으로

Objectives The purpose of this study is to explore how graduate art therapy students perceive the role of the art therapist through metaphor analysis. Methods To achieve this, 90 graduate students enrolled in the master's and doctoral programs in the Department of Art Therapy at Y University, located in K City, were selected as research participants. Data were collected from May 24 to June 15, 2024, and analyzed using metaphor analysis. Results The analysis of the role of art therapists revealed three main categories: professional roles, psychological and emotional support roles, and space-creating roles. The specific subtypes were classified as guide, expert, role model, artist, healer, supporter, companion, helper, witness, and space creator. Conclusions This study demonstrates that graduate students perceive the role of art therapists as diverse and multifaceted. The findings highlight the importance of fostering flexibility in art therapists' roles through understanding and training in various functions within art therapy education programs. Furthermore, this study provides foundational data for enhancing graduate-level curricula.

Exploring the Role of Language Reactor in English Language Learning: A Metaphor Analysis of Student Perceptions

This study explores the integration of Language Reactor, a digital tool that enhances English language learning through dual-language subtitles, interactive dictionaries, and sentence-mining features, among undergraduate students in an English language and literature department. With the growing popularity of streaming platforms like Netflix for language study, Language Reactor provides learners with valuable opportunities to improve comprehension and vocabulary acquisition. This research employs metaphor analysis to examine students' perceptions of the program's effectiveness in enhancing language skills. Participants described their experiences with Language Reactor through metaphors, revealing key themes such as learning facilitation, guidance/support, knowledge enhancement, and accessibility/usability. The findings indicate that students view Language Reactor as a practical, supportive, and engaging tool that aids in their language acquisition, particularly in vocabulary retention, comprehension, and interaction with authentic English content. These insights highlight the potential for digital media and AI-driven language tools to foster self-directed learning in higher education. Additionally, the metaphorical analysis provides a nuanced understanding of students' attitudes towards the integration of technology in language education, suggesting strategies for educators to guide the effective use of such tools in language classrooms.

Using metaphors as tools for critical reflection: elementary preservice teachers’ accounts in the context of social justice teacher education

ABSTRACT This study examines how preservice teachers in the context of social justice teacher education grappled with critically reflective practice and demonstrates how metaphors can operate as a powerful means for critical reflection. To these ends, this study conceptualizes critical reflection as practice, that is, as entangled, critically conscious ways of knowing, doing, and becoming. This study also adopts a critical approach to metaphor analysis as a pedagogical and analytic method to promote preservice teachers’ critical reflection. The findings reveal three overarching themes: (a) metaphorical knowing and becoming-with critical reflection; (b) metaphorical doing the knowing of critical reflection; and (c) journey metaphors of knowing, doing, and becoming-with critical reflection. These findings call for increased attention to how preservice teachers’ metaphorical instantiations of critical reflection are entrenched in their social, cultural, and political contexts while being entangled with mutually implicated ways of knowing, doing, and becoming. In so doing, this study provides practical implications for scaffolding preservice teachers’ ongoing and, at times, contested process of critical reflection during their teacher education.

ESTRATÉGIAS RETÓRICAS DA PERSUASÃO NO EDITORIAL EM TEMPOS DE PANDEMIA – UM ENFOQUE DA LINGUÍSTICA SISTÊMICO FUNCIONAL

This study examines the persuasive power of a newspaper editorial considering the interaction of lexicogrammatical linguistic choices and the evaluative positions responsible for the construction of rhetorical strategies in the flow of meaning with the purpose of persuading the reader. The editorial examined “The false crises, and the true one” deals with the government's inertia in the face of the challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic in Brazil. The objective of this article is the linguistic examination of how evaluative positions are defined to convince the reader about the values ​​expressed in the text. Thus, with the contribution of Systemic-Functional Linguistics (SFL), a theoretical-methodological proposal, of the critical analysis of metaphor, an intersection between critical discourse analysis, the theory of conceptual metaphor and some persuasion resources, we intend to answer the following research questions: (a) How is persuasive rhetoric used to construct and disseminate the narrative that certain crises are 'false'? (b) How does the discursive construction of the editorial use persuasive strategies to promote reader reciprocity with the (ideological) values ​​shared in the newspaper? This article contributes to the understanding of how language, in newspaper editorials, is used as a tool for persuasion and shaping public opinion, especially in times of crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Research shows that the support of various rhetorical strategies allows the editorial to manage ideological positions, influencing political proposals, values, and practices.

From the Gift to the String: A Corpus-Based Analysis of Organ Transplantation Metaphors in Japanese Newspapers

ABSTRACT Beyond being a medical treatment, organ transplantation is a discursive phenomenon whose global principles are reinterpreted locally. Such reinterpretations share the media as a common background and rely on metaphors as a framing device. Amid a long-lasting severe donor shortage, Japan does not constitute an exception in this respect. A corpus-based analysis of the Japanese written press shows that metaphors have played a central role in the normalization of transplant discourse, determining the symbolical weight of organ exchange and the relation developed amongst its direct participants. In this ongoing dialogue, the notion of life has enjoyed a central role, underpinning organ transplantation representations as a possession or as a link, and more concretely as a gift, baton, or string. Particularly, the latter understanding of life as a string has been gaining relevance over the last few years through the expression ‘connecting life’, which depicts organ transplantation as a way of tying together the donor and recipient’s lives. The image of the string roots organ transplantation in a rather culturally and religious entrenched conception of life, enabling a local interpretation of the ethical implications derived from transplant therapy, which has over many years been critically debated within Japanese society.

Beyond Difficult Discussions: Six Tools for Debriefing Tender Conversations in Healthcare

Background Whilst debriefing literature offers valuable tools for healthcare education, there remains a gap in resources specifically designed for debriefing communication skills. Effective communication is fundamental to patient care, particularly during sensitive interactions. This article provides a specialised toolkit for educators to enhance communication skills debriefing. Methods Drawing from literature and the authors' extensive experience teaching communication skills through simulation, we present six interconnected tools: leveraging cognitive dissonance, recognising micro-ruptures in rapport, mapping communication to clinical reasoning, differentiating sincere from performative empathy, metaphor dissection, and emotional labour accounting. We demonstrate these concepts through a fictional case study of Dr Morton's interactions with a patient and family. Results The toolkit offers specific debriefing questions for each component that encourage reflective practice. Cognitive dissonance exploration helps clinicians recognise when competing professional values affect communication. Micro-rupture identification aids in preserving therapeutic relationships. Communication mapping enhances clinical decision-making. Understanding different forms of empathy guides appropriate engagement. Metaphor analysis reveals hidden meanings in patient-clinician dialogues. Emotional labour accounting acknowledges the personal cost of managing emotions professionally. Together, these elements create a framework that strengthens communication effectiveness whilst supporting clinician wellbeing. Conclusions Effective debriefing of communication skills requires attention to both technical and emotional dimensions of healthcare interactions. By reframing difficult discussions as "tender conversations," educators can promote an environment where communication skills are refined through thoughtful reflection rather than criticism. This toolkit provides practical strategies for educators to help learners navigate the complexities of healthcare communication, ultimately improving patient care whilst supporting clinician resilience.

Religious Metaphor in Media Reporting on the “Science of Reading”

Debates about how to teach reading have continuingly aligned with political agendas in the United States. In this article, we reveal ways in which educational journalism uses metaphor to align the “science of reading” with values and beliefs held by conservative Christian religious groups. Through a critical metaphor analysis of 24 articles from two highly visible media outlets and linking to themes in a literature review on Christian fundamentals in U.S. education, we develop scenarios or mini-narratives that demonstrate how reading education is represented (or misrepresented) through familiar contexts of Church Communities, the Sermon, and Conversion. We contend that media related to these religious values, in a political environment where extremism flourishes, loses focus on the child to retain a particular (conservative) world view. By unpacking these media messages, we hope to question what is being constructed as evidence and how evidence is being used to directly serve children.

Conservative Resistance to Monopoly Power and Environmental Legislation: U.S. Farmer Organizations and the Metaphorical State

Beginning with the Grange in 1867, agricultural movements in the United States were central to the growth of anti-monopoly resistance and financial populism. Yet today, at a time when a vibrant (and militant) agroecology movement spreads across Europe, Africa, and Latin America such a response is largely absent in the United States. Though individual farmers are aware of the ecological harms due to current production techniques, the American Farm Bureau Federation, by far the country’s largest agricultural organization, has dedicated great resources to slowing governmental response to climate change. Instead of fighting for prosperity through sustainability, the AFBF routinely aligns itself with the monopolistic agri-food industry in opposition to sustainable agricultural reform. Utilizing comparative metaphor analysis, this article traces the ideological impediments to a progressive ecological farm movement in the United States. By contrasting the rhetorical approaches of the Grange movement and the American Farm Bureau Federation, we can better understand the role of conservative political ideology in farmer resistance to ecological protections. Though U.S. farm politic is wedded to a set of frames which inhibit structural power analysis, a finer grained evaluation of their conservative views of the state points a path of least resistance for farmer-led ecological reform

Transcending counterterrorism discourse: metaphors, identity politics and ideological security in Xinjiang

ABSTRACT Following the 9/11 attacks in New York, the Communist Party of China (CPC) has referred to Xinjiang as the key battlefield of counterterrorism in China, and its countering measures as contributions to the international fight against terrorism and religious extremism. This paper transcends the labels of counterterrorism and prevention of extremism to delve deeper into the CPC official counterterrorism discourse in Xinjiang. Through Critical Metaphor Analysis (CMA) it explores the underlying ideology of the CPC, essential to understand how perceived threats are interpreted and responded to, leading to political actions that reflect existing power structures within China’s political system. The analysis examines regional measures within the broader concept of “comprehensive national security” (Zǒngtǐ guójiā ānquán guān 总体国家安全观), deriving into policies that aim to integrate minority identities into a unified “Chinese identity” informed by Xi Jinping’s “Five Identifications” (wǔ gè rèntóng 五个认同) to protect and promote ideological security. This study contributes to discussions on China’s counterterrorism strategy, exploring it as part of a broader national security approach, where identity politics is central to the CPC’s legitimacy and, thus, regime stability.

Becoming Buttercups: Fostering Eco-Empathy Through Metaphorical Creative Writing

ABSTRACT This article critically evaluates the concept of ecological empathy (or “eco-empathy”), reconceptualizing it as creative, embodied thinking that embraces paradoxes between emotion and cognition, body and mind, and the human and non-human. Drawing on cognitive linguistics, social and evolutionary psychology, and phenomenology, we argue that metaphor plays a crucial role in fostering this form of eco-empathy, by bridging emotional and cognitive understanding and facilitating the creation of new conceptual links. These arguments are tested by means of a qualitative case study, involving creative writing workshops, where participants were invited to respond to an eco-art exhibition by projecting themselves imaginatively into one of the exhibited wild plants. The analysis of metaphors used in the resulting poems, and of post-workshop interviews, demonstrated how the creation of novel metaphors led participants to develop a deeper understanding and emotional connection to their chosen plants, as well as encouraging greater engagement with the natural world more generally.

From gift to mutilation: Exploring nursing Students' metaphorical conceptions of organ donation: A qualitative study.

From gift to mutilation: Exploring nursing Students' metaphorical conceptions of organ donation: A qualitative study.

Evaluation of Methods for Analyzing Semantic Ambiguity of Vocabulary and Text

The article considers semantic ambiguity, tension in relation to potential development of conflictological risks. The classifications of methods and techniques for studying the semantic ambiguity of vocabulary and texts are analyzed in order to identify the most effective ones. A literature search conducted in August 2023 made it possible to consider published scientific articles and publicly available information on the category of semantic ambiguity. The chronologic coverage of the works that were involved in the analysis of scientific research in this area covers seven years (2016-2023). The databases used are Scopus, Google Scholar, eLibrary.Ru articles. The methods of analyzing semantic ambiguity that are relevant for modern translation linguistics are shown. Among the traditional methods, the following stand out: 1) lexical and semantic analysis of texts, individual lexemes and phrases; 2) experiments, surveys and tests with further interpretation of the data obtained. It has been revealed that the most acceptable modern methods for identifying semantic ambiguity are the following: 1) conceptological techniques; 2) linguacognitive and discursive approaches; 3) analysis of cognitive metaphors, structures, propositions, etc.; 4) content analysis; 5) analysis of intentions; 6) the use of computer programs, neural network methods for studying ambiguity, including the use of reverse machine translation, comparison of texts for similarity. The study of existing methods for analyzing semantic ambiguity enriches the understanding of this phenomenon. The prospects for the work lie in conducting studies of semantic diffusion, which are associated, firstly, with the expansion of the material; secondly, with establishing the degree of comprehensibility and (or) incomprehensibility of the text for readers, law-abiding citizens.

High heels, compass, spider-man, or drug? Metaphor analysis of generative artificial intelligence in academic writing

High heels, compass, spider-man, or drug? Metaphor analysis of generative artificial intelligence in academic writing

Marching Against a Rising and Manipulative Threat: Metaphorical Constructions of Populism in the Spanish and the Italian Press

Whereas the use of metaphors in populist political communication has been widely studied, few works have considered the way in which the concept of populism is constructed through metaphors in the public sphere and in the media. By applying Critical Metaphor Analysis (CMA) to a sample of newspaper articles published in Spain and Italy, we detect the main metaphorical frameworks used for discursively constructing populism in countries characterized by a polarized pluralist media system. Results show that populism is metaphorized in less than half of the analyzed items and that there are three common source domains for conceptualizing the term: path/travel/movement, conflict/war/crime and personification . While similar narratives can be drawn from the use of these source domains, different perspectives appear when looking at newspapers’ political leanings.