
We speak and write metaphors, but that wouldn’t be possible if metaphor were not, first and foremost, a way of thinking. This video introduces metaphor as a “structure of thought.”
In this course you will gain an understanding of how metaphor creates meaning in English, how to use the knowledge of metaphor to understand English at a deep level, and how to unlock new metaphors by applying knowledge of metaphor structure and function.
We begin with what George Lakoff calls “Superordinate Metaphors.” These top-level metaphors are general-type metaphors that are often expressed in their generalized form, however, they also give rise to specific metaphors — that is, “basic-level” metaphors — that relate to parts of the top-level metaphor.
This video examines some of Lakoff’s central ideas as to how conceptual metaphors are structured and how the conceptual mapping process works.
In this video, we look at some of the specific — or basic-level metaphors — that depend on the “Life is a journey” top-level metaphor for their meaning.
In this video, we examine some of the specific — or basic-level metaphors — that depend on the “Love is a journey” top-level metaphor for their meaning.
This video presents some of the specific — or basic-level metaphors — that depend on the “Argument is war” top-level metaphor for their meaning.
This video provides a look at some of the specific — or basic-level metaphors — that depend on the “The conduit metaphor” top-level metaphor for their meaning.
In this video, we look at some of the specific — or basic-level metaphors — that depend on the “Words & linguistic expressions are containers for meaning” top-level metaphor for their meaning.
This video presents some of the specific — or basic-level metaphors — that depend on the “The mind is a container” top-level metaphor for their meaning.
In this video, we look at some of the specific — or basic-level metaphors — that depend on the “Ideas are objects” top-level metaphor for their meaning.
This video examines some of the specific — or basic-level metaphors — that depend on the “Communication is sending” top-level metaphor for their meaning.
In this video, we look at some of the specific — or basic-level metaphors — that depend on the “Time is a valuable commodity” top-level metaphor for their meaning. This top-level metaphor is closely related to the “Time is money” top-level metaphor, so we look at them together here.
Here, we look at some of the specific — or basic-level metaphors — that depend on the “Time moves” top-level metaphor for their meaning.
In this video, we look at the common metaphorical expression “To pick someone’s brains.”
In this video, we look at the common metaphorical expression “To have something on your mind.”
In this video, we look at the common metaphorical expression “Have an open mind.”
In this video, we look at the common metaphorical expression “Miss the point.”
In this video, we look at the common metaphorical expression “Be in the dark about something.”
The language of the Internet is fascinating and an interesting study in how metaphors are created to fill a need and then take on a life completely separated from their origins.
This video examines some of the complexities of the simple concept of “chat room.”
Here, we look at the metaphor “information superhighway” and see how the metaphor is appropriate in a number of ways.
In this video, we look at a few of the very large group of orientational metaphors that use the preposition “up.”
Here, we examine a few of the very large group of orientational metaphors that use the preposition “down.”
This video presents a few of the very large group of orientational metaphors that use the preposition “in.”
This video examines a few of the very large group of orientational metaphors that use the preposition “out.”
This series of lectures examines one of the basic structures and functions of English -- that is, metaphor.
You will be introduced to the “metaphor as conceptual mapping” explanation of the metaphor-making process. This is central to our examination of common metaphors throughout the course and will give you a method of interpreting new metaphors as you meet them.
We will look at the work of George Lakoff, who has given us much to think about in regard to metaphor and how it functions. It may seem a bit theoretical, but it is helpful in understanding “metaphor as concept-mapping.”
An important part of the course will be about some of the “top-level metaphors” that provide the central relationships that control the formation of hundreds of the specific-level metaphors we use daily.
You may have been given the impression that metaphor is a limited feature of English writing or idiomatic spoken language, however, nothing could be further from the truth. English is fundamentally metaphorical in nature. If you understand THAT, and understand how metaphor is structured and functions, then you are better able to make sense of English the way native speakers do. And, if you are a native speaker, you will see your language in a totally new light — and, suddenly, a lot of those odd expressions you have been using all your life will suddenly make sense in a whole new way!