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Metaphor and Symbol

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Metaphor in Discourse by Elena Semino

Mona F. Attia a a Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt

To cite this Article Attia, Mona F.(2009) 'Metaphor in Discourse by Elena Semino', Metaphor and Symbol, 24: 4, 263 265 To link to this Article: DOI: 10.1080/10926480903310393 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10926480903310393

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Metaphor and Symbol, 24: 263267, 2009 Copyright Taylor & Francis Group, LLC ISSN: 1092-6488 print / 1532-7868 online DOI: 10.1080/10926480903310393

Metaphor and Symbol, Vol. 24, No. 4, September 2009: pp. 00 1532-7868 1092-6488 HMET

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Metaphor in Discourse. Elena Semino. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2008, xii + 247 pages, $110.00 (hardcover), $34.99 (paperback), ISBN 978-0521686969.
Book Reviews

Reviewed by Mona F. Attia Helwan University Cairo, Egypt monafouada@yahoo.com Metaphor is a pervasive phenomenon in human language, thought, and communication, thus it deserves a detailed examination of its forms, functions and uses in different types of discourse. Seminos Metaphor in Discourse is a step towards achieving this aim. No book on such a wide topic as metaphor can cover everything; however, Seminos book is almost comprehensive. The book deals with the forms and functions of metaphor in different genres. To prove the persuasiveness of this phenomenon in language, Semino explores the use of metaphor in different discourses that are typically associated with metaphor, for example, literature, politics, and advertising, as well as discourses that are not prototypical for metaphor, for example, science, education. The book is divided into seven chapters: Besides the introduction and the conclusion, four chapters cover the use of metaphor in different discourses. The fifth chapter relates the study of metaphor to corpus linguistics, representing corpus-based approaches to metaphor. The first chapter begins with a comment on the title of the book, defining its terms. Metaphor refers to the phenomenon whereby we talk and, potentially, think about something in terms of something else (p. 1). Discourse refers to naturally occurring language use: real instances of writing or speech which are produced and interpreted in particular circumstances and for particular purposes (p. 1). Studying the forms and functions of metaphor in different texts, genres and discourses, Semino aims at emphasising the relationship between individual uses of metaphor in specific contexts and conventional metaphorical patterns in language generally (p. 1). To introduce her approach, she gives the example of an article dealing with the G8 summit in Scotland, explaining its use of metaphors in relation to achieving rhetorical goals: different evaluations of what has been achieved and persuading readers of different ideologies. She then proceeds to state some theoretical background, discussing different concepts in relation to the example given at the beginning of the chapter, which helps the reader to grasp these concepts. These concepts include metaphor and thought in relation to conceptual metaphor theory, as well as metaphor and ideology. She then presents the approach she adopts to explore the use of metaphor in authentic discourse. She shows how the approach relates the conceptual patterns reflected in language to the use of specific metaphoric expressions in particular texts, genres,

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and discourses, also taking the element of culture into consideration. The points covered in chap. 1 are elaborated and exemplified in the following chapters, mainly chaps. 2 to 5. Indeed, the book is well structured and well organised. Chaps. 2 to 4 have a similar structure, with each covering a different type of discourse. Each chapter begins with a preliminary example, followed by a discussion of metaphor with respect to the specified discourse type. Then two case studies are discussed in detail. This organisation is helpful as the preliminary example prefigures what follows, which makes the theoretical part quite accessible and useful to the reader. In chap. 2, the preliminary example from a novel is explored to show how the use of metaphor can express personal, subjective experience; how conventional and novel metaphors are creatively exploited; and how this combination of conventional and novel metaphors creates complex textual patterns. To discuss such uses of metaphor, Semino refers to Lakoff and Turners (1989) typology of novel metaphors in poetry; however, her analysis goes beyond their typology: To theoretically discuss the use of metaphor in literature, she states its relation to genre, author, and text. The two case studies demonstrate the power of metaphorical choices and patterns in conveying particular mental experiences and in projecting contrasting world-views (p. 80). Chap. 3, which covers the extensive use of metaphor in politics, focuses on its persuasive function in this type of discourse and its relationship to ideology. Semino relates discourse as a linguistic phenomenon to ideology as a cognitive phenomenon, with the use of metaphors serving as a link between the two. Metaphoric patterns are a manifestation of ideology; at the same time, ideology determines metaphoric patterns and discourse in general. The chapter also discusses the different source domains (e.g. PATH/JOURNEY, CONTAINER, WAR, SPORTS, and HUMAN BEINGS.) and target domains used in politics, as well as the different metaphorical choices and patterns within and across texts in political discourse. Chap. 4 discusses the use of metaphor in discourses that are not typically associated with metaphors. Semino provides data from scientific journals addressed to experts as well as materials addressing learners and popularising scientific materials addressing nonexperts. She tries to show the variety of functions that metaphors can perform in this particular type of discourse. Similar to political discourse, metaphors here can be used for explanatory and persuasive purposes. Moreover, the use of metaphor in relation to scientific issues can play a role in influencing public opinion, which in turn affects public policy. As for educational purposes, metaphor helps students understand unfamiliar concepts; it also makes what seem difficult topics more accessible. What is noticeable is that the source domains used for scientific expert genres and those used for pedagogical purposes are nearly similar, for example, WASTE DISPOSAL. Chap. 5 is rather different from the previous chapters, as it does not focus on one main discourse but covers the use of metaphors in advertising and in the discourses of illness. Each section contains an introduction and a case study. In advertising, metaphors have two functions. First, they are a means of attracting attention; second, they are a means of presenting the advertised product in terms of other entities to transfer the positive properties of the source domain onto it. Employing metaphor in advertisements usually involves visual metaphors. The analysis of the use of metaphors in the discourse of illness has shown significant differences between those used by sufferers and nonsufferers. Sufferers represent depression mainly as a physical entity or as a journey, whereas nonsufferers represent it as problems with vision or as the snapping of an elastic band. Chap. 6 explores the contribution of corpus linguistics to the study of metaphor. In the preliminary example opening the chapter, Semino clarifies how to select (mostly) readily available

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corpora and how to exploit them for metaphor analysis. She presents a number of possible approaches to analyse metaphors: the use of general-purpose corpora, mainly to test the validity of claims made within conceptual metaphor theory; the study of metaphorical patterns in corpora representing a particular genre; the use of metaphor in corpora in different languages to investigate the similarities and differences across languages and cultures. This classification makes it easier for scholars to proceed with a corpus-based study of metaphor. Semino argues for the importance of the use of a corpus-based approach to metaphor as it has led to further insights and raised further issues to be investigated (p. 200). Semino demonstrates how a corpus-based approach helps not only in reaching general claims about metaphor use but also about the rhetorical, ideological functions of metaphor, and the role it plays in particular genres and discourses (p. 205). Chap. 7 wraps up the ideas covered in the book. Semino asserts that her approach to metaphor brings together complementary fields: cognitive metaphor theory, stylistics, critical discourse analysis, and corpus linguistics. She summarises the main points demonstrated throughout the book; she then focuses on some points that received little attention. She sheds light on metaphorical creativity, pointing out that creativity in metaphor use has different forms and performs different functions, occurring at both the linguistic and conceptual levels of metaphor. Seminos final conclusion is a recommendation for further and more systematic corpus-based investigation of the use of metaphor. The book represents an insightful exploration of metaphor in different discourses and many genres. Thus, the book has both theoretical and practical significance. Throughout the book, Semino discusses in detail many examples that clarify her points and even considers some instances of visual metaphor. However, she has left out one main genre: naturally occurring conversation, which could have added much more richness and comprehensiveness to her book. Metaphor in Discourse is highly recommended for students, researchers, and scholars interested in the study of metaphor as well as (critical) discourse analysis, cognitive linguistics, stylistics, and corpus linguistics. The reader does not have to read the book in a particular order; most of the chapters can be read separately. What adds to the usefulness of the book is having a simple, clear, comprehensive glossary at the end of the book. In conclusion, the book makes a significant contribution to the interface of metaphor studies, (critical) discourse analysis, cognitive linguistics, stylistics, and corpus linguistics.

REFERENCE
Lakoff, G., & Turner, M. (1989). More than cool reason: A field guide to poetic metaphor. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Metaphor 1532-7868 1092-6488 HMET BOOK Book Reviews REVIEWS and Symbol, Vol. 24, No. 4, September 2009: pp. 00

Political Language and Metaphor: Interpreting and Changing the World. Terrell Carver and Jernej Pikalo (Eds.). London: Routledge, 2008, xiv + 293 pages, $160.00 (hardcover), ISBN 978-0-415-41735-8. Reviewed by Ralph Mller Universit de Fribourg/Universitt Freiburg, Switzerland ralph.mueller@unifr.ch