Elucidating Metaphor: Parameters of Creation and Comprehension

Postgraduate Thesis uoadl:2940564 150 Read counter

Unit:
Κατεύθυνση Γλωσσολογία: Θεωρία και Εφαρμογές
Library of the School of Philosophy
Deposit date:
2021-04-01
Year:
2021
Author:
Panoutsou Aikaterini-Sofia
Supervisors info:
Tim Wharton
University of Brighton
Principal Lecturer: Language and Linguistics
School of Humanities

Elly Ifantidou
Professor
Department of English Language and Literature
School of Philosophy
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

Louis de Saussure
Professeur ordinaire
Université de Neuchâtel
Original Title:
Elucidating Metaphor: Parameters of Creation and Comprehension
Languages:
English
Greek
Translated title:
Elucidating Metaphor: Parameters of Creation and Comprehension
Summary:
The thesis attempts to provide a thorough and comprehensive account of the anatomy of metaphor, and the diversity of the parameters that affect its creation and comprehension. Specifically, it explores the reasons speakers utilise metaphorical utterances rather than their literal counterparts, as well as the processes that lead to the emergence of differentiating interpretations through their comprehension. In order to approach these matters, I will elucidate metaphor in relation to other fields that have already been touched upon in preceding research pursuing similar goals. One of them is exploring the relationship between conventional and novel metaphors and the factors that determine their nature. Drawing on existing work, I suggest that a clear cut distinction is not likely to be drawn between the two types of metaphor. My research will also elaborate Wilson and Carston’s (2019) work on the non-propositional effects of metaphor creation and comprehension and the role of emotions: how they interact with cognition, but nonetheless manage to impose a heavy influence on our thought is investigated. I then suggest that the role of affect appears to be complementary to that of human creativity, ineffability, and mental imagery. Previous accounts of creativity will be discussed and how they apply to the matter of metaphor creation and comprehension, in conjunction with the apparent attempts of the human mind to create and interpret metaphors as a way to verbalize how they react and feel towards them. Finally, an attempt will be made to pinpoint the nature of so-called “mental images” that appear to arise in interlocutor’s minds through metaphor processing, based on what has been suggested so far in existing literature. Conclusions drawn aim to provide a holistic overview of the workings of metaphor and machinations of the human mind during their processing, leaving room for further investigation.
Main subject category:
Language – Literature
Keywords:
Metaphor, Creativity, Affect, Relevance, Mental Images
Index:
No
Number of index pages:
0
Contains images:
No
Number of references:
73
Number of pages:
59
(FINAL) Katerina Panoutsou Elucidating Metaphor Parameters of Creation and Comprehension.docx.pdf (383 KB) Open in new window