Modern Language and Linguistics Metaphors

Shealinna Ge Lucas Horn Mehdi Husain

Brittany Sherbert Won Woo

The Field of Modern Language & Linguistics

Language is common link among all humansMany different areas of present study

Sound of speech and its functionHow humans acquire languageSocial and cultural use of languageTeaching of foreign languageEffective communication within languageReasons that language changes over time

Language and Linguistics. Web. 13 Sep 2010.

<http://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/linguistics/intro.jsp>.

Definition

“A figure of speech in which a term or phrase is applied to something to which it is not literally applicable in order to suggest a resemblance,..”

"metaphor." Dictionary.com. Random House, Inc., 2010. Web. 13 Sep 2010. <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/metaphor>.

Letting the Cat Out of the Bag

The meaning of this saying is simply “giving away a secret”

Origin: People would replace pigs with cats in bags at markets. Obviously, if the bag was opened the cat would get out revealing the secret of the seller.

Common Metaphor

Chapman, Alan. "Cliches and Expressions Origins." BusinessBalls. 12 September 2010

<http://www.businessballs.com/clichesorigins.htm>.

Clichés and Expressions Origins

http://www.businessballs.com/clichesorigins.htm

This site provides examples of common metaphors people use in their conversation and use in many situations. To digest means to eat. But, the verb “digest” is used metaphorically in the sentenceabove.

http://www.happinesspages.com/examplesofmetaphr.html

Common Metaphor

Feeling Under Par? - Golf and Other Examples of Metaphor

I can’t digest this much information

Common Metaphor

Break a leg

The Phrase Finder:

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/break-a-leg.html

This site provides the meaning and origin of the phrase “break a leg”

“Break a leg” means good luck.

This phrase originated from the superstition that people should not say “good luck” to actors, and by wishing them bad luck, the opposite will occur.

Weaving Concepts Together

Often you will hear people speak of weaving together concepts, ideas, languages, cultures, etc. According to Merriam-Webster, “weave” is a verb meaning to move waveringly from side to side. In the terms of concepts or ideas, you can not move them from side to side. What is meant is that the ideas are being brought together and merged.

While the origin of “weaving” as a metaphor is hard to trace, weaving as a process has been around for a great amount of time.

This metaphor was found on a website of teachers metaphors. However, this metaphor is not only used by teachers. Many field, especially MLL, use this metaphor. The website also gives many other metaphors and explains metaphors than their use.

Life is too precious to be spent in this weaving and unweaving of false impressions.

— George Eliot

Field Metaphor

http://www.teachersmind.com/metaphors1.htm

Teacher’s Mind Resources

Metaphors

“Language is a roadmap of a culture. It tells you where its people come from and where they are

going” –Rita Mae Brown”

This site lists many metaphor examples written from various writers. The metaphor above is a MLL metaphor because it describes the relationship between language and the human culture.

http://grammar.about.com/od/mo/g/metaphorterm.htm

Field Metaphor

metaphor

Field MetaphorBreaking into a conversation

Metaphor:http://grammar.about.com/od/mo/g/metaphorterm.htm

The site provides the definition of a metaphor, gives the etymology of the word metaphor, and supplies examples of metaphors.

Examples provided by website:“Men’s words are bullets, that their enemies take up and make use of against them.”

“The rain came down in long knitting needles.”

Metaphor

The use of metaphors in the field of modern language and linguistics prove to be beneficial. A metaphor can be used to convey the meaning and emphasis of a phrase in such a way that it opens up its word/s to an uncommon context used to illustrate an idea. In this field, metaphors are used to intertwine different aspects of language, social factors, culture, and communications to provide a further understanding.