This is for research and is very hard to find on the internet. basically im trying to know the roles of metaphors in our society, but also the evolution of those roles. They keyword here being the 'evolution' part. Exampls/literature/names as backup would be really helpfull
Responses (2)
I don't think you know what a metaphor is. There is very little work published in recent times, and very few people study figures of speech at all. A figure of speech is a departure from the normal patterns of language for the purpose of emphasizing something. The simplest figure of speech is the SIMILE. A simile emphasizes a similarity of two things by merely saying it: "You are like a dog", or "You are as a dog". The figure rests entirely on one word.
A METAPHOR emphasizes a similarity of two things by saying they are the same; "You are a dog".
Next comes a big word: HYPOCATASTASIS. This is a Greek word for name-calling. Hypocatastasis just calls the fellow "Dog!" See Luke 13:32 "that fox", and Genesis 3:1 "the serpent".
A PARABLE is an extended figure of speech; a story based on a simile, metaphor, or hypocatastasis. If the story is possible, it is a MYTH. If the story is impossible, it is a FABLE. If a fable includes an explanation of the meaning, it is an ALLEGORY. Don't confuse any of these with LEGEND, which is a supposedly true but unverified historical account (Adam and Eve, for example).
These terms are not used with any precise meaning in modern discourse. For instance, most people think 'allegory' means "a story full of religious symbolism beyond human comprehension". But when discussing figures of speech they are very precisely defined. Here is a book that lists about 900 figures found in the bible. It is almost the only work in the subject for the last two thousand years: openlibrary.org/search?q=e.+w.+bullinger+figures+of+speech
More figures: mentalfloss.com/article/60234/21-rhetorical-devices-explained
As I said, you are one of the first in 2000 years, so you are on your own. That book by Bullinger is the only reference I know of.
The word metaphors is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable.
If you would like to know the facts behind the evolution theory, please go to jw.org for free downloads, publications or read online.
Hello.
That is a very insightful response you've posted there, comparing some figures.
And as you say, very little work has been done.
However, I think that I am still looking for a more precise answer, let me explain.
Metaphors, to us, right now are a figure of speech widely used. So widely used, that we can find metaphors in fables, such as Alice in wonderland. We use metaphors to communicate more effectively with patients (ill) or physicians use it to describe their work/abilities better.
So again, I'm trying to understand/figure out, a correlation between the evolution of human language (1), and, the metaphors, or the language/evolution of metaphors.