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Metonymies of migration

Media discourse about and by migrants
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Abstract

This chapter uses critical discourse studies (CDS) combined with metonymy/metaphor analysis to explore the difference between metonymies used to talk about migration/migrants in media discourse and those used by migrants themselves. Findings reveal differences between the way metonymies (and metaphors motivated by them) are used by migrants as opposed to a variety of media sources (e.g. online newspapers, television reports) and what this reveals about migration. Furthermore, while migrants are impacted in various ways by discourse about them, they are still able to think and talk about themselves in positive, holistic, and varied ways. The authors conclude that critical metonymy/metaphor analysis allows for alternative ways of envisioning migration and globally mobile people.

Abstract

This chapter uses critical discourse studies (CDS) combined with metonymy/metaphor analysis to explore the difference between metonymies used to talk about migration/migrants in media discourse and those used by migrants themselves. Findings reveal differences between the way metonymies (and metaphors motivated by them) are used by migrants as opposed to a variety of media sources (e.g. online newspapers, television reports) and what this reveals about migration. Furthermore, while migrants are impacted in various ways by discourse about them, they are still able to think and talk about themselves in positive, holistic, and varied ways. The authors conclude that critical metonymy/metaphor analysis allows for alternative ways of envisioning migration and globally mobile people.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Figurative thought and language research in the 21st century 1
  4. Part 1. Modeling figurative thought and language
  5. Important challenges in the study of metaphors 19
  6. A Cognitive Grammar approach to ‘metonymy’ 37
  7. Targetting metonymic targets 59
  8. Part 2. The impact of figurative thought on linguistic structures
  9. The effect of figurative thought on basic level categorization 89
  10. Reconsidering accounts of the grammaticalization of auxiliaries 113
  11. Physical and communicative force in Caused-Motion constructions 141
  12. Part 3. Processing of figurative language
  13. Embodied simulations and verbal irony comprehension 167
  14. Verbal and situational irony 185
  15. Part 4. Figurative thought and language in use
  16. Metonymies of migration 215
  17. Draining the swamp 237
  18. Being in the same boat , in two ways 259
  19. Index 285
Figurative Thought and Language in Action
This chapter is in the book Figurative Thought and Language in Action
https://doi.org/10.1075/ftl.16.09cat

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Figurative thought and language research in the 21st century 1
  4. Part 1. Modeling figurative thought and language
  5. Important challenges in the study of metaphors 19
  6. A Cognitive Grammar approach to ‘metonymy’ 37
  7. Targetting metonymic targets 59
  8. Part 2. The impact of figurative thought on linguistic structures
  9. The effect of figurative thought on basic level categorization 89
  10. Reconsidering accounts of the grammaticalization of auxiliaries 113
  11. Physical and communicative force in Caused-Motion constructions 141
  12. Part 3. Processing of figurative language
  13. Embodied simulations and verbal irony comprehension 167
  14. Verbal and situational irony 185
  15. Part 4. Figurative thought and language in use
  16. Metonymies of migration 215
  17. Draining the swamp 237
  18. Being in the same boat , in two ways 259
  19. Index 285
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