Register variation and metaphor use
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Tony Berber Sardinha
Abstract
One of the consistent findings in the literature from a corpus-based perspective is that the incidence of metaphor varies across different registers. The goal of this chapter is to verify to what extent the variation in metaphor use is systematic in English, from a Multi-Dimensional perspective. The VU University Annotated Metaphor Corpus was used, comprising over 200,000 words in four registers. In total, 250 different features were included in the study. The main results show which dimensions underlie metaphor use in English, how metaphor relates to the dimensions of variation in English, how much variation can be accounted for by knowing register distinctions, and which are the metaphorbased text types in English.
Abstract
One of the consistent findings in the literature from a corpus-based perspective is that the incidence of metaphor varies across different registers. The goal of this chapter is to verify to what extent the variation in metaphor use is systematic in English, from a Multi-Dimensional perspective. The VU University Annotated Metaphor Corpus was used, comprising over 200,000 words in four registers. In total, 250 different features were included in the study. The main results show which dimensions underlie metaphor use in English, how metaphor relates to the dimensions of variation in English, how much variation can be accounted for by knowing register distinctions, and which are the metaphorbased text types in English.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents vii
- Acknowledgements ix
- Preface xi
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Introduction
- Metaphor in specialist discourse 3
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Metaphor Variation in Specialist Discourse
- Register variation and metaphor use 17
- Metaphors in psychology genres 53
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Metaphor in Specific Contexts
- Payback and punishment 79
- They have to die for the goals 101
- The production line as a context for low metaphoricity 131
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Metaphor in Science Writing
- High on metaphor, low on simile? An examination of metaphor type in sub-registers of academic prose 163
- A mere metaphor? Framings of the concept of metaphor in biological specialist communication 191
- Dynamical systems metaphors 215
-
Metaphor and Popularization
- Metaphor, news discourse and knowledge 245
- Metaphor as tools of enrolment in the policy process 271
-
Conclusion
- Metaphor in specialist discourse 299
- Index 315
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents vii
- Acknowledgements ix
- Preface xi
-
Introduction
- Metaphor in specialist discourse 3
-
Metaphor Variation in Specialist Discourse
- Register variation and metaphor use 17
- Metaphors in psychology genres 53
-
Metaphor in Specific Contexts
- Payback and punishment 79
- They have to die for the goals 101
- The production line as a context for low metaphoricity 131
-
Metaphor in Science Writing
- High on metaphor, low on simile? An examination of metaphor type in sub-registers of academic prose 163
- A mere metaphor? Framings of the concept of metaphor in biological specialist communication 191
- Dynamical systems metaphors 215
-
Metaphor and Popularization
- Metaphor, news discourse and knowledge 245
- Metaphor as tools of enrolment in the policy process 271
-
Conclusion
- Metaphor in specialist discourse 299
- Index 315
