A metaphor is truly a powerful tool in the English language. It is a comfort zone for people without a complex understanding of the language. It is a way to extrapolate the definition of a word, context, idea or term without knowing the true and exact definition. In “Metaphors We Live By” by George Lakoff & Mark Johnson we see many examples of this form of exploration into the english language. When reading the sections on Argument is War and Time is Money we see how we commonly use terminology that is easy to understand to replace more difficult concepts. These terms become shorthand/shortcuts to longer sentences, ideas and concepts.
As I was reading through the text, I tried testing myself to come up with another similar type of category that goes in hand with what I was reading. The category i came up with was Senses in Slang. The first phrase that popped into my head comes from a the popular television show, The Simpsons, where one of the catchphrase used by head bully Nelson is “Smell ya later”. While conversing with a friend on the train this morning, explaining a particular situation, he helped me obtain another phrase in his response, “I hear that,” which lingered and made me realize this type of connection and the power that the metaphor has on everyday life.
Growing up in New York and having been immersed in the english language from birth, I never realized the importance of the metaphor and how commonly it is used in everyday life. After reading this article, I better understand that the metaphor is a way to articulate your thoughts (or speak what’s on your mind). Since reading this article, I have caught myself eavesdropping on neighboring conversations and picking up on these types of metaphors that normally slip by as normal conversation.
I would like to challenge anyone that reads this post to comment with a phrase that you have heard that would fit with my category of Senses in Slang.
Very interesting post. I think you’re spot on in pointing out how metaphors allow people to explain the unfamiliar in terms of the familiar. That is a concept that Lakoff touched upon but didn’t go into a ton of depth explaining. Metaphors allow people to understand the incomprehensible. It’s a way of simplifying the world and making existence easier to understand.
I too had a similar experience where after reading the article I began to notice more how I use metaphors in my own life. I guess it’s because of how comfortable we are with them that we take them for granted and are not even conscious of our use of them
To go along with your “Senses in Slang” category, I’d add “I feel you.”
Great thoughts on the piece. I ‘see’ where you are going with this. I was thinking of a similar metaphorical concept but I couldn’t put my finger on any. You really nailed it with the “Senses in Slang” examples. Incorporating a well known Simpsons catchphrase can also never hurt.
I resonate with you in that as an English language speaker growing up, there’s not much conflict of adopting this concepts and phrases, and they just seem so natural to us. Whether we are fighting or just laughing amongst friends, metaphors are part of our everyday language.