Edited by Anke Beger and Thomas H. Smith
[Figurative Thought and Language 6] 2020
► pp. 113–139
This contribution analyzes metaphors in expert bioscientific texts on reproductive technologies from cloning to pre-implantation genetic diagnosis in German print media during the time when, according to some German journalists, restrictive attitudes seemed ripe for change. The study uses systematic metaphor analysis to investigate the functional content of metaphors for those producing a text. It shows how conventional metaphors contribute to the popularization of science, as they bring new reproductive technologies into the realm of our everyday experience. For scientists, this work shows the fine line between explanatory use of metaphors and distortions which can harm the reputation of science. It may foster a nonscientist’s ability to interpret metaphors in the production of hope in the promise of new technologies.
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