Article outline

• 4.1Introduction
• 4.2Fiction
• 4.3Persuasion, argument and argument by analogy
• 4.4Explanation and modelling
• 4.5Re-conceptualisation
• 4.6Cultural and ideological (re-)production
• 4.7Symbolism
• 4.8Cultivating intimacy
• 4.9Humour and games
• 4.10Expressing emotion
• 4.11Disguise, euphemism, hyperbole
• 4.12Textual structuring
• 4.13Increasing information content
• 4.14Enhancing memorability
• 4.15Providing new lexis and making the language system flexible