Article published In:
Metaphor and the Social WorldVol. 14:1 (2024) ► pp.22–42
The raw and the (over)cooked
states are physical qualities
Researchers have long recognized the role of metaphor in conceptualizing states. We contribute to research on the
conceptualization of state concepts in two ways. First, we identify a not-yet-recognized metaphor system commonly used to
conceptualize states: states are physical qualities. We contend that states are physical qualities is an
elaboration of the image-schematic states are locations metaphor, with a higher degree of specificity, affording
entailments not supported by states are locations. After introducing the physical qualities metaphor system, we examine
the function of states are physical qualities in the social world, finding that people use it to evaluate objects
across many domains. Specifically, there is a significant distinction between two prototypical physical qualities –
processed and unprocessed – used to conceptualize socially salient state differences, with
“cooking” as the prototypical form of processing. Particularly in the domain of aesthetic evaluation, this is seen in the metaphor
authentic is unprocessed. In practical domains such as sports and science, this is seen in the metaphor developed
is processed. In all these cases, the evaluation of people and objects is grounded in the perception of their states,
comprehended as physical qualities.
Keywords: metaphor, states, evaluation, authenticity, development
Article outline
- 1.Background
- 2. states are physical qualities
- 3.
states are physical qualities in the social world
- 3.1 authentic is unprocessed, inauthentic is processed
- 3.2Developed is processed, undeveloped is unprocessed
- 4.Discussion
- Acknowledgements
- Notes
-
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