Publications

Publication details [#134]

Elvevåg, B., K. Helsen, M. De Hert, K. Sweers and G. Storms. 2011. Metaphor interpretation and use: A window into semantics in schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Research 133 (1-3) : 205–211. 7 pp.
Publication type
Article in journal
Publication language
English
Place, Publisher
Elsevier Inc

Abstract

The study investigates figures of speech used by patients suffering from schizophrenia; in particular it focuses on idiosyncratic interpretations of metaphors. The authors of the article compare the use and interpretations of metaphors by schizophrenic patients and healthy participants. They also investigated the problem of emotional versus non-emotional language interpretation in the production of idiosyncratic or literal uses of metaphors. The concept that they studied in detail was TIME. The authors observed that the frequency of use of metaphors was similar in schizophrenic patients and the control group and that there was no difference in the use of idiosyncratic interpretations. The final conclusion is that semantic processes involved in metaphor interpretation and use remain unaffected in schizophrenia.