Andrew Goatly looks at how we use metaphor to communicate meaning. Combining insights from functional linguistics and relevance theory, he provides a powerful model for understanding how metaphors work in real communicative situations. "The Language of Metaphors" - Examines the boundary between metaphor and literal language and how words cross over. - Shows how abstract concepts are metaphorically structured in the English dictionary. - Inventories the ways metaphors are signalled, expressed and interact in text. - Contains numerous activities and suggestions for further research. (Publisher Book Description) 1 Metaphorical and Literal Language 14 4 How Different Kinds of Metaphors Work 107 5 Relevance Theory and the Functions of Metaphor 137 6 The Signalling of Metaphor 168 7 The Specification of Topics 198 8 The Specification of Grounds 229 9 The Interplay of Metaphors 255 10 Metaphor in its Social Context 283