Publications
Publication details [#6174]
Ickler, Theodor. 1993. Zur Funktion der Metapher, besonders in Fachtexten (On the function of metaphor, especially in specialized texts). Técnica administrativa 15 (3-4) : 94–110. 17 pp.
Publication type
Article in journal
Publication language
German
Keywords
Abstract
Claims that metaphors are a frequent occurrence in scientific-technical texts where they are used for illustrative and analogy-producing purposes are rejected as some issues related to the metaphor are addressed: definition problems of the metaphor, conventional/living/dead metaphors, the vagueness in metaphors and its interpretation, the role of context in metaphor use, and the relationship between metaphor and metonymy/hyperbole. It is argued that the illustration of ideas and cognitive analogy are conveyed in scientific texts not by metaphors but models. The similarities and differences between metaphors and models are examined and it is found that as stylistic devices, metaphors are useless in specialized texts whereas models are genuine means of cognition. (Copyright 1994, Sociological Abstracts, Inc., all rights reserved.)
(LLBA 1994, vol. 28, n. 3)