Publications
Publication details [#9891]
Semino, Elena and Gerard J. Steen. 2008. Metaphor in literature. In Gibbs, Raymond W., Jr. The Cambridge Handbook of Metaphor and Thought. Cambridge , UK: Cambridge University Press . pp. 232–246. 15 pp.
Publication type
Article in book
Publication language
English
Keywords
Place, Publisher
Cambridge , UK: Cambridge University Press
Abstract
Semino and Steen consider in their chapter the ubiquity and functions of metaphor in literature ("Metaphor in Literature"). They note the paradox of metaphor in literature being both continuous and discontinuous with metaphorical language use in non-literary contexts. On the one hand, many literary metaphors are based in common metaphorical schemes of thought seen in non-literary discourse (e.g., political speeches and scientific writings), while, on the other hand, some literary metaphors are unique to their specific contexts in both form and functions. Semino and Steen explain how both points of view have validity and that understanding the distribution, function, and effects of metaphor in literature will require supplementary information from both corpus-linguistic and psycholinguistic studies.
(Raymond Gibbs)