Everyday Metaphor: An Argument Against Prescriptivism

Dec 6, 2011 by

BY JULIE JIGOUR (Continuing Studies, “The Glamour of Grammar”) Language prescriptivists attest that there is a correct way to speak and write, a standard form of language that is inherently better than nonstandard forms....

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On space-time-emotion metaphors

Nov 3, 2011 by

In earlier postings, I discussed the use of metaphors in language and the role that metaphorical extension plays in semantic change. There is, however, a whole area of language where such metaphorical extension is crucial: the...

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Metaphor, synecdoche and language change

Nov 3, 2011 by

In the previous posting, I discussed various figures of speech, such as metaphor, metonymy and synecdoche, which make our everyday speech more colorful, more creative, more poetic even. However, the same figures of speech are also...

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Telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth

Nov 1, 2011 by

A couple of articles in the latest edition of The Economist warn us about new technology currently researched that will be able to read what people are thinking (see here and here). One of the main implication of such technology that...

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