Abstract
This paper addresses the issues with current systems of categorisation and measurement of linguistic metaphoricity, which have coloured most research into the area to-date. The paper discusses the role of metaphor as a form of creative language and a deviation from more linguistic norms and conventionalities. Two current theories are discussed as providing alternatives to metaphor identification approaches. These are Hanks’ (Int J Lexicogr 17:3, 2004) Theory of Norms and Exploitations and Hoey’s (Lexical priming and the properties of text, 2003) Theory of Lexical Priming. It is proposed that the theory of lexical priming can be adopted to provide an explanation of linguistic norms and exploitations involved in metaphoric language. Finally, the paper provides a brief corpus analysis of the verb to kindle found in a corpus of Nineteenth Century writings. The analysis will focus upon evidence of linguistic and secondary meaning primings within concordance lines.
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Notes
‘Application of a term to a thing which it does not properly denote; abuse or perversion of a trope or metaphor’ (http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/28665?redirectedFrom=catachresis#eid) —Accessed 29/04/2013.
For all concordance lines, see “Appendix”.
The obscure name comes from a relevant scene in the 1980 film Airplane!
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Appendix
Appendix
List of kindle concordances in corpus of 19th century writings:
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Patterson, K.J. The Analysis of Metaphor: To What Extent Can the Theory of Lexical Priming Help Our Understanding of Metaphor Usage and Comprehension?. J Psycholinguist Res 45, 237–258 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10936-014-9343-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10936-014-9343-1