Abstract
This chapter explores a concept which lies at the heart of human thought and communication: metaphor. In metaphor, one thing is seen in terms of another and the role of the interpreter is to identify points of similarity, allowing, for example, Romeo to refer to Juliet as ‘the Sun’. The chapter looks at the cognitive view of metaphor and its possible applications to second language learning and teaching. It then goes on to look at some developments in conceptual metaphor theory, such as the concept of primary metaphors and the relationship between phraseology and metaphor. It then moves on to discuss linguistic metaphor and the challenges it presents to language learners. It explores the ways in which metaphor use varies across genres and registers and discusses the implications that this has for second language learning. The chapter closes with a discussion of the potential advantages and limitations of cognitive linguistic approaches for helping learners to meet these challenges. It discusses research that has been conducted into the role played by metaphor in interaction and discusses the implications that the findings from this research have for the teaching and learning of metaphor.
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Littlemore, J. (2023). ‘Eyebrow Heads’ and ‘Yummy Mummies’: Metaphor and Second Language Learning. In: Applying Cognitive Linguistics to Second Language Learning and Teaching. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-39796-7_5
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