Metaphor: Art and Nature of Langauge and Thought - Case Study Example

October 22, Metaphor Metaphor enhances the current creativity level of mundane language. The research delves on metaphor. The research delves on proving the importance of metaphor to spice up communication. Metaphor clarifies and catapults plain words into artistic masterpieces. Summary. Lynne Cameron defines the metaphor as one of the creative figures of speech. Cameron emphasised that metaphor words add images to the sentence. To understand the metaphor, the reader must understand the entire phrase or sentence together. For example, one sentence, the ship ploughs through the waves, indicates that the ship is moving slowly through the blocking high waves because the high storm waves are creating a strong resistance to the ship’s current path. The sentence should be literally interpreted as the ship is using a plough tool to plough the ocean, just like a farmer who literally ploughs the farm with the plough tool (Maybin & Swann 2006, p. 46). Further, Cameron discusses that some metaphors are so common that people do not realise they are metaphors. For example, the phase it is on the news today indicates that the topic is being discussed in the news. The people will realise that the phrase does not literally mean the “it” is on the news just like the glass is on the table (Maybin & Swann 2006, p. 47). In addition, Cameron observes that the people have different reasons for using metaphor. Most individuals use metaphor to improve understanding of the senders’ messages. For example, the child states that his tummy has a fire engine to send a clearer message that the child has a stomach ache (Maybin & Swann 2006, p. 50). Another example, … information on which we can build on., indicates that the information is used as a starting point for another activity. The phrase does not literally mean to build on something like placing a pen on a book (Maybin & Swann 2006, p. 50). Work organisation The Lynne Cameron article is well written and organised. The author starts her article by defining the meaning of metaphor, emphasising the creativity element that upgrades the metaphor-based message from plain sentence structures to a work of art. Next, the author offers many examples to let the readers of her article understand what she is talking about. The author offers different variations of how a metaphor is used. Further, the author discusses many types of metaphor uses. The author even goes down the level of children to make the article very interesting. The part about the lollipop trees metaphor brings up the readers’ mind to imagine when they were just little kids. As kids, lollipops were real treasures. The children felt momentarily happy when licking a lollipop. Further, the author correctly creates interest in the mind of the readers when she describes how the simple word on can be used to catapult the on word to a more artistic level by joining the word with other words to form the metaphor …build on. The author’s use of another metaphor, the ship ploughs through the waves, explains the creativity benefits of using metaphor. The author compares the ship’s plough activity with the farmer’s plough activity indicating that the effect of the ship’s plough of the sea has the same difficulty that is experienced by the farmer as the farmer ploughs the farm land. Consequently, the readers will easily understand the concept of metaphor. The same author rightfully explains why her work is well written. The author reiterates that the metaphor brings two different ideas together to generate further sense, seeing one thing in terms of something else (Cameron 2009, p. 3). The author enlightens her metaphor concept by writing another book. The other book gives more examples on the benefits of using metaphor. The mediocre reader will not resist the persuasive discussion of Cameron to include metaphor words in their daily lives because she is so swift, direct, credible, and true in her presentation of the topic. Types of evidence used to support the arguments and how effectively the evidence is used The author rightfully uses different types of evidences to convince the readers to accept her metaphor theory with open arms. The best evidence to prove a point is to give an example. That is exactly what the author did. The author showers her article with lots and lots of relevant and reliable metaphor examples. One example will convince the skeptics. Two examples will persuade the doubters. Three or more examples will win the argument in a very convincing manner. Other authors are in the same argument side as the author. One author similarly emphasises that metaphors are common words that mean something else when incorporated in a sentence or a phrase (Fischer 2011, p. 4). Fischer’s definition of metaphor clearly shows that Cameron is on the right track. Fischer affirms the author’s concept that when you add a simple word to a phrase, the simple word is metamorphosed to a more important stature in the language realm. Analysis of the author’s reasoning The author’s reasons are compelling and self-explanatory. Self-explanatory means that the author does not need to offer additional evidences to prove her point, metaphor’s secret creativity element. The author’s use of many metaphor examples will melt the cold heart of the metaphor detractors. The author offers many sides of the metaphor theory. The sides include the possibility that different readers of metaphor may have different interpretations. In this case, the author explains that the article readers’ culture is one of the significant factors that contribute to diverse interpretations or outlooks. Another author similarly affirms Cameron’s views by stating that the readers’ cultural upbringing, which includes where readers live and the readers’ external environment, creates diversely personal interpretations of a metaphor (Eder 2011, p. 17). For emphasis, the author rightfully explains that the delexicalised verbs and prepositions are in favor of combinations. For example, the metaphor now go back to your memory means the listener should think of the same problem or issue again (Maybin & Swann 2006, p. 47). The author correctly mentions that condensation focuses on comparables such as lollipop trees indicating trees look like lollipops (Maybin & Swann 2006, p. 46). Lastly, the author correctly mentions that noun formulations give emphasis. For example, one metaphor, the blanket of gases phase (Maybin & Swann 2006, p. 47), indicates the gas is like a blanket that covers something or someone below. The gas works in the same manner as a physical room blanket. The gas covers living things and /or nonliving things beneath its umbrella. The author’s values or biases that may affect the article’s effects The author’s values correctly do not bend towards bias. The author’s discussion of the metaphor concept is equally reserved for all readers, without regard for the readers’ gender, age, highest educational attainment, religion, or ethnicity. The author never mentioned anything that favors one group that may be detrimental to another reader group. Since the bias issue is not an issue, all readers will similarly interpret her discussion in an unbiased manner. Further, the author rightfully delves on the limits of her metaphor concept. Just like other general rules or general policies, there will always be some exceptions to the rule. Consequently, Lynne Cameron insists that metaphor has its foreseeable boundaries (Maybin & Swann 2006, p. 51). Some metaphor creates confusion on the minds of the message receiver. Different person normally interpret the same message or metaphor in different ways. The Scottish reader may interpret the metaphor in terms of one’s United Kingdom roots. The male reader may interpret the love metaphor message in terms of the male’s normal reactions to love for the female gender. The high school student will interpret an education-related metaphor in relation to one’s high school studies. More importantly, Lynne Cameron correctly opines that metaphor can be used in both prosaic and poetic manners (Maybin & Swann 2006, p. 52). Poem crafters and writers often use metaphor language to increase the beauty and quality of the poem or article. Prose pertains to non-poem works of art. Prose includes novels, speech, editorials, essays, and other literary art forms. Lastly, Lynne Cameron rightfully proposes that both the cognitive and potential aspects of metaphor can be maximised to influence the message receiver more effectively (Maybin & Swann 2006, p. 52). The Cameron metaphor examples send a strong overwhelming message to the readers. The message states that metaphor can be similarly effective in both the poem environment and the non-poem environment. Both literary forms send messages. The metaphor hones the words into a pinpoint delivery of the writers’ messages to the eager readers, eliminating vagueness. Another author does not differ from Lynne Camerons’ stand by stating that some artists, poets, and writers use metaphor to explain the world around us, especially with the popular quote “love is a collaborative work of art” that states that both spouses or lovers must contribute to the success of their love relationship (Koveses 2010, p. 36). Conclusion Summarising the above discussion, Lynne Cameron’s discussion shows that metaphor improves the current stature of mediocre language’s creativity level. Metaphor will add clarity to simple words. Metaphor translates mere words into phrases and sentences that produce more poignant messages, reducing unwarranted misunderstanding. Evidently, Lynne Cameron’s discussion proves that the metaphor’s creativity ingredient elucidates and upgrades plain words into artistic masterpieces. REFERENCES: Cameron, L., 2009, Metaphor and Reconciliation, Taylor & Francis Press, London. Eder, K., 2011, Metaphor and Culture, Grin Verlag Press, London. Fischer, E., 2011. Metaphor: Art and Nature of Langauge and Thought, AuthorHouse Press, London. Koveses, Z.,2010. Metaphor: A Practical Introduction, University Press, London. Maybin, J., Swann, J. 2006, The Art of English: Everyday Activity, Open University, London. Read More