Bachelor
2021/2022
Introduction to Metaphor Studies
Category 'Best Course for Broadening Horizons and Diversity of Knowledge and Skills'
Category 'Best Course for New Knowledge and Skills'
Type:
Elective course (Foreign Languages and Intercultural Communication)
Area of studies:
Linguistics
Delivered by:
School of Foreign Languages
Where:
School of Foreign Languages
When:
4 year, 1-3 module
Mode of studies:
offline
Open to:
students of one campus
Instructors:
Alexandra Nagornaya
Language:
English
ECTS credits:
6
Contact hours:
40
Course Syllabus
Abstract
Metaphor is a highly relevant object of research in contemporary Linguistics. On the one hand, it is the quintessence of figural narration, an indispensable device for creating vivid and aesthetically appealing descriptions. On the other hand, it is the basic mechanism of thought which helps us to structure the flow of experience, find meaning in it and understand the most intricate abstract notions through association with trivial objects. Contemporary scholarship offers a variety of angles from which metaphor is studied. This course primarily relies on the Conceptual Metaphor Theory, developed by G. Lakoff and M. Johnson and further elaborated by W. Croft, D.A. Cruse, R. Gibbs, V. Evans, and other scholars. It also takes into consideration more recent advances in metaphor theory, including the Deliberate Metaphor Theory (G. Steen), the Discourse Dynamic Approach to metaphor (L. Cameron), the Discourse Metaphor Theory (J. Zinken) the Metaphoric Landscape Theory (J. Lawley and P. Tompkins) and others. Within the course the students will study the mechanism of metaphor generation, get an idea of how the most important conceptual metaphors work in the contemporary English language and culture, analyze the role of metaphors in discourse, discuss the phenomenon of metaphorical creativity (Z. Kövecses) and learn to make up novel metaphors, look into ways metaphors serve as means of exteriorizing complex subjective experience, analyze the role of metaphors in humor and their use as euphemisms and dysphemisms. Besides, the students will study alternative formats of metaphor representation: gesture and picture. The course is particularly useful for future Intercultural Communication specialists as it reveals the cultural specificity of metaphors and shows inseparable connections between cultural and language dynamics.
Learning Objectives
- - to achieve a systemic view of contemporary Metaphor Studies
- - to know the latest advances in metaphor theory and trends in its development
- - to understand the mechanism of metaphor formation within the paradigm of Cognitive Linguistics
- - to be able to identify and classify metaphors in different types of discourse
- - to be able to properly analyze metaphors
- - to be able to creatively modify metaphors and construe metaphors
Expected Learning Outcomes
- The students are expected to know the mechanisms of metaphorical creativity both at the conceptual and verbal levels
- The students are supposed to be able to differentiate between different types of context relevant to the construction of metaphor
- The students are supposed to know basic conceptual metaphors relevant to the contemporary English-speaking culture and be able to detect them in their various verbal representations
- The students should be able to systemically describe conceptual and deliberate metaphors
- The students should be familiar with the concept of co-construction of metaphor
- The students should know the concept of discourse metaphor, be able to identify discourse metaphors in text and analyze their functions
- The students should know the discourse dynamic approach to metaphor
- The students should understand the concept of cultural specificity and historical variability of metaphors, be able to differentiate between conventional and creative metaphors
Course Contents
- The linguistic and conceptual approach to metaphor
- Dialectic view of metaphor
- Primary Metaphors
- Complex Metaphors
- Metaphor in culture
- Metaphor in context
- Metaphor in discourse
- Metaphorical creativity
Assessment Elements
- Presentation on theory (review of the current theories, ideas and hypotheses)can be retaken if a valid excuse such as a sick leaf is present
- paper reviewThe review is written in Russian and covers only recent publications. The best analytical reviews will be considered for publications. If they get accepted, each of the authors gets an extra 10
- presentation of a research projectcan be retaken if a valid excuse such as a sick leaf is provided
- participation
Interim Assessment
- 2021/2022 3rd module0,3 (presentation on theory) + 0,3 (presentation of research project) + 0,2 (review) + 0,2 (participation)
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- Artscience : creativity in the post-Google generation, Edwards, D., 2008
- Creativity and art : three roads to surprise, Boden, M. A., 2010
- Creativity and education. Vol.3: Expressions and domains of creativity, , 2017
- Dramas, fields, and metaphors : symbolic action in human society, Turner, V., 1978
- Explaining creativity : the science of human innovation, Sawyer, R. K., 2012
- Exploding the creativity myth : the computational foundations of linguistic creativity, Veale, T., 2012
- Exploring creativity : evaluative practices in innovation, design, and the arts, , 2013
- Human behavior and the social environment : models, metaphors, and maps for applying theoretical perspectives to practice, Forte, J. A., 2007
- Interpreting figurative meaning, Gibbs, R. W., 2012
- Language in use : metaphors in non-literary contexts, , 2016
- Metaphor, Ritchie, L. D., 2013
- Windows to the mind : metaphor, metonymy and conceptual blending, , 2011
- История и тропология: взлет и падение метафоры, Анкерсмит, Ф. Р., 2003
- Теория метафоры : сборник, , 1990
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- Amusing ourselves to death : public discourse in the age of show business, Postman, N., 2006
- Beyond cognitive metaphor theory : perspectives on literary metaphor, , 2011
- Knowledge, communication and creativity, , 2007
- Миф и метафора : лингвофилос. подход, Барышников, П. Н., 2010