The cognitive metaphor theory according to Lakoff and Johnson (PDF)

Seminar paper from the year 2015 in the subject Speech Science / Linguistics, grade: 1,7, RWTH Aachen University (Institut für Sprach- und Kommunikationswissenschaft), course: Seminar zum Thema Semantik, language: English, abstract: What effects do metaphors have on thinking and what functions do they fulfill? The aim of the paper is to give a broad overview of the function and effect of metaphors and to examine their impact on thinking. For this purpose, examples from politics and advertising are examined and evaluated for metaphorical language use.

In order to be able to answer the question, the essence of metaphor will be outlined. Subsequently, the traditional metaphor theory according to Aristotle will be presented in order to offer an insight into the origins of metaphor theories and to be able to distinguish them from others. Since the cognitive metaphor theory according to Lakoff and Johnson serves as the basis of this paper, it will then be briefly presented and the most important types of metaphors will be described. Subsequently, criticisms of Lakoff's and Johnson's theory will be outlined.

Metaphors play a major role in our lives. They settle in our minds and occupy an important place in our language. Metaphors are much more than a rhetorical stylistic device in literary works. They determine everyday life and human thinking more than one might suspect. What appears to be everyday language turns out to be more metaphorical than one might assume at first glance. But metaphors are not only used unconsciously in everyday language, they are also used purposefully in political discourse and in advertising, where they unfold their full impact.