Have you ever thought about metaphors? What their purpose is, how they differ in various languages? Or even how they help us to understand the world?
Metaphors are so commonly used in everyday language that they are often overlooked âbut they play a very important role in helping us to understand the world and think more deeply about things around us. They explain complex concepts in a creative way and help us to connect with each other. Even the word âmetaphorâ is a metaphor; in Greek, it means âto carry across or beyond.â
Metaphors are a key concept when it comes to learning something new â by comparing it to something we already know, it makes it easier for us to understand. Often, metaphors are used to illustrate emotions or ideas. In English, the phrase âmy heart is brokenâ depicts sadness; in French, âI have a peachâ expresses excitement. Common metaphors vary among different languages, but their function is the same: to express to others what youâre feeling in a creative way so that they can understand you or your experiences better.
There arenât universal metaphors that work in every language. But there are ânear universalsâ that appear in multiple languages, even those of different language families. For example: the metaphor of vision to mean understanding or conveying intimacy by connecting it with warmth are common across many languages. Since hugging and being physically close to others creates warmth, itâs not surprising that this comes up across various language families.
Some languages, while not having the same metaphors, have similar ones. In Dutch, you may say someone has the âskin of an elephantâ â in English, this equivalent would be saying âyou have thick skin.â In English, when we refer to something as extremely unlikely, we may say âwhen pigs fly.â In French, this phrase would instead be âwhen hens will have teeth.â
Metaphors often relate to daily life, and so the culture of a country can have a significant influence on its metaphors. In French, there is an abundance of food-related metaphors. âTelling saladsâ means âtelling tall tales,â while âmind your onionsâ means âmind your own business.â Often, speakers will draw on something that is culturally important in their metaphors.
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