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Poli ical Discou se as Phenomenon o Empi ical Knowledge
EJIKE, P omise Uzochi
Depa men o English and Communica ion S udies, Facul y o Humani ies, Fede al Uni e si y
O uoke, Bayelsa S a e.
ABSTRACT
This s udy p o ides a comp ehensi e linguis ic and discou se-based analysis o selec ed poli ical
speeches deli e ed by Sena o Douye Di i, he Execu i e Go e no o Bayelsa S a e, Nige ia.
D awing on he amewo ks o Concep ual Me apho Theo y [CMT] and C i ical Discou se
Analysis [CDA], he esea ch explo es how language is s a egically employed o cons uc
meaning, shape ideology, and in luence public pe cep ion wi hin he socio-poli ical landscape o
Bayelsa S a e. Using a quali a i e desc ip i e esea ch design, he s udy examines key speeches
such as “The Budge o G ow h 2021,” inaugu al add esses, and educa ional policy s a emen s o
unco e he deploymen o me apho ical and he o ical de ices) in ad ancing go e nance
na a i es. Findings e eal ha Go e no Di i’s speeches employ me apho s such as de elopmen
is a jou ney, educa ion as a pa hway o g ow h, and he s a e as a amily uni o communica e
isions o uni y, p og ess, and mo al go e nance. Th ough he s a egic use o inclusi e p onouns
and emo i e exp essions), he cons uc s a discou se o sha ed esponsibili y and legi imacy while
appealing o alues o jus ice, se ice, and collec i e esilience. The analysis demons a es ha his
poli ical language goes beyond he o ic, se ing as an ins umen o pe suasion and ideological
aming). The s udy concludes ha poli ical discou se in Nige ia is a po en ins umen o
cons uc ing meaning and poli ical iden i y. I ecommends ex ending me apho ical and discou se-
based analysis o digi al communica ion pla o ms), whe e language con inues o ede ine poli ical
communica ion in he con empo a y e a.
KEYWORDS: Poli ical discou se, C i ical Discou se Analysis, Concep ual Me apho Theo y.
INTRODUCTION
In con empo a y socie y, poli ical speeches play a c ucial ole in shaping public discou se and
in luencing public opinion. They se e as powe ul ools o poli icians o exp ess hei isions,
pe suade he elec o a es as well as anyone who ca es o lis en and as well ga ne suppo o hei
ideologies and policies. As such, an analysis o a ex ual s ylis ic pe spec i e p o ides aluable
insigh s in o he s a egies and echniques employed by poli icians o achie e hei communica i e
goals. This disse a ion conduc s a c i ical discou se analysis o selec ed poli ical speeches o
Go e no Douye Di i o Bayelsa S a e, examining he linguis ic ea u es, me apho ical and
discu si e s a egies u ilized by he Go e no o con ey his poli ical messages e ec i ely.
Unde s anding he backg ound o he s udy is c ucial o con ex ualize he esea ch wi hin exis ing
knowledge and schola ly con ibu ions. The p ac ice o poli ics has o e he yea s been supplied
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wi h he ac ul o mula ion o pe cep ions and belie s abou signi ican occu ences o p oblems,
policy changes and mos signi ican ly o leade s. Amids his cons uc ion o belie s a e a clash o
in e es s, pe suasion and manipula ion, imposi ion o opinions, de ini ion o allies and opponen s
e c.
The e is, he e o e always, a linguis ic, discu si e and communica i e dimension o he ield o
poli ics. Edelman (1985:1) a es s o his phenomenon when he commen ed ha while coe cion
and in imida ion help o check esis ance in all poli ical sys ems, he key cou se mus always be
he e oca ion o meanings ha legi imize a o ed cou ses o ac ion and h ea en o eassu e people
so as o encou age hem o be suppo i e o emain inac i e.
This e oca ion o meanings undoub edly hinges on ca e ully c a ed speeches which ha e
he e o e become an in eg al componen o he ield o poli ics. This is due o hei in ended
objec i e which is o pe suade he audience o accep he s ance o he speech make . To his end,
poli ical speeches assume ai s such as sub le mys i ica ion and dis o ion in hei ques o
pe suade he audience o accep he s ance o he speech make (Edelman,1985). In he s uggle
o poli ical powe be ween hose who seek o main ain powe and hose who seek o esis i o
ins ance, he abili y o a poli ical speech o mys i y and dis o becomes e y c ucial. In his,
se e al schola s ha e explo ed he s ylis ic and he o ical aspec s o poli ical speeches, explaining
he in ica e ela ionship be ween language and poli ics. Fo ins ance, Oye ade and Oyimade
(2016) conduc ed an analysis on poli ical speeches in Nige ia, ocusing on he linguis ic ea u es
ha con ibu e o e ec i e poli ical communica ion. Thei s udy e ealed he p edominan use o
pe suasi e s a egies such as me apho , epe i ion and pa allelism in poli ical speeches,
emphasizing he signi icance o s ylis ic choices o success ul communica ion.
Fu he mo e, Fa ne i and Ross (2018) in es iga ed he he o ical s a egies employed by poli ical
leade s, highligh ing he ole o e hos, pa hos and logos in pe suasi e discou se. Thei s udy
emphasized how poli icians adop hei linguis ic choices o appeal o he emo ion and a ionali y
o hei audience, enabling hem o build us and c edibili y. The exp ession o hough s, alues,
iews, wishes, emo ions e ol e hugely a ound language. Language is wha is spoken o w i en.
I consis s o he use o wo ds in a meaning ul and ag eed o de .
Aims and Objec i es
1. To analyze he embedded linguis ic ea u es in Go e no Di i’s language as used o cons uc
his poli ical iden i y and au ho i y.
To e alua e how Go e no Di i si ua es his speeches o c ea e a sense o inclusion o exclusion.
LITERATURE AND THEORETICAL REVIEW
Tex ual Analysis
Tex ual analysis sc u inizes he meaning and con ex o w i en ex , ocusing on linguis ic and
symbolic aspec s. The con eyance o meaning is language dependen . In ex ual analysis, language is
seen beyond he su ace as how i cons uc s eali y and shapes pe cep ions.
B own (2015) emphasizes ha ex ual analysis is a c i ical ool o unco e ing how language
cons uc s, main ains, and challenges powe ela ions wi hin socie y. I is widely applied in he
a ea o communica ion as i is a holis ic discipline app oach ha cu s ac oss a ious disciplines
ela ed o social sciences and humani ies. The schola wen on o commen on he me hodologies
o ex ual analysis, emphasizing i s abili y o in eg a e a ia ions ha del e in o mo e speci ic
echniques wi hin he ela ed ield such as con en analysis, semio ics, in e ac ional analysis, and
he o ic c i icism. Fai clough (2015) a gues ha language is no neu al—i is a social p ac ice
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deeply in e wined wi h powe ela ions and ideology. The o igin o ex ual analysis can be seen
in he G eek my h o He mes, he my hological God. In his explo a ion, when He mes was saddled
wi h he signi ican ole o ansmi ing messages om he gods o a i icial mo als, he had o
ini ially in e p e he di ine ex s and la e ansla e and elucida e hei meaning in a language easy
o comp ehend by o dina y humans.
Tex ual analysis encompasses a wide unde s anding o language and symbols con ained in ex s o
ob ain insigh s conce ning how eade s unde s and he ex . Tex ual analysis aims o unde s and
he meaning o na u al meaning p esen in he ex . Tex ual analysis is a undamen al ool
employed by a ious esea che s o ob ain insigh s in o how people unde s and o see he wo ld.
I se es as a me hod, a p ocess o ob aining in o ma ion, especially o eade s seeking o
unde s and how indi idual o a ious cul u es and subcul u es sees hei iden i y and hei posi ion
in he wo ld (Alan, 2012).
In addi ion, Ane i (2020) posi ed ha when discussing ex ual analysis, we ake in o accoun he
possibili y su ounding he mos app op ia e unde s anding o a gi en con ex .
Omozuwa (2013) p o ides insigh o unco e he in ended pu pose o ex ual analysis. He
submi ed ha he hallma k o ex ual analysis goes beyond e ealing a de ini e o concealed
meaning o a ex a he ; ou in en is o iden i y and ecognize a wide a ay o po en ial meanings
undamen al o he ma e ial analyzed. Ins ead o ying o e eal he hidden meanings, explo e he
w i e ’s subconscious in en ions, o iden i y po en ial biases wi hin he gi en ex , we emphasized
employing di e en echniques o pe spec i es. This p inciple p o ides us wi h a be e
unde s anding and in e p e a ion o he analyzed ma e ials by aking in o accoun he cul u al and
ideological pe spec i es es ablished wi hin a pa icula ime. Addi ionally, i con ibu es o he ex
gaining wide sp ead ecogni ion and becoming an inhe en pa o human unde s anding.
The eal pu pose o ex ual analysis goes beyond a me e examina ion o he ex ’s s uc u e o
appea ance; i in ends o ob ain he accu a e meaning o message o a gi en ex . I does no only
ocus on explaining o in e p e ing he s uc u e o he ex . Ra he , i encompasses de eloping a
dynamic s uc u e o he ex , main aining he eal con ex o he wo k and i s essence. Ul ima ely,
ex ual analysis does no y o e eal wha cons i u es he ex bu , ins ead, seeks o ind ou how
he ex was de eloped and dissemina ed.
Poli ical Speeches
I is widely belie ed ha language and poli ics a e closely ela ed; language is o ins ance, he
oice wi h which poli ics is hea d, is he li eblood o poli ics. I is he channel h ough which
poli ical discou se, hough s and ideas a e ex ensi ely dispe sed. Maz ui (1975:48) subs an ia es
his when he w i es ha : “Language is he mos impo an poin o en y in o habi o hough o
people. I emboldens wi hin i sel ci cula i e associa ion de i ed om he o al expe ience o i s
people”. Language is he men al acul y ha allows humans o unde ake linguis ic beha io . I is
he ool wi h which go e nmen ies o con ol no only he beha io bu also he hough o he
elec o a es o ci izens. I is deba able whe he language would ha e de eloped in he i s place
wi hou poli ics and ce ain ha poli ics would ne e ha e de eloped wi hou language. Poli ical
speeches se e as a c i ical pla o m o public igu es and leade s o communica e hei policies,
ideas, and isions o he masses. Language is he communica i e ool o a oiding poli ical con lic
as well as inci es. One o m o cons uc i e ambigui y is mas e ing he a o gene aliza ion. Some
sh ewd poli icians endea o o a oid commi ing hemsel es o elec o al p omises ha hey a e
no su e hey can ul ill. Al hough Poli icians a e c ea i e in e ms o c ea i i y in language usage
(Daniel 2004:243) a campaign allies, poli ical speeches a e made in one language o he o he ,
which in mos o he ime, he p o iciency o a luen speake has a g ea e posi i e e ec on he
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elec o a es, who belie e ha in a changing wo ld, he a ai s o he s a es should be en us ed in
he hands o he li e a es (Omoniyi 2004:112). I is impe a i e o no e ha people wan hei leade s
o o e hope and p ospec s o a b igh e u u e. Language such as English language in Nige ia has
p o en o be o emendous alue o Nige ian poli icians.
Ka asik (2012) also emphasizes ha poli ical communica ion is deeply shaped by cul u al codes,
powe dynamics, and s a egic language use. He p o ides a amewo k o analyzing how
poli icians cons uc meaning and in luence public pe cep ion
Poli ical speech is employed as a echnique o sway powe o impac and in luence people’s
hough s and opinions. I s ands as a echnique used o go e n he socie y a la ge.
Acco ding o Chil on (2018), poli ical speech goes beyond me e communica ion; i encompasses
s a egic and in luen ial de ices used o decei e and pe suade he pe cep ions and opinions o he
public o poli ical in e es . Speech is hea d by a la ge numbe o people, and each indi idual
possesses di e en in e p e a ions ha can in luence he candida es’ chances o winning. In his
Da id (2012) signi ican ly opined ha a poli ical speech is no me ely a ehicle o con eying
in o ma ion, bu a s a egic ool o shaping social ela ionships, in luencing public pe cep ion, and
pe o ming ac ions h ough language. He explained ha poli ical speech as a de ice used o
es ablishing and main aining social in e ac ion, con eying eelings and acili a ing insigh s,
policies, and p og ams in any socie y. F om a p agma ic pe spec i e, his con o ms o Speech Ac
Theo y, whe ein he ou come o a speech ac o en depends on he speake ’s in en ion and he
con ex in which he wo ds we e spoken. In poli ical speech, concep s and ideologies mus be
communica ed h ough language o ensu e uni y om he immedia e audiences and as well om
indi iduals who may come in con ac wi h pa s o he speech h ough media co e age a a la e
pe iod (Nelly, 2012).
The a ionale is ha poli ical speech seeks o con ince and in luence no only hose physically
seen a he ime he speech was made bu also include a b oad audience ha may come ac oss i
on o he media pla o ms. Wo ds and exp essions a e s a egically u ilized o excluded o
in luence in e p e a ions in a ious a eas. Addi ionally, poli ical speeches a e designed by a
ne wo k o p o icien speechw i e s well-g ounded in he use o pe suasi e language. The ou come
o a poli ical speech may no be based on co ec ness o u h ulness; a he i may lie on he
e ec i e p esen a ion o a gumen s (Sam, 2015). Va ious speeches a e communica ed o he
people p io o he elec ion; hese speeches can also be iewed as p e-elec ion special add esses,
speci ically du ing campaigns and allies. Ul ima ely, a poli ical speech s ands as a ex , an
ou come, and a p ocedu e ha can be spoken o penned down (Hashim, 2015). Howe e , se e al
poli icians a e unobse an o he ela ionship be ween spoken wo ds, he ac ual meanings o he
wo ds, and he s eps implied by he spoken wo ds. In he s udy o poli ical speeches, a well-known
heo y ha has es ed and p o en e icacy and is app op ia e o analysis is he speech ac heo y.
Ci izens whose sys em o go e nance is democ a ic in na u e a e gi en he p i ilege o exe cise
hei choice o leade ship by going o he polling uni o cas hei o e du ing he elec ion pe iod
ei he o indi idual candida es o poli ical pa ies (Jane , 2023). Rega dless o he ac whe he
indi iduals o e is based on hei poli ical belie , o no , hei choice o go e nance will be
de e mined by he communica ion h ough language. Ka asik (2012) asse ed ha all h ough
a ious poli ical sys ems, including, au oc a ic, oliga chic, and democ a ic, leade s ha e
his o ically employed spoken wo d o con ince hei candida es o hei compe ence and
accoun abili y in occupying such posi ion. In essence, he use o pe suasi e language applies o
a ious ypes o go e nmen s uc u es.
S ylis ic S udy
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Gene ally, s ylis ic s udy is seen as a con empo a y e sion o he ancien ield o ` he o ic`. In he
ime pas , Rhe o ic educa ed s uden s on how a gumen should be o ganized and s uc u ed, he
p o icien use o igu es o speech and he ul ima e c a ing and speech a ia ion o w i ing
s uc u e o a ain he highes peak. The compa ison indica es ha , jus like he o ic, s ylis ics
cen es on how language and s yle a e e ec i ely used o pe suade o c ea e iendly
communica ion (Wales, 2013). In o he wo ds, i is he s udy and examina ion o ex s om a
linguis ic angle. Acco ding o Webe (2018), s ylis ics se e as a connec o be ween li e a y
c i icism and language, b inging oge he he analysis o li e a u e wi h he s udy o language.
Howe e , s ylis ics is no an independen a ea o s udy; ins ead, i unc ions a he mee ing poin
o hese disciplines. S ylis ic s udies gene ally ocus on li e a y wo ks bu do no exclusi ely
depend on “canonical li e a y wo ks”. The scope o s ylis ic s udy goes beyond i s analy ical scope
a he i co e s a wide ange o w i en wo ks spanning a ious gen es which includes hose no
con en ionally conside ed p es igious in he li e a y domain. The key unc ion and essence o
s ylis ic s udy depends on i s capaci y o s eamline immedia e comp ehension o spoken wo ds
and ex s, he eby op imizing ou app ecia ion o he ex s.
Acco ding o Sebeok (2020), he hallma k o mos s ylis ics is no solely o desc ibe he
con en ional ea u es o ex s in sepa a ion, bu ins ead o desc ibe hei ope a ing unc ion o
in e p e ing he ex ; o o es ablish a link be ween li e a y ou comes wi h linguis ically ele an
ac o s. Simila ly, Simpson (2014) iewed ha s ylis ics s udy and aspec s o linguis ic s udy apply
o li e a y wo ks, es ablishing he ela ionship be ween language s yle and a is ic unc ion, wi h a
ocus on ques ions o mo i a ion such as “why “and “how “ins ead o “wha ”. Howe e , he e a e
wo ypes o s ylis ics namely, li e a u e s ylis ics and gene al s ylis ics.
Consequen ly, s ylis ic app oaches can and ha e been u ilized o explo e non- ic ional o non-
li e a u e wo ks such as ad e ising, academic w i ing, poli ical speeches, news b oadcas ing and
o he semio ic ea u es such as TV and pic u e-o ien ed ma ke ing, ilm, di e se-mode
publica ions, e c. S ylis icians la gely apply linguis ic models, heo ies, and amewo ks in ex
analysis o desc ibe why a ex appea s o be w i en in a pa icula way i does and why i gi es
i sel o de ini e o di e en in e p e a ions o meaning.
Gene ally, s ylis ics, as i s name sugges s, cen es on he s yle seen in bo h spoken and w i en
language. I s oo depends on he no ion ha e e y ime we use language o speaking o w i ing,
we always consciously and unconsciously make decisions conce ning he wo ds we selec (lexical
selec ion) and how we employ hem (syn ac ic s uc u e). These selec ions gene ally con ibu e o
a unique s yle, and changes in hese choices esul in an al e a ion in he language s yle. This is
he a ionale o wha s ylis ics seeks o explo e: how schola s a ain ce ain ou comes h ough hei
language s yles and how eade s in e p e hese changes. Thus, s ylis ic s udy is seen as he s udy
o linguis ic s yles and he in es iga ion o how language is used o applied (Aminu, 2015).
In conclusion, s ylis ics s udy is shaped by he in es iga ion o linguis ic s yle in di e en con ex s,
ei he linguis ically o si ua ional. Howe e , due o he complex his o ical iew and b oad
spec um o issues in ol ed in he examina ion o his ield o s udy, iden i ying a de ini i e
de ini ion o in e p e a ion o s ylis ics becomes a challenge. Also, es ablishing a clea
unde s anding be ween s ylis ics and o he b anches o linguis ic s udy ha discuss ex analysis
also p o es o be in ica e
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Concep ual Me apho Theo y
Concep ual Me apho as p opounded by Lako and Johnson in 1980 belie es ha me apho ical
language is a e lec ion o how humans concep ualize abs ac concep s h ough conc e e
expe iences o he han s ylis ic de ices. I sugges s ha unde s anding o complex and in angible
concep s is usually s uc u ed and unde s ood in e ms o mo e conc e e domains wi h
me apho ical mappings se ing as a cogni i e mechanism o co esponding knowledge be ween
domains. Lako and Johnson (1980) a gue ha me apho s shape ou concep ual sys em and
in luence how we pe cei e eali y. I shapes ou iews wi hou we ealizing i .
Also, Lako (2008) u he explains ha me apho is no me ely a linguis ic lou ish bu a neu al
mechanism ha s uc u es hough . Me apho esides no only in language bu also in ou hough s.
They a e no only used in iewing he wo ld bu in molding ou hough s. The e ised edi ion by
Lako and Johnson (2003) expand on he embodied na u e o me apho and i cul u al a iabili y
Me apho s such as li e is jou ney can ac ually go e n he way we hink abou li e: we se goals we
wan o each, we do ou bes o each hose goals p epa ing ou hough s and minds in case
obs acles a e me .
Casasan o (2019) posi ed ha concep ual me apho heo y a ibu es meaning o abs ac ideas
h ough me apho ical connec ion and has been concep ualized wi hin he e ms o bound and
space, has mo e o co e a eas such as he dynamic na u e o me apho usage and he ole hey
pe o m as cogni i e de ices in audio isual cinema ic communica ion. This indica es a c i ical
analysis o how connec ed men al ideas o he wo ld a e ans o med in o clea images as well as
gi ing unde s anding o ime and space ha anscends beyond me e sequen ial e olu ion. In
esponse o he psychoanaly ic-semio ic heo e ical pa adigm, he undamen al s udy and
heo e ical p inciples o concep ual me apho heo y has laid he p emise o he es ablishmen o
cogni i e ilm heo y and in u n, i has become a ca alys wi hin he b oad scope o cogni i e
media s udies.
Fai clough (2015) a gues ha language is no neu al—i is a social p ac ice deeply in e wined
wi h powe ela ions and ideology.
No wi hs anding, i s signi icance he heo y has been subjec ed o objec ion based o i s de iciency
in p o iding de ailed insigh on how esea ch should be ca ied ou and concise guidelines o
conduc ing e alua ion in a sys ema ic manne ha can emula ed by o he s (Paulo, 2020). A key
objec ion aised agains he heo y s ems om he acknowledgemen ha one me apho ical
exp ession can be connec ed wi h mul i ace ed concep ual me apho s, ins ead o being connec ed
o jus one speci ic meaning o in e p e a ion. The s anda d de ini ion o concep ual me apho
heo y en ails analyzing one domain o expe ience by linking o conc e e one. Also, his de ini ion
wen u he o p o ide insigh on he wo elemen s o concep ual me apho which a e he cogni i e
p ocess o unde s anding (p ocess aspec ) and he p oduc aspec ( esul ing concep ual pa e n
connec ed by me apho ).
The concep ual me apho heo y is made up bo h he sou ce domain which is a conc e e domain
used o in e p e abs ac o less angible ideas known as a ge example. Looking a he concep ual
me apho heo y and how hese wo domains apply, o ins ance Li e is a Jou ney is an example
o concep ual me apho heo y. Also, Li e is a Jou ney appea s o be mo e o a angible and
conc e e domain han abs ac concep o li e. Thus, Jou ney is conside ed as he sou ce domain in
his me apho , Li e is a Jou ney. In his sense, concep ual me apho heo y asse s ha conc e e o
angible domains se e as a sou ce domain o mo e abs ac concep s in me apho . This conclusion
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is de i ed om he examina ion o mul iple concep ual me apho s seen in exis ing li e a u es,
examples o which include me apho s such as Li e is a Jou ney, Ange is Fi e, and Theo ies a e
Building. Feldman (2016) men ioned ha he belie ha mos concep ual me apho s use angible
domains as sou ces and abs ac domains as a ge s is na u ally comp ehensible. Fo example, Li e
is complex and abs ac , ange is an in e nal emo ion, and heo y is an in ica e men al cons uc ion,
which con o ms o his assump ion o belie . In line wi h he abo e example, an abs ac o non-
conc e e idea ( he a ge ) is concep ualized as and iews mo e o conc e e and a icula ed
comp ehensible concep s (sou ce). Vicen e (2020) posi ed ha his en y p o ides a clea
unde s anding o abs ac concep s by connec ing i wi h some hing ha is mo e angible and
physical.
In an a emp o comp ehend he wo ld, i is mo e a ionale and easonable o pe cei e abs ac
ideas o less complex ideas o in e p e domains in e ms o conc e e which is easy o comp ehend
and mo e s aigh o wa d. Ning (2018) posi ed ha his me hod enables easy comp ehension o
in ica e ideas by connec ing complex ideas wi h a mo e unde s andable and s aigh o wa d
concep . Taking cognizance o he oddness and lack o inhe en cla i y in an a emp o
me apho ically comp ehend concep s such as Jou ney as li e, ange as i e, buildings as heo ies,
his app oach does p o ide cla i y o insigh s because we al eady ha e a comp ehendible
unde s anding and usage o jou neys, i e and building compa ed o non- conc e e concep s o li e,
ange and heo ies. In o he wo ds, i is igh o say ha me apho ical exp essions go o non-
conc e e concep s o mo e physical concep s such ins ances a e commonly held back speci ic cases
such as a is ic, poe ic o s ylis ic pu poses, ins ead o being he es ablished p ocedu e. This
common en y o me apho ical concep ualizes happens o be mo e o ealis ic and mo e o non-
conc e e concep s in ou daily li e si ua ions.
Acco ding o he concep ual me apho heo y, me apho s s ay no only in linguis ic usage bu also
o p ocess hough . They a e no only seen in speech bu also in cogni i e ac i i ies, as we
concep ualize and explo e o he aspec s o he wo ld. Concep ual me apho heo y d aws a
dis inc ion be ween languages me apho s which a e me apho ical e ms used in communica ion,
and concep ual me apho s which a e undamen al pa e ns o hough we use in ou daily
communica ion o comp ehend he dynamic na u e o he wo ld. As no ed in he me apho ical
example ha Li e is a Jou ney, shapes ou pe cep ion abou li e. I p oposes ha way we iew li e
using me apho ical concep s; we end o ha e he capaci y o se goals, c ea e u u is ic plans and
na iga e complex challenges, conside long-las ing op ion, and make p e e ences ha sui ou
unde s anding abou he jou ney we in end o emba k on. This me apho ical exp ession shapes
ou hough s abou li e and in luences he way we communica e abou i he eby using he language
ha connec s ou jou ney o desc ibes ou expe iences and ision.
Basically, me apho akes place in o m o a hough (Reddy, 2013). The idea o hinking abou
one domain in he aspec s o ano he can ha e di e en meanings. Fi s and o emos , indi iduals
may be in luenced by a pa icula concep ual me apho , o ins ance, ‘JOURNEY’ in how hey
in e p e a pa icula domain, such as Li e. Secondly, indi iduals may use he consequences ela ed
o a domain, o example, jou ney in a concep ual me apho and apply i o a di e en domain such
as li e in hei way o hinking. Nex , du ing he p ocess o es ablishing o concep ualizing a
linguis ic me apho , bo h he sou ce and a ge s concep s a e employed, he eby c ea ing a mo e
comp ehensi e and usage o he me apho . One o he key implica ions o he belie ha me apho s
a e concep ual is ha we end o unde s and and iew ce ain hings in a me apho ical way. As a
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esul , ou concep ual belie shapes ou beha iou and how we communica e wi h he en i onmen ,
ul ima ely, we end o always beha e in ac s ha con o m o hese me apho ical concep ions.
Mo e so, when we me apho ical comp ehend an abs ac o non-conc e e idea by a ibu ing i o
a mo e angible concep , we o m a me apho ical expe ience. Fo ins ance, imagining li e as a
jou ney e sus iewing i as mo ie wo ld, as po ayed by Shakespea e’s in his quo e: “The en i e
wo ld is a s age/ men and women a e me ely playe s” his eads ha human beings ha e di e en
iews abou li e. These di e en iews emana ed om di e en me apho ical expe iences,
ul ima ely in luencing he way we hink, eason, and comp ehend he uni e sal. O ony (2013)
submi ed ha when inco po a ing a new me apho ical idea (sou ce domain) o a pa icula idea o
no ion ( a ge domain) i changes ou hough a ound he a ge domain. A imes, he use o
me apho ical ideas has he capaci y o de elop he a ge domain e en hough i has ne e exis ed
be o e. This en y can be seen in he c ea ions o wo ds such as ‘comp ehension’, which being an
abs ac s applies o a me apho ical cogni ion o he wo d “g asping”. Wi h his unde s anding, we
see ha me apho ical concep s shape he use o language and concep ualiza ion.
Fu he mo e, i me apho is associa ed wi h he way we hink and concep ualize ideas, hen
concep ual me apho can be seen in any o m o communica ion in ha sys em. S udies ha e also
indica ed ha concep ual me apho s seen in language also po ay ges u es, isual ep esen a ion,
such as ca oons, isual image, like pain ings, and o he o ms o communica ion. While he
me apho s in hese o ms o communica ion may no be ully exp essed in ou day- o-day
con e sa ion and pe cep ion, many o hem sha e o ha e some hing in common (Keysa , 1992)
Mo ing o wa d, concep ual me apho has i s ounda ion p emises in human unde s anding and
pe cep ion (Ma hew, 2007). Concep ual me apho heo y p o ides a p o ound insigh s and
a ionale o he de elopmen o hese me apho s.
Le ’s ake ano he example o concep ual me apho heo y “INTENSITY IN HEAT”. This
me apho indica es ha a gene al e m o a ious speci ic e ms such as “ANGER IS FIRE”,
“EUTHUSIASM IS FIRE” and “CONFLICTS IS FIRE”. Rega dless o he di e ences be ween
he concep s o in ensi y and hea , Concep ual Me apho Theo y posi s ha he e is a connec ion
be ween hese concep s based on ou expe iences. This connec ion be ween hea and in ensi y
s ands as he ounda ion o using “HEAT”, and i is he me apho ical oo o “INTENSITY”
no wi hs anding he ac ha “HEAT” is a mo e angible and conc e e e m. Concep ual me apho
o his na u e is known as “p ima y me apho ” as coined by Lako and Johnson, who go he e m
om Joe G ady, who in oduce a ious me apho s such as, “SIMILARITY IS CLOSENESS”,
“PERSISTENCE IS BEING ERECT”. G ady also e iewed a ious concep ual me apho , hemes
and scope de eloped by Lako and Johnson in his ea ly wo k o s udies, p oposing ha a ious
p ima y me apho s can be b ough oge he o c ea e compound me apho s such as
“PURPOSEFUL LIFE IS A JOURNEY” based on me apho s such as “PURPOSES ARE
DESTINATIONS” and “DIFFICULTIES ARE IMPEDIMENTS.”
P ojec ing o wa d, many concep ual me apho s co e ing bo h simila ones and p ima y me apho
a e es ablished on “image schemas”. These schemas a e abs ac , p econcep ual amewo k ha
emana es om epe i i e ins ances in he wo ld. Example o hese image schemas includes
ONTAINER, SOURCE-PATH-GOAL, FORCE, VERTICALITY, and so on. To gi e u he
illus a ion o hese me apho s, a e STATES ARE CONTAINERS" s ems om he CONTAINER
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image schema, "LIFE IS A JOURNEY" om he SOURCE-PATH-GOAL schema, "EMOTIONS
ARE FORCES" om he FORCE schema, and so on.
The s udies ca ied ou on p ima y me apho ha e spu ed a sense o inqui y in o comp ehending
how me apho s in e ac wi h he b ain a a neu al le el. Lako (2008) ini ia ed a “neu al me apho
heo y”. This neu al heo y p oposes ha indi iduals neu al in he b ains o ms g oup e e ed o
as “nodes” wi h dis inc i e ypes o neu al ci cui s joining hem oge he . In he mapping ci cui s,
ea u es o me apho , he e a e wo pai s o nodes showing he sou ce and a ge domains, wi h he
ci cui y be ween hem communica ing o he co espondence o connec ions. In p ima y
me apho s, one pai o nodes illus a es o senso y o mo o expe ience in he b ain, while he o he
pai indica es abs ac o subjec i e app oaches (Hase , 2015). I migh in e es us o know ha he
concep ual me apho heo y was es ablishmen wi hin he con ex o cogni i e linguis ics, a
g owing ield o med in 1970’s.
The concep ual me apho heo y has been simpli ied in o o he me apho ical heo y by a ious
schola s. Le ’s ake a look a each o hese me apho ical heo ies:
a. Max Black: Max Black ini ia ed his heo y o me apho in wo essays: Me apho (1962) and
Mo e abou Me apho (1993). He called his heo y an in e ac ion heo y. Acco ding o Max Black
heo y, he cen al message o his heo y is o add ess he ques ion o how o dis inguish me apho
om o he a eas o igu a i e exp ession and examine he “mise y o me apho ” which de i es i s
oo s om absu di y and misconcep ion when analyzed in i s li e al meaning. Black objec ed he
gene al concep ion ha me apho should equen ly be eschewed and dispu ed wi h he no ion ha
li e al language should be easy o comp ehend while me apho ical language seems o be s em om
adi ional language use and o ganically posing di icul ies o challenges. Acco ding o Black,
me apho s a e designed using he ules o a language communi y, esul ing in non-con en ional
s anda ds s aying om con en ional syn ac ic and seman ic ules, which is subs an ial issue o
me apho schola s o explain o comp ehend. He wen u he o s a e ha me apho de elopmen
en ails ule b eaking, al hough i is welcomed by o he ellows o he speech communi y. Black in
his wo k o mula ed wo concep s o me apho namely; emphasis and esonance. A me apho is
said o be empha ic when he c ea o demands o a speci ic meaning, eschewed a ia ion, o
ins ance changes in ocus, as such changes could misdi ec he eal meaning o he me apho . On
he o he hand, a me apho is said o be esonance when i has a g ea e deg ee o implica ion.
Emphasis and esonance in e connec
b. John Sea le Theo y: His heo y connec s o his Speech Ac Theo y and i is known as P agma ic
heo y by Lycan (2004, 2009). While kick-s a ing his in es iga ion, he schola ancho ed his belie
on he concep o linguis ic phenomenon, he ini ia ed se e al ques ions which he belie es a e
aluable and p o ound o de eloping a heo y ha signi ican ly desc ibes he dis inc i e na u e o
concep ual me apho (Sea le, 1993) Sea le’s iewpoin abou me apho is ha he clea ly belie es
ha i is a linguis ic me apho , con adic ing i li e al meaning physically exp ess hei eal
meaning. While Sea le asse s ha me apho ical exp ession can be e o mula ed in o a li e al
unde s anding, he welcomes ha he ew i en one o en go below expec a ion when cap u ing he
eal meaning o impac o he me apho . A imes, i can be e y challenging o iden i y a pa icula
pa aph ase wo d ha can i s in o he in ended meaning o he me apho . This signi ican challenge
unde lines he impo ance o me apho , and i also helps in closing he dispa i y whe e li e al
