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While reading “Seeing Through Words” by Michael Erard, I found it interesting how he talked about Metaphors We Live By and how most of the metaphors that are designed nowadays are still structured around the same principles that were founded by George Lakoff in the 1980s. As I read about more works that were published about metaphors and the creation, understanding and processing, it made more sense to me. In order to create something very useful and effective today, it helps to know how it works and how the intended audience views the object. When targeting an audience for a metaphor, it helps to understand how the general public’s mind comprehends metaphors so you can make sure you are getting across your message to them in the most efficient way possible. Another point that Erard made that peaked my interest was around the question do people interpret new metaphors more easily when the comparison between two domains is apt — that is, when the two elements seem to fit with each other? Erard used two metaphors, ‘love is a tree’ and ‘a child is a machine’. I personally saw ‘love is a tree’ right from the jump with no further explanation, but needed to look at ‘a child is a machine’ for a little bit before understanding. Now I didn’t, and still don’t know if it is because I have heard ‘love is a tree’ and am familiar with it and I am not familiar with ‘a child is a machine’ or if it is because it is easier to see love as a tree and harder to see a living, breathing child as a cold, hard machine.

One Comment

  1. elishaemerson

    Great. When you point out how so much of our modern understanding of metaphorical patterns comes from extensive research and writing from the eighties, I realize how much has changed! I’ll confess that I’ve never read Lakoff and Johnson cover to cover, but I’m guessing that it doesn’t contain many concepts that reflect digital technology. The word “connected” alone, means something totally different than it did in the eighties.

    In the future, as you upload your images, use this tutorial so I can read your annotations more easily. Thanks! https://uneportfolio.org/adding-pictures-to-eportfolio/

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