Metaphorical descriptions of wrongdoers
What is a metaphoric picture of an evil person made of? In a study devoted to the development of the ability to use metaphorical descriptions of humans, the semantic fields of four target metaphors - Human-Swamp, Human-Snake, Human-Knife, and Human-Nettle - were established and compared. Subjects (3...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Sciendo
2017-10-01
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| Series: | Psychology of Language and Communication |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1515/plc-2017-0009 |
| _version_ | 1830488548313137152 |
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| author | Dryll Ewa Marta |
| author_facet | Dryll Ewa Marta |
| author_sort | Dryll Ewa Marta |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | What is a metaphoric picture of an evil person made of? In a study devoted to the development of the ability to use metaphorical descriptions of humans, the semantic fields of four target metaphors - Human-Swamp, Human-Snake, Human-Knife, and Human-Nettle - were established and compared. Subjects (365 young adults) were asked to decipher the metaphors’ meanings. The results were obtained mainly by qualitative analysis, with frequency analysis of clusters containing synonymous meanings. The results indicate that when creating imaginary characteristics of evil people, young adults seem to be more concerned about the possibility of suffering verbal harassment (most commonly: vulgarity, mockery, gossip, jeering) than the threat of actual physical assault. The results may prove useful for developmental comparisons. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T19:20:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-766cd7fad5ad479b8b3308d11b4fd0ab |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2083-8506 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T19:20:46Z |
| publishDate | 2017-10-01 |
| publisher | Sciendo |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Psychology of Language and Communication |
| spelling | doaj.art-766cd7fad5ad479b8b3308d11b4fd0ab2022-12-21T18:52:57ZengSciendoPsychology of Language and Communication2083-85062017-10-0121117119110.1515/plc-2017-0009plc-2017-0009Metaphorical descriptions of wrongdoersDryll Ewa Marta0Faculty of Psychology, Univeristy of Warsaw, Stawki 5/7, 00-183 Warszawa, PolandWhat is a metaphoric picture of an evil person made of? In a study devoted to the development of the ability to use metaphorical descriptions of humans, the semantic fields of four target metaphors - Human-Swamp, Human-Snake, Human-Knife, and Human-Nettle - were established and compared. Subjects (365 young adults) were asked to decipher the metaphors’ meanings. The results were obtained mainly by qualitative analysis, with frequency analysis of clusters containing synonymous meanings. The results indicate that when creating imaginary characteristics of evil people, young adults seem to be more concerned about the possibility of suffering verbal harassment (most commonly: vulgarity, mockery, gossip, jeering) than the threat of actual physical assault. The results may prove useful for developmental comparisons.https://doi.org/10.1515/plc-2017-0009metaphorsemantic fieldperception of wrongdoing in humans |
| spellingShingle | Dryll Ewa Marta Metaphorical descriptions of wrongdoers Psychology of Language and Communication metaphor semantic field perception of wrongdoing in humans |
| title | Metaphorical descriptions of wrongdoers |
| title_full | Metaphorical descriptions of wrongdoers |
| title_fullStr | Metaphorical descriptions of wrongdoers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Metaphorical descriptions of wrongdoers |
| title_short | Metaphorical descriptions of wrongdoers |
| title_sort | metaphorical descriptions of wrongdoers |
| topic | metaphor semantic field perception of wrongdoing in humans |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1515/plc-2017-0009 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT dryllewamarta metaphoricaldescriptionsofwrongdoers |