Deep Spirits

This is a classic book about the foundations of language. I know it may seem like a dry topic but it is actually quite interesting. I'm writing about it to find out if anyone else has read it and to encourage those who have not, to do so.

The book shows how integral metaphor is to our ability to communicate and the implication of this. More interestingly, it demonstrates how metaphor is used to communicate about a subject and set a frame of reference. This "framing" can be intentional or inadvertent. Politics is one of the most obvious domains where intentional framing is used to influence. And the types of metaphoric framing can be much more subtle than slogans like "the war on drugs" or "tax relief". Some are so insidious that your thinking can be influenced if you do not make a conscious effort to recognize them.

Metaphors that are used unintentionally are fascinating as well. It seems that many of the ideas in psychology/cognitive science are founded on learning to mentally re-frame beliefs and situations by choosing new metaphors.

Great to see you again, Tim.
Thank you for this recommendation. I shall definitely find this book as I enjoy this kind of information about the language we use.

Hi Mirjana! Good to find that some of my old friends are still here. I plan to visit here much more frequently.

Welcome back Tim......(not a metaphor).
d.

By the way Dermot, I like very much your new avatar( not a metaphor)

Hi Dermot! I'm glad to see you are still active on the forum. I'm looking forward to checking out your music postings. Once I figure out how to post videos I'll add a few of my own.

Mirjana.....my new avatar is a pic of the great Irish God of Love, its said that gazing into its eyes for a short whle releases an endorphin rush similar to ........well never mind!

(actually no, thats a lie, its me.....there wont be an endorphin rush either unless you have ingested drugs shortly before viewing)

Tim, im having trouble with downloading music at present.....we shall have to talk to the Big Bosses of DS....in hushed respectful tones, so as not to incur their wrath!

Oh you're all too too funny....(not a metaphor either) hahaha.

I think its really important to be aware of language and how language can shape views. The 'war on smoking/drugs/whatever' has always been interesting to me.

Can you have a war where only one side is fighting?

Tim, thank you for the literary tip.

Love this topic!
Who would have thought that the word metaphor would have such an inspirational effect!

Chessa, somewhere here, buried deep in Deep Spirits, you'll find a discussion about that very question. The war on smoking, the war on this & that.

The site-wide site search is missing, isn't it?
Hmm....

SITE WIDE SEARCH is in the bottom left corner of every page or here.

OR!

To SEARCH THE ENTIRE FORUM go here.

(Thanks to Sabina's link tutorial I was able to post all of this in a helpful manner)