Metaphor as Argument: Rhetorical and Epistemic Advantages of Extended Metaphors

Abstract

This paper examines from a cognitive perspective the rhetorical and epistemic advantages that can be gained from the use of (extended) metaphors in political discourse. We defend the assumption that extended metaphors can be argumentatively exploited, and provide two arguments in support of the claim. First, considering that each instantiation of the metaphorical mapping in the text may function as a confirmation of the overall relevance of the main core mapping, we argue that extended metaphors carry self-validating claims that increase the chances of their content being accepted. Second, we show how the recognition of an extended metaphor's sophistication and relevance (on behalf of the addressee) can benefit the speaker's perceived competence (ethos). We then assess whether these two arguments measure against the dual epistemic monitoring postulated in the notion of epistemic vigilance (i.e., assessment of the source of a message and assessment of the message) and conclude that extended metaphors may fulfil the requirements of epistemic vigilance and lead to the stabilisation of a belief. We illustrate our account with an analysis of the extended metaphor of the USA as an empire found in a political pamphlet written by the Swiss politician Oskar Freysinger.

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“…As another example, Oswald and Rihs (2014) demonstrate the importance of extended metaphor in political discourse.…”

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“…Outro ponto que pode ser observado é a interdependência entre as funções ideacionais e interpessoais (HALLIDAY e MATTHIESSEN, 2004) dos frames online dos nichos investigados. Ou seja, em um enquadre ideacional, o objeto de discurso é construído visando a compreensão de um dado fenômeno teórico, técnico ou científico, podendo ser didaticamente apresentado por meio de uma metáfora estendida (CAMERON, 2003;OSWALD;RIHS, 2013). Mesmo compartilhando a visão que todos os textos são caracterizados por argumentatividade (argumentação intrínseca ao uso da linguagem, KOCH, 2000), ou por um dado posto de vista (VAN EEMEREN; GROOTENDORST e HENKEMANS, 2002), há gêneros discursivos argumentativos que são mais claramente avaliativos do que outros.…”

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“…• Metaphor is another cognitive and discursively exploited phenomenon whose persuasive and even manipulative potential has been discussed at length in cognitive linguistics (see Chilton, 2005;Charteris-Black, 2006a, 2006b; and Hart, 2010 for illustrative studies). Extended metaphors in particular can be argumentatively exploited to confer epistemic strength to specifi c propositions because they provide ideal discursive structures that can be used for argumentative purposes (Oswald and Rihs, 2014).…”