What is a discourse-as-light-medium metaphor?

What is a discourse-as-light-medium metaphor?

Definition
	A conventional metaphor in which discourse is represented as a medium through which light can pass to one degree or another, such that the degree of clarity of the light medium represents the degree of understandability of the discourse.

Examples
	Here are some examples in English:
	The argument is clear. Could you elucidate your remarks? It's a transparent argument. The discussion was opaque.

Generic
	A discourse-as-light-medium metaphor is a kind of
	What is a metaphor for aspects of communication?

Source
	Lakoff, G. and Johnson 1980

Context for this page:

Concept module: discourse-as-light-medium metaphor
In modular book: Metaphors in English, by Eugene E. Loos (general editor), Susan Anderson (editor), Dwight H. Day, Jr. (editor), Paul C. Jordan (editor), and J. Douglas Wingate (editor)
In bookshelf: Lexicon

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 4.0, published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 1999. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 18 September 1998