What is a nearest-as-first metaphor?

What is a nearest-as-first metaphor?

Definition
	A conventional metaphor in which whatever is nearest to a reference point is represented as first. This metaphor underlies the fixed ordering in conventional coordinate phrases.

Examples
	Here are some examples in English:
	The first person on Bill's left is Sam. now and then here and there

Generic
	A nearest-as-first metaphor is a kind of
	What is a linguistic-form-as-spatial metaphor?

Source
	Lakoff, G. and Johnson 1980

Context for this page:

Concept module: nearest-as-first 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