What is an ontological metaphor?

Definition
	An ontological metaphor is a metaphor in which an abstraction, such as an activity, emotion, or idea, is represented as something concrete, such as an object, substance, container, or person.

Examples (English)

The following sentences express the activity-as-container metaphor:

Source:

Lakoff, G. and Johnson 1980 31

Kinds
	Here are some kinds of ontological metaphors:
	What is a container metaphor? What is an entity metaphor? What is a substance metaphor?

Generic
	An ontological metaphor is a kind of
	What is a conventional metaphor?

Source
	Lakoff, G. and Johnson 1980 25–33

Concept module: ontological metaphor
In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): O
In modular book: Glossary of linguistic terms, 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: Linguistics

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 5 January 2004