Latkoff:
His ideas about conceptual metaphors are really interesting. So many of his examples rang true. How often have I thought about my problems as a 'one-time' puzzle to work-through, solve and put aside? How much healthier would the chemical metaphor be? Could I really switch to this way of thinking, or are these metaphors so deeply ingrained that they are forever part of my worldview? I'm going to try hard for the next little while to shift my metaphor and see how it goes....
I also started wondering about how difficult it would be for someone from another culture to understand our North American metaphors. Surely these hidden conceptual ideas are some of the most difficult to learn and understand when adapting to a new environment/country. If we (Canadians) aren't even aware of how much these metaphors impact our thinking then how can we teach them to others? Or should we? Some of my most interesting conversations have come from individuals from other cultures who ask questions about these deeply-rooted metaphors making me much more aware of my own assumptions and thinking. And I have to admit, sometimes I'm embarrassed at how narrow and American-centric it really is... I hope I will always have the opportunity to interact with other people who will make me question What is 'truth"?
Hi Theresa,
ReplyDeleteLet us know how it goes to shift your way of thinking! I will probably be a lot harder than you realize. Akin to learning a new language perhaps!
Yes, the articles I read regarding Lakoff and Johnson actually astounded me! I was shocked at how much our language really is rooted in metaphor! And then to learn that it's not only the way we use language, but it also affects what we do and how we deal with things.
In reviewing the examples in the articles about how we think, i.e.: Happy is up; Sad is down, there is mention of saying "depressed" as a way to say that sad is down. I thought that was an actual TERM...I never thought of the WORD "depressed" itself and what it actually MEANS as compared to the term in respect to being sad...!!! It's like my eyes are opened now to something I never even thought of before. Very intriguing, yet also bothersome, isn't it?
Steph