Suppression of semantic features in metaphor comprehension

Abstract

Looking at Glucksberg’s class-inclusion model of metaphor comprehension, this article suggests that metaphorical classes are created by a suppression-oriented mode of comprehension. To give a picture of this mechanism, it draws on a model according to which every metaphorical class is formed by the inhibition of the majority of semantic features and maintaining a very small set of those features. The product of this suppression-oriented mode of comprehension is a broad class which might include a lot of entities. All these entities create a metaphorical class which is defined by one, or at most, a few aspects of meaning. The suppressed aspects of meaning do not have any role in the creation of metaphorical classes. In other words, broad metaphorical classes are produced by a suppression- or inhibition-based mechanism through which the majority of semantic aspects are completely filtered out. Those semantic features which have a high degree of co-occurrence with other semantic features are not good criteria for defining metaphorical classes.

Keywords

• class inclusion
• metaphor comprehension
• metaphorical classes