DMIP: A Method for Identifying Potentially Deliberate Metaphor in Language Use

Abstract

This paper introduces the Deliberate Metaphor Identification Procedure (DMIP), a method for the systematic and reliable identification of potentially deliberate metaphor in language use. We take a semiotic approach to deliberate metaphor, and propose that, on a semiotic level, the distinction between potentially deliberate and non-deliberate metaphor hinges on the question whether the source domain functions as a distinct referent in the meaning of a metaphorical utterance. We present DMIP and illustrate the procedure in practice on the basis of the analysis of a series of real-world examples. We also report on inter-rater reliability testing. Finally, we discuss the implications of adopting DMIP as a tool for deliberatemetaphor analysis, and point out how this approach can contribute to the further development of Deliberate Metaphor Theory.

Conceptual Metaphor in Meditation Discourse: An Analysis of the Spiritual Perspective

“…In particular, this analysis favoured the identification of all DM instances by applying DMIP, especially those for which no obvious cues are provided in the surrounding text or immediate context and/or are triggered by the topic of the talks, induced by context, or even echo other extra-(con)textual factors like other talks by the same author or other spiritual teachers. The findings presented here support previous claims on the importance of grounding DM research in bottom-up analyses (Reijnierse et al, 2018), but these findings go beyond metaphor identification. For example, this approach has allowed the notion of SD granularity to be detected as an important distinguishing factor in NDM/DM use in spiritual-but-notreligious meditation discourse, but also as a necessary analytical component (in the shape of the book of SD codes developed inductively in this study) to trace fine-grained discursive developments of the CMs used by the meditation masters in the corpus.…”

“…Thus, DMs provide an external perspective from the topic of the utterance towards which the addressee's attention is drawn; in terms of TD-SD interaction, actively considering the SD is necessary for the adequate interpretation of what is being said about the TD. While this holds for DMs, it does not necessarily happen in NDMs (Reijnierse et al, 2018). This difference can easily be perceived in prototypical discourse realisations of each kind.…”

“…The corpus is purposefully small to allow for an inductive coding approach that facilitates the discovery of all possible types of metaphor. Moreover, the bottom-up qualitative approach adopted here also favours the adequate application of DMIP (Reijnierse et al, 2018).…”

“…In order to identify the presence of the SD as part of the referential meaning, a series of linguistic signals, co-textual and contextual cues are used (cf. Reijnierse, 2017;Reijnierse et al, 2018). 2 Metaphor codification was performed with the qualitative data analysis software ATLAS.ti.…”

“…In order to reliably identify all potential DM uses in discourse, the Deliberate Metaphor Identification Procedure (DMIP) has recently been proposed (cf. Reijnierse, 2017;Reijnierse et al, 2018; and the method section in this paper for further details).…”