Metaphor

Anastasia wrote an interesting post two days ago on Lawsagna, discussing the "watery" metaphors often used in fiscal discussions (e.g. laundered money, liquid assets, float a loan, flood the market, cash flow), and "wonder[ing] about the effects of metaphors on our thinking and learning." The post reminded me of an article by Prof. Linda Berger, published two years ago in the Journal of the Association of Legal Writing Directors, titled What is the sound of a corporation speaking? How the cognitive theory of metaphor can help lawyers shape the law. Prof. Berger argues that

better understanding of metaphor's cognitive role can help lawyers shape the law. According to cognitive theory, metaphor molds our understanding, our reasoning, and our evaluation in persuasive and invisible ways. If metaphor is not merely a literary device but instead creates meaning, it is a particularly powerful and inescapable method of using language to persuade. To argue against a dominant metaphor, lawyers must be able to uncover it; to argue for a new metaphor, lawyers must be able to imagine it. Studying the work of cognitive researchers builds such perception and imagination: the more we know about the work of the mind, the use of language, and the means of persuasion, the more critical, insightful, and persuasive we can be.

Comments

[Anastasia]

I am glad you brought this article to my attention. What a great quote! Thank you.