- Hardcover: 255 pages
- Publisher: University of Chicago Press (Dec 1980)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0226468003
- ISBN-13: 978-0226468006
- Product Dimensions: 21.3 x 14 x 1.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,291,449 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Metaphors We Live By
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Product Description
Product Description
The now-classic "Metaphors We Live By" changed our understanding of metaphor and its role in language and the mind. Metaphor, the authors explain, is a fundamental mechanism of mind, one that allows us to use what we know about our physical and social experience to provide understanding of countless other subjects. Because such metaphors structure our most basic understandings of our experience, they are "metaphors we live by"--metaphors that can shape our perceptions and actions without our ever noticing them.
In this updated edition of Lakoff and Johnson's influential book, the authors supply an afterword surveying how their theory of metaphor has developed within the cognitive sciences to become central to the contemporary understanding of how we think and how we express our thoughts in language.
In this updated edition of Lakoff and Johnson's influential book, the authors supply an afterword surveying how their theory of metaphor has developed within the cognitive sciences to become central to the contemporary understanding of how we think and how we express our thoughts in language.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
74 of 80 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Metaphor is usually seen as an aspect of words, a linguistic trick we use to increase the effect of our words. Lakoff sets out to show that metaphors are a fundamental part of our thought processes whenever we try to think abstractly. His book does not provide a rigorous scientific proof, but it does present a lot of evidence in favor of the thesis. However, a full treatment of the issue would take a much thicker and less readable book than this one.
Lakoff gives examples from life for various metaphors, for example, TIME IS MONEY (or TIME IS A VALUABLE COMMODITY), and shows how we use these metaphors in our everyday thoughts and actions ("Spending time", "wasting time", "saving time", etc). He shows how many different ideas can be expressed with simlar metaphors, ie HAPPINESS IS UP / SADNESS IS DOWN, HEALTH IS UP / SICKNESS IS DOWN, and so on.
Lakoff sets forth his case clearly and coherently, and with some of his examples, quite entertainingly. If you want some insight into how we think, buy this book.
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is one of those books that manages to crystallize half-thought-out ideas and insights that you have but never really manage to develop. And once you get your head around the central ideas you can see how applicable these are in many different bits of the world. Obviously, it all about metaphors, and the early chapters of the book look at the types of metaphors we use and how prevalent they are. This stuff alone is really worth a read just to make yourself aware of just how often we use metaphors, but also how we use many different expressions of the same underlying metaphor. Take the following example from the book:
"Theories (and arguments) are buildings:
"Is that the foundation for your theory? The theory needs more support. We need some more facts or the argument will fall apart. We need to construct a strong argument for that. I haven't figured out yet what the form of the argument will be. Here are some more facts to shore up the theory. We need to buttress the theory with solid arguments. The theory will stand or fall on the strength of that argument. The argument collapsed. They exploded his latest theory. We will show his theory to be without foundation. So far we have put together only the framework of the theory."
Surprising isn't it that we use lots of different expressions based around one metaphor? That leads on to one of the fundamental arguments in the book - that metaphors are not merely linguistic devices, they are conceptual. We don't just use the 'theories are buildings' metaphor to get across our message, we actually think and act in those terms too. This obviously has some pretty major implications for our understanding of 'truth', and indeed the latter part of the book covers this in some detail, particularly the philosophical ramifications.
They also argue that our metaphors are grounded in experience, hence a lot of them are about space, orientation and travel. Think how often you use 'journey' metaphors to describe things, for example. This might be in terms of relationships - we're going our separate ways, the worst is behind us etc - or in terms of work - I personally use the phrase "I'm getting there" a lot in reference to work projects. So really we are perceiving first and describing second in terms of more direct/basic experiences.
The book's afterword is also well worth a read as it describes briefly how metaphor analysis has been applied is various fields from psychology to political science, so if you like the idea there is plenty of other suggested reading material.
"Theories (and arguments) are buildings:
"Is that the foundation for your theory? The theory needs more support. We need some more facts or the argument will fall apart. We need to construct a strong argument for that. I haven't figured out yet what the form of the argument will be. Here are some more facts to shore up the theory. We need to buttress the theory with solid arguments. The theory will stand or fall on the strength of that argument. The argument collapsed. They exploded his latest theory. We will show his theory to be without foundation. So far we have put together only the framework of the theory."
Surprising isn't it that we use lots of different expressions based around one metaphor? That leads on to one of the fundamental arguments in the book - that metaphors are not merely linguistic devices, they are conceptual. We don't just use the 'theories are buildings' metaphor to get across our message, we actually think and act in those terms too. This obviously has some pretty major implications for our understanding of 'truth', and indeed the latter part of the book covers this in some detail, particularly the philosophical ramifications.
They also argue that our metaphors are grounded in experience, hence a lot of them are about space, orientation and travel. Think how often you use 'journey' metaphors to describe things, for example. This might be in terms of relationships - we're going our separate ways, the worst is behind us etc - or in terms of work - I personally use the phrase "I'm getting there" a lot in reference to work projects. So really we are perceiving first and describing second in terms of more direct/basic experiences.
The book's afterword is also well worth a read as it describes briefly how metaphor analysis has been applied is various fields from psychology to political science, so if you like the idea there is plenty of other suggested reading material.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book provides a new and interesting approach to the study of metaphors, which are seen as deeply rooted in our cultural background and not just simple linguistic devices.
The book is intended for the general public, since it's easy to understand, well presented, and concise. However, this feature cannot appeal to a more informed audience, since the author does not provide any footnotes or cross-references to delve more deeply into this interesting matter.
For those who want to get a wider picture, there is the following book by the same author: Philosophy in the Flesh: The Embodied Mind and Its Challenge to Western Thought.
The book is intended for the general public, since it's easy to understand, well presented, and concise. However, this feature cannot appeal to a more informed audience, since the author does not provide any footnotes or cross-references to delve more deeply into this interesting matter.
For those who want to get a wider picture, there is the following book by the same author: Philosophy in the Flesh: The Embodied Mind and Its Challenge to Western Thought.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Beware KINDLE version
The kindle version of this book (Metaphors we live by) is NOT the updated, new edition of 1981 BUT the 1980 edition, even though Amazon misleadingly shows the new cover on it.
Published 4 months ago by sonia
Fundamental and debatable
This book has become a classic and some will even say some kind of pioneering gospel in the field of the study of metaphors. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Jacques COULARDEAU
lovely
the book was in good condition and the delivery was very quick with nothing to complain about! well done you! :)
Published 8 months ago by Phoenix xD
Conceptual ingredients
Densely packed well labeled and competitively argued.
A compelling read but best consumed in small quantities.
A compelling read but best consumed in small quantities.
Published 19 months ago by Reader
Books that have changed my life
There are some books that are just so 'right' you immediately click with them.
This is one such. Read more
This is one such. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Great Uncle Cedric
very insightful book!
It is a very insightful book written in plain English. I regret that I didn't read it earlier. Strongly recommend if you are interested in this issue.
Published on 11 May 2010 by Chia-Lynne Hong
What kind of starting point?
This book was a starting point. It launched the shift in the way we understand the role of metaphor in language and thought. Read more
Published on 15 July 2009 by Ms. J. S. Rees
Heavy but insightful review of our use of metaphors
In this book the authors show how metaphors are much more than we at first suppose. They are not just aids to language; they are fundamental concepts that underpin much of our... Read more
Published on 27 Jan 2009 by Paul Sloane
Life-altering stuff
If you didn't realise just how much of what we understand is achieved by metaphor, this book will leave you reeling, as it did me. Read more
Published on 6 May 2005 by S. J. Merrick
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