We’ll be having our last Cognitive Workshop on the quarter on Monday, March 10th at 12:00 PM in Wieboldt 408.
Daniel Casasanto, a professor here at the University of Chicago, will present a talk: “Origins of Metaphorical Thinking”
Abstract: People not only talk metaphorically, we also think metaphorically. Where do our mental metaphors come from? Metaphor theorists posit that hundreds of metaphors in language and thought have their basis in bodily interactions with the physical world. Yet, the origins of most mental metaphors are difficult to discern, because the patterns of linguistic, cultural, and bodily experience that could give rise to them appear mutually inextricable. In this talk, I’ll discuss three mental metaphors for which the contributions of language, culture, and the body can be distinguished unambiguously. By analyzing the distinct ways in which politics, time, and emotional valence come to be metaphorized in terms of left-right space, it is possible to illustrate distinct linguistic, cultural, and bodily contributions to the mental metaphors that scaffold our thoughts, feelings, and choices.
Suggested reading:
Casasanto, D. (2013). Experiential Origins of Mental Metaphors: Language, Culture, and the Body. In The Power of Metaphor: Examining Its Influence on Social Life. M. Landau, M.D. Robinson, & B. Meier (Eds.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association Books.
Casasanto, D. (2014). Development of Metaphorical Thinking: The Role of Language. In Language and the Creative Mind. M. Borkent, J. Hinnell, & B. Dancygier (Eds.). Stanford, CA: CSLI Publications.
Food and drinks will be provided.