Log in

Challenges in natural language processing: the case of metaphor (commentary)

  • Published:
International Journal of Speech Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This article comments on some ways in which metaphor is relevant to practical language technology, for either text or speech. While the article mentions some deep problems, it nevertheless points out that certain issues are less troublesome than they might appear to be, and that metaphor in real discourse has some characteristics that could help, rather than hinder, practical discourse-processing. The article also mentions the author’s ongoing work on develo** a new view of how metaphor and metonymy relate to each other. This view is based on a deconstruction into underlying dimensions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
EUR 32.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or Ebook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price includes VAT (Thailand)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Barnden, J. A. (2007). Metaphor, semantic preferences and context-sensitivity. In K. Ahmad, C. Brewster, & M. Stevenson (Eds.), Words and intelligence II: Essays in honor of Yorick Wilks (pp. 39–62). Berlin: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barnden, J. A. (2008). Metaphor and artificial intelligence: Why they matter to each other. In R. W. Gibbs Jr. (Ed.), The Cambridge handbook of metaphor and thought (pp. 311–338). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barnden, J. A. (in press). Metaphor and metonymy: Making their connections more slippery. Cognitive Linguistics.

  • Barnden, J. A. (n.d.). Possible signals of metaphoricity not linked to any particular conceptual metaphor. http://www.cs.bham.ac.uk/~jab/ATT-Meta/metaphoricity-signals.html.

  • Cameron, L. (2003). Metaphor in educational discourse. London: Continuum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cameron, L., & Deignan, A. (2003). Combining large and small corpora to investigate tuning devices around metaphor in spoken discourse. Metaphor and Symbol, 18(3), 161–173.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dirven, R., & Pörings, R. (Eds.) (2002). Metaphor and metonymy in comparison and contrast. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.

    Google Scholar 

  • Drew, P., & Holt, E. (1998). Figures of speech: Figurative expressions and the management of topic transition in conversation. Language and Society, 27, 495–522.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gibbs, R. W. Jr. (Ed.) (2008). The Cambridge handbook of metaphor and thought. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goatly, A. (1997). The language of metaphors. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Langlotz, A. (2006). Idiom creativity: A cognitive-linguistic model of idiom-representation and idiom-variation in English. Amsterdam: Benjamins.

    Google Scholar 

  • Low, G., Littlemore, J., & Koester, A. (2008). The use of metaphor in three university academic lectures. Applied Linguistics, 29(3), 428–455.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moon, R. (1998). Fixed idioms and expressions in English. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to John A. Barnden.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Barnden, J.A. Challenges in natural language processing: the case of metaphor (commentary). Int J Speech Technol 11, 121 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10772-009-9047-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10772-009-9047-3

Navigation