“Metamorphosis” in metaphor theory today: deliberateness in G.W.Bush´Speeches

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to outline the nature of the Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT), the criticism it has received during the last 25 years and possible improvements. For this reason, a general overview of Cognitive Semantics is provided as it is devoted to the research of conceptual content and encompasses concepts and theories directly connected to the metaphor theory. The three-dimensional approach to metaphor is mentioned as a matter of CMT improvement: thought, language and communication. Besides, a distinction between deliberate and non-deliberate metaphor is made in order to add to the communicative function of metaphor. As metaphor is contemplated as a powerful tool of persuasion, this paper takes into account its communicative function and applications into the domain of politics. As such, selected metaphors in three of G.W. Bush speeches have been analyzed in order to account for the deliberateness of metaphor.