Metaphor: Its Cognitive Force and Linguistic Structure

Eva Feder Kittay presents a comprehensive theory of metaphor in this philosophical work, examining both its linguistic structure and cognitive function. The book establishes metaphor as a fundamental mechanism of language and thought rather than mere linguistic decoration. Through analysis of semantic field theory and other linguistic frameworks, Kittay demonstrates how metaphors operate by mapping relations between different conceptual domains. She builds on and critiques prior theories of metaphor from philosophers and linguists including Max Black, Donald Davidson, and George Lakoff. The work contains detailed examinations of metaphor examples from literature, science, and everyday language to support its theoretical claims. Kittay develops a perspective-based account that explains both conventional and novel metaphors within a unified framework. This influential text advances our understanding of how metaphor shapes human cognition and enables abstract reasoning through the transfer of meaning across domains. The theory has implications for philosophy of language, cognitive science, and our broader conception of human thought and communication.

Readers describe this as a technical and dense philosophical work that requires careful study. Several reviews note its value for researchers and advanced students examining metaphor theory. Likes: - Clear breakdown of metaphorical meaning and truth conditions - Strong critique of various metaphor theories - Useful for understanding cognitive linguistics foundations - Thorough coverage of semantic field theory Dislikes: - Complex terminology makes it inaccessible for beginners - Some sections are repetitive - Writing style is dry and academic - Price point is high for non-academics One philosophy graduate student on Goodreads wrote: "The discussion of semantic fields revolutionized how I think about metaphor, though getting through the dense prose was challenging." Ratings: Goodreads: 4.25/5 (8 ratings) Google Books: No ratings Amazon: No ratings found WorldCat: Not enough ratings to display average Limited review data exists online as this is primarily an academic text used in graduate-level courses.

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🔹 Eva Feder Kittay developed a "perspectival theory" of metaphor, arguing that metaphors work by transferring an entire system of relationships from one semantic field to another, rather than just making simple one-to-one comparisons. 🔹 The book challenged traditional substitution theories of metaphor by demonstrating how metaphors create new meanings and cannot simply be replaced by literal language without loss of cognitive content. 🔹 Published in 1987, this work became influential in both linguistics and philosophy, bridging the gap between classical rhetoric and modern cognitive science approaches to metaphor. 🔹 Kittay's analysis builds on the work of I.A. Richards but extends it by incorporating insights from structural linguistics and field theory to explain how metaphors function in thought and language. 🔹 The author later became renowned for her work in feminist philosophy and ethics of care, particularly regarding disability studies, showing how her early work on metaphor connected to broader questions of how we understand and relate to others.