Conceptual Metaphors In Political Discourse

An Analysis of Conceptual Metaphors in Political Discourse Politics without metaphors is like a ‘fish without water’, Thompson claims.
Studies on political discourse have been based on the consideration that metaphors play a central role in public discourse, in particular political discourse. These studies have maintained that metaphors have been employed rhetorically and persuasively in political discourse. According to Beard (2000) politicians could be able to gain and keep power by using metaphorical language in an influential way. Lackoff argues that the mental permeability of political discourse derives from its capacity to fit frame, particularly moral frames (68), by which it is able to limit or expand the mental void

Classifying metaphors has always been regarded to as a difficult task. Cognitive linguists hold different views on the categorisation of metaphorical expressions. According to Lesz. for what concerns the study of cognitive linguistics, it is possible to focus on a restricted number of metaphor types, such as conventional and conceptual metaphors (29).
Throughout history, metaphors were amply defined by the so called "decorative approach", which regarded metaphors as mere ornamental features and without attributing them any important or influential function on thought. The reason why this approach distinguishes common language from metaphor is because, as stated by Deignan, processing literal language is expected to be less demanding than processing metaphorical language

According to their study, conventional metaphors are very important as their shape our cognition. They influence the concepts in our mind because they help us understand the meaning of abstract notions (which are slightly defined by our experinces) such as time, plans, emotions, ideas, etc. Therefore, we compare abstract notions to concepts which are more clear in our thought or experience in order to fully understand them (115).
Since the way we understand things is structured by the concepts in our head, our conceptual system is of critical importance to our perception of reality.
Lakoff and Johnson also state that universal experiences form part of our global perception as we use them to think from the day we exist.
Furthermore, since this thinking is universal, Goatly illustrates the idea that we all form part of the same metaphorical language by the metaphor “FREEDOM IS SPACE TO MOVE” (16). From the day we are born, the natural acquisition of how much space we or other objects take in makes us understand the meaning of abstract concepts as freedom