Dafni Papadoudi
Conceptual Metaphor in English Popular Technology and Greek Translation
This research project studies the metaphorical conceptualisation of technology in English popular technology magazines (PCMagazine, PCWorld, ComputerActive, T3) and in translation in the respective Greek editions. The study focuses on the cognitive linguistic view of metaphor initially presented by Lakoff and Johnson (1980), on the metaphor identification procedure (MIP) proposed by the Pragglejaz Group (2007), and critical metaphor analysis (Charteris-Black 2004).
The study seeks to bring to the foreground the use of conceptual metaphor as a means of meaning construction for technology and to ascertain what kind of source domains are involved in the structure of the target domain of technology. It seeks to identify both conventional and novel metaphors which have been motivated by correlations in experience between diverse source domains and by the widespread diffusion and impact of technology, and to examine whether similar descriptions and conceptualisations of technology are transferred from English to Greek. Consequently, through the identification and description of metaphors in technology magazines, this study aims to highlight a further aspect of technology which is more social and cultural than purely technical and specialised.