Values behind Metaphors: Figurative Speech in the Discourse of a “Language Crisis”
Values behind Metaphors: Figurative Speech in the Discourse of a “Language Crisis”

Summary/Abstract: This study is a values-driven approach to figures of speech, depicting language and its standardisation. We explore a discourse about the modernisation of linguistic norms that took place in Estonian publicmedia in 2020–2022 and reached the point of being labelled a crisis. The debate took place mostly inthe form of opinion-writing texts, expressing the writers’ subjective perspectives. During thediscussions, two parties with different outlooks on language and language planning issues emerged,representing the dichotomy of liberal and conservative value models. The focus of the study is on theinterplay between values and patterns of figurative thought, as metaphors were extensively used tostrengthen the arguments of both sides. The analysis, based on the theoretical-methodological meansof the Conceptual Metaphor Theory, Figurative Framing, Metaphor Scenario Analysis, SystemicFunctional Linguistics and Critical Discourse Analysis, revealed that the opposing parties favouredcertain metaphors when depicting language. As a side issue, we also address the dynamics of powerrelations through the language crisis discourse.

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