Conceptual Metaphor as a Didactic Tool in Understanding Economic Texts
Conceptual Metaphor as a Didactic Tool in Understanding Economic Texts

Summary/Abstract: There is a number of teaching approaches making use of metaphorical language as teachersoften use analogies between abstract notions and concrete examples to explain scientificconcepts in everyday experiences. This paper aims to show that metaphors may have a usefulfunction in teaching by helping to raise students ‗awareness of technical vocabulary, toimprove specialised reading and to provide better translations of specialised texts into theirfirst language. Moreover, the study explores some of the potential benefits of metaphoricallanguage for ESP learners, namely in economics. My interest originates in the experience ofteaching business and administration English. Another major reason for my interest is thefact that there has been little research into ―metaphor in second language acquisition‖ andinto ―teaching control over metaphor.‖ (Cameron and Low, 1999: 77) There is a category ofliterature also identified by Cameron and Low, namely the study of metaphor pursued insubjects in which ―metaphor plays an important role in the technical vocabulary, the theoriesand jargon of particular institutional or specialist groups‖ (ibidem). My intention here is toinvestigate the implications of theoretical work on metaphor for the selection and teaching ofvocabulary in economics courses.

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