Metaphors And Meaning In The Editorials Of The New Era Newspaper, 2016: A Linguistic Exploration

ABSTRACT

Metaphors enrich a language and help people understand abstract or unfamiliar content. By linking abstract information to a concrete concept, it becomes easier for people to understand the information. This thesis is an investigation into the meaning of metaphors that appear in the editorials of the New Era newspaper. The purpose of the study was to examine the use and functions of different types of metaphors and how metaphors contribute to conveying the meaning of the message in the editorials of the newspaper. The research also explored the various influences of cultural elements on metaphors. This research was qualitative in nature. The data collected were critically examined using the Metaphor Identification Procedure (MIP), a tool that is used to identify metaphor in discourse. The study is informed by the Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT). The investigation reveals that our thoughts and perceptions about target domains are structured in metaphors which are common in our everyday experiences. Furthermore, the study shows that a proper interpretation of a metaphoric utterance ultimately requires a reader’s knowledge of mappings or correspondences between the literal senses of words used in their source domains and the distinct figurative meaning they have gained in the target domain. The research reveals that metaphors are common in newspaper discourse and contributes to the existing body of knowledge on Namibian newspaper discourse.