Is Britain a roaring lion?

Metaphor research
- metaphors are more than words but help us understand something about the world.
- defined as a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable.
Cognitive linguistics
- conceptual systems are grounded in metaphors
- one big concept: thinking
- to describe the big concept (of thinking) we use a system of similar metaphors: physical touch
- eg ‘tip of my tongue’ ‘she grasped my point’

Brexit metaphors

• Roaring lion: Boris Johnson- ‘ let the British lion roar’, displays Britain a powerful king (of the jungle), suggest leadership and power. (outward looking). Made headlines and was repeated by the EU officials as an example of what Britain’s purpose was with Brexit.
• Dutiful servant: Theresa May- ‘now is the time to fulfil our duty and serve the British people’, she is suggesting that the identity of the nation is people and the duty of the government is to serve them. (inward looking)

Is Britain a roaring lion?
Neither of these metaphors tell us what is true, but metaphors don’t have to be true. It is said we build truth about things like identity with metaphors.

‘truth is a mobile army of metaphors’
- Nietzsche

Conclusion: metaphors are not just interesting descriptions but essential to describe big concepts and to shape identity.

Many thanks to Dr Andrew Hines for his webinar on the topic