Metaphorical Representations and Scientific Texts Amrin Saragih
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No. Class Metaphor
Function Metaphor
Examples
Projection] success]
[my apology] → the act of [my
apology] The
change or shift of coding from the congruent
to metaphorical representation causes a
tension between semantics and grammar. For example,
in 1a the clause complex of Ali was absent
because he was ill is a normal or congruent coding
in which, as stated in Table 1, relation of ‘cause—effect’
is coded by conjunction because. In
addition, quality is coded by adjectives of absent
and ill. However, in 1b, c, d, e there is a shift
in which relation is recoded in verb and quality
is recoded in nouns. The quality or attribute
absent and ill are metaphorically recoded
as being absent and being ill in 1b. The text
in 1b sounds unnatural; however, texts in 1,
c, d, e are much more natural in which absence
and illness are used. 1
a. Ali is absent because he was ill.
b. Ali’s being absent was caused by his
being ill.
c. Ali’s absence is caused by his illness.
d. Ali’s absence was due to his illness.
e. Ali’s absence was a consequence of his
illness.
4. RANKSHIFT
Rankshift is the change in the ranking or
level of coding from a higher level to a lower
one. This is known as down grading of meaning
representation. In English grammatical units, from
the highest to the lowest one, are constituted by
four categories, namely:
1. CLAUSE,
2. GROUPPHRASE,
3. WORD, and
4. MORPHEME.
The relation is that of constituency where a
unit is constituted by the immediate unit below
it. Thus, a clause is constituted by
groupsphrases, a groupphrase consist of
words and a word is made is comprised of
morphemes. Grammatical
metaphor involves rankshift of
two kinds: downgrading and upgrading. Rankshift
of downgrading occurs in situations where
meaning normally or congruently expressed
in a clause is metaphorically coded in group.
As a consequence of groupphrase downgrading,
clause complexes are recoded in a single
clause. Where meaning is normally expressed
in groupsphrases, it is now recoded in
words and that in words is realized in morpheme.
In Table 3 below two types of representation:
literal or congruent and metaphorical
are given. Rankshift
of upgrading is the opposite. Where
a meaning is congruently realized in the lower
unit, metaphorically it is recoded in the higher
units. Specifically, the meaning of a morpheme
is recoded in words that of a word in groupphrase
that of a group phrase in clause, and
that of a clause in clause complex. In many cases
the rankshift is not gradual, where a word is
recoded in clause leaving the groupphrase as an
intermedia unit. Thus, rather than he must be there
, the expression is recoded in I believe he is
there ,
it is certain he is there or there is a strong evidence
that he is there in which the modality of must
is represented in a clause. This mode of metaphorical
coding typically occurs in diplomacy,
bureaucracy and administration and this
is not further elaborated in this paper. As
shown in Table 3, by applying grammatical
metaphor a clause complex of two clauses
or more in their literal representations can
be reduced or condensed into a single simple
clause in its metaphorical representation. For
example, the text in row e of Table 3 shows that
seven clauses are condensed into a single clause.
This is the strength of metaphor and this makes
the clause complex practical I the sense that
rather than coding experience in a number of
caluses they can be coded in a single simple cause.
The condensation of meaning is inherent in
science since such condensation fits scientific features.
Table 3: Literal and Metaphorical Representations
Literal Representation
Metaphorical Representation
a 1.
he was absent 2.
because he was ill a
1. his being absent was caused by his
being ill.
2. his absence was caused by his
illness. 3.
his absence due to his illness. 4.
his absence was a consequence of his illness.
b 1.
the doctor advised 2.
that the patient should stay in a peaceful
place for one month 3.
by which her mental stress can be cured.
b the
doctor’s advice for the patient’s one‐ month
stay in a peaceful place is meant for
a probability of cure for her mental stress.
c 1.
Indonesia has successfully developed its
economy in 1980’s 2.
which affected the people 3.
who live in the rural areas 4.
to live in modern ways. c
1. Indonesia’s
1980’s successful
economic development resulted in
social effect of modern ways of life
in rural areas.
2. social effects of Indonesia’s 1980’s
successful economic development
resulted in modern ways of life in
the rural communities.
d 1.
our campus is green and large 2.
and is distant from the city centre 3.
which has provided us with a natural
environment 4.
to study 5.
and to hang around comfortably. d
the greenness, largeness and its distance
from the city centre are provisions for
natural environment study and a
comfort of wander.
e 1.
you may leave now 2.
since you have completed the work 3.
but you must return 4.
if I call you 5.
when I need you 6.
to help me 7.
to reshelf the books e
your leave on completion of work is
followed by an obligatory return on my
call upon assistance for the book reshelf
ENGLONESIAN: Jurnal Ilmiah Linguistik dan Sastra, Vol. 2 No. 1, Mei 2006: 1 – 11
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5. CHARACTERISTICS OF SCIENTIFIC
