Identification and Analysis of Terrorism Metaphors

In the present paper a discussion is made of the identification and analysis of metaphors encountered in Toni Blair s speeches and interviews on terrorism post to the September-attacks by the adoption of the cognitive approach as is developed by Steen s (1999) procedure for developing conceptual metaphors out of linguistic expressions. The investigation involves such issues as the distinction between literal and metaphorical in identifying instances of linguistic metaphor, the traditional identification of tenor and vehicle in each linguistic metaphor, the arrival at conceptual metaphors out of linguistic ones, and, finally, giving a full explanatory account of each worked-out metaphor. The aim here is to pinpoint areas of easiness or uneasiness as to such working out of metaphors, i.e. to see to what extent this model of identification of conceptual metaphors is applicable.