Metaforisissa

Metaforisissa is a term used in linguistic and literary discussions to denote a focus on metaphor as a central organizing device in discourse. The word combines the Finnish root metafora, meaning metaphor, with the inessive suffix -issa, and is sometimes employed to indicate a mode or stance of analysis that foregrounds figurative meaning.

In scholarly usage, Metaforisissa can refer to a methodological approach that treats metaphor not merely as ornament but as a primary mechanism for constructing meaning, argument, and social reality. This perspective encompasses how metaphorical frames shape interpretation across genres such as narrative fiction, political rhetoric, media discourse, and everyday talk. It involves both the production of metaphor and the reception and interpretation by audiences.

Because Metaforisissa is not a widely standardized term, its exact definition varies across authors. Some use it to describe a theoretical framework that analyzes how metaphorical reasoning structures concepts like causality, identity, and authority. Others apply it as a descriptive label for texts and practices that rely heavily on metaphor to convey complex ideas or to persuade.

Examples of Metaforisissa-oriented analysis might treat a metaphor like “society is a body” as not just a stylistic flourish but a mechanism that channels evidence, explains phenomena, or legitimates policies within a given discourse. Critics may argue that the term risks overemphasizing figurative language at the expense of explicit argument or empirical data.

See also: metaphor theory, figurative language, cognitive linguistics, discourse analysis.