metafoorses

Metafoorses are a term used in literary and linguistic analysis to describe metaphorical devices that explicitly reflect on metaphor itself. They render metaphor not only as a figure of speech but as a subject of inquiry, often foregrounding how metaphors are formed and how they influence perception.

Origin and usage: The term is not widely standardized and appears in limited scholarly discourse as a coined label within studies of metaphor, figurative language, and meta-language. Its use varies by author and field, and it is sometimes treated as a heuristic device rather than a formal category.

Forms and functions: Metafoorses can appear as overt self-reference (a statement about metaphor), as embedded self-commentary within a larger metaphorical frame, or as meta-critical discourse analyzing metaphorical processes. They can illuminate cognitive and cultural aspects of figurative language.

Examples: A line such as "Metaphor is a map that maps itself" treats metaphor as the subject and object of its own analysis. Another form might be "This poem is about the making of metaphors, not the things it describes," using the discourse to examine metaphor generation.

Relation to other concepts: Metafoorses relate to metafiction and metalinguistic commentary, as well as to cognitive linguistics' focus on conceptual metaphor. They are distinct from ordinary metaphors in that the primary focus is the metaphor trope itself.