metaforade

Metaforade is a term used in literary theory to describe a class of figurative expressions that embed one metaphor within another, producing layered meaning. It functions as a descriptive category for multi-frame figurations, capturing how readers navigate overlapping metaphorical fields and derive new associations from their interaction.

Characteristics commonly associated with metaforade include the juxtaposition of distinct metaphorical frames, cross-domain mapping, and the potential for emergent interpretation that arises from the dialogue between layers. Such constructions often rely on deliberate placement of one metaphor inside another, or on pivoting from one frame to a secondary frame that reorients the overall sense of the utterance. The result can be a richer or more ambiguous texture than a single metaphor would ordinarily provide.

Examples illustrating metaforade may include phrases like "The city is a clockwork garden that remembers," where the city is first mapped as a machine and then as a cultivated space that retains memory. A second example could be "Knowledge is a tidal library," which blends the flux of tides with a library’s order to evoke both change and structure. In each case, a second metaphor layer reshapes the primary image, producing nuanced readings.

Origin and use: the term appears in contemporary poetics and rhetoric discussions as a way to analyze texts that privilege layered figurative structures. It is typically treated as a heuristic tool for interpretation rather than a prescriptive technique. Critics note that metaforade can enrich analysis but may complicate clarity if overapplied. See also metaphor, extended metaphor, conceptual metaphor theory, figurative language.