metaforiska

Metaforiska is an adjective used in some Scandinavian languages to describe language, imagery, or discourse that relies on metaphor rather than literal meaning. The word is derived from metaphor and is commonly applied to phrases, narratives, and visual representations whose understanding depends on mapping between source and target domains. In conversational use, metaforiska expressions are a central aspect of figurative language.

Metaforiska language appears across literature, journalism, advertising, and everyday speech. It ranges from conventional metaphors that are widely understood, such as livet är en resa (life is a journey) and tid är pengar (time is money), to novel or extended metaphors that structure an entire passage. The term also encompasses metonyms when the figurative link is strong but not a direct comparison.

In linguistics and literary studies, metaforiska forms are analyzed within figurative language and cognitive linguistics. Conceptual metaphor theory, which treats metaphor as grounded in systematic mappings between domains, is often cited when discussing metaforiska expressions. The classification helps explain how readers and listeners infer new meanings from familiar associations.

Usage of the term can carry evaluative connotations depending on context; metaforiska language may be praised for its creativity or criticized for obfuscation if overextended. In modern criticism, attention to metaphor aims to reveal underlying assumptions in rhetoric, culture, and media. See also metaphor, figurative language, and conceptual metaphor theory.