Ideas like deer
an ecolinguistic analysis of similes in four nature books
Keywords:
Ecolinguistics; simile; EFL; conceptual metaphor theory; new materialismAbstract
Similes animate languages and make communication replete with rich imagery. They are also an indispensable part of any spoken or written text on nature. The present study investigates similes in four nature books by four famous nature authors from different backgrounds through a cognitive lens. Taking into consideration the nature of the source and target domains, each domain was interrogated and, thus, grouped based on fifteen semantically significant categories or variables. Accordingly, the motivation behind their use is unearthed. As conceptual devices for understanding reality, similes are a way of thinking about the living entities. Carefully constructed similes can intensify certain features attributed to a myriad of species over the planet, and thereby enforce sustainable thinking. Finally, the study discusses the importance of nature similes in foreign language learning contexts. It is believed that language learners should be encouraged to write about nature and simultaneously practice the use of creative similes that appropriately fit the ecological context.
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