The Use of Metaphors in Online Contexts: A Rhetorical Analysis of Global Climate Change Discourse

Journal: Journal of Higher Education Research DOI: 10.32629/jher.v5i5.3041

Yanling Chen

School of Foreign Languages, Hexi University, Zhangye 734000, Gansu, China

Abstract

Metaphors are a powerful rhetorical device that shape how individuals understand complex issues, including global climate change. In the digital age, online platforms have become a major arena for climate discourse, where metaphors play a critical role in framing public perception and motivating action. This paper analyzes the use of metaphors in online discussions of global climate change, exploring how different metaphorical framings influence the rhetorical strategies employed in these conversations. By examining various social media posts, blogs, and news articles, this study aims to understand how metaphors contribute to the larger discourse on climate change and their role in cultural and political dynamics.

Keywords

metaphor, climate change, rhetoric, online discourse, framing

References

[1]Lakoff, G., & Johnson, M. (1980). Metaphors We Live By. University of Chicago Press.
[2]Nerlich, B., Koteyko, N., & Brown, B. (2010). Theory and Language of Climate Change Communication. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, 1(1), 97-110.
[3]Flusberg, S. J., Matlock, T., & Thibodeau, P. H. (2017). Metaphors for the War (or Race) Against Climate Change. Environmental Communication, 11(6), 769-783.
[4]Boykoff, M. T. (2011). Who Speaks for the Climate? Making Sense of Media Reporting on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press.
Lakoff, G. (2010). Why It Matters How We Frame the Environment. Environmental Communication, 4(1), 70-81.

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