Metaphor - A Key to Extensible Semantic Analysis

Interpreting metaphors is an integral and inescapable process in human understanding of natural language. This paper discusses a method of analyzing metaphors based on the existence of a small number of generalized metaphor mappings. Each generalized metaphor contains a recognition network, a basic mapping, additional transfer mappings, and an implicit intention component. It is argued that the method reduces metaphor interpretation from a reconstruction to a recognition task. Implications towards automating certain aspects of language learning are also discussed.