Our Metaphorical Bodies

Raymond W. Gibbs, Jr. is an independent cognitive scientist and former Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Santa Cruz. He has authored numerous books on topics such as figurative thought, embodiment, and conceptual metaphor, including 'The Poetics of Mind (1994),' 'Embodiment and Cognitive Science (2005),' 'Metaphor Wars (2019),' and 'Interpreting Figurative Meaning (2012).' Additionally, he has served as editor of the 'Cambridge Handbook of Metaphor and Thought' and co-editor of the 'Cambridge Handbook of Irony and Thought.'

• 1. Introduction; 2. Metaphor in basic body parts and bodily actions; 3. Extended metaphorical performances; 4. Metaphor in illness and disordered bodies; 5. Is metaphor really everywhere?; 6. Conclusion; Endnotes; References.

'Richly illustrating how metaphors help us understand our bodies, and in turn, our bodies to understand the world, the volume highlights the integral role of contiguity (and thus metonymy). Valuable reading for lovers of metaphor and metonymy, professionals engaged in therapeutic work or cultural studies, and individuals wanting to understand themselves better.' Alan Cienki, Professor of Language Use & Cognition and English Linguistics, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2025