Speaking: Vocabulary for Speaking C1 - Lesson 3: Understanding & Using Figurative Language (Metaphors)

Speaking: Vocabulary for Speaking C1

Understanding & Using Metaphors

What you will learn: By the end of this lesson, you will be able to understand common conceptual metaphors and use them to make your speaking more articulate and persuasive.

What is Figurative Language? 🎨

To elevate your speech from fluent to truly articulate, you need to master figurative language. This means using words not for their literal meaning, but to create powerful images and deeper understanding. Today, we focus on one of the most powerful tools: the metaphor.

Understanding Conceptual Metaphors

Many metaphors in English are not random; they come from a shared, underlying way of thinking. Understanding these "conceptual metaphors" unlocks hundreds of expressions.

ARGUMENT IS WAR

We often talk about arguments as if they are a physical fight. This is a very common metaphor in Western communication styles.

Expressions: "He attacked every point I made." / "Her claims were indefensible." / "I won the argument." / "He shot down my idea."

IDEAS ARE FOOD

We talk about ideas and information as if they are things we can consume and digest.

Expressions: "Let me digest that for a moment." / "His book contains nothing I can really sink my teeth into." / "It was a half-baked idea."

TIME IS MONEY

We often talk about time as a limited resource or a valuable commodity that can be saved, spent, or wasted.

Expressions: "I don't want to waste any more of your time." / "This new system will save us hours." / "I need to invest more time in my development."

Metaphors in Action: A Scenario

In this negotiation, notice how the speakers use the "ARGUMENT IS WAR" metaphor to frame their discussion. This language signals a serious, high-stakes debate.

Ms. Soriya: "Thank you for meeting me. My position is that we need to increase the marketing budget by 20%."

Mr. Dara: "A 20% increase is completely indefensible in the current economic climate. I'm afraid I have to shoot down that proposal immediately."

Ms. Soriya: "I have strong data to defend my position. The marketing team has a clear strategy to capture a new market segment."

Mr. Dara: "Let's see your data. I'm not convinced your strategy can overcome the significant market challenges we're facing."

Advanced Skills & Practice 🧠

💡 The Art of Creating Your Own Metaphors

At the C1 level, you can move beyond using existing expressions and start creating your own simple metaphors to explain complex ideas. The goal is clarity and a memorable image.

Example 1: "Education is not a bucket to be filled, but a fire to be lit."

• This powerful metaphor argues that education's purpose is not just to pour facts into students' heads, but to ignite their curiosity and passion.

Example 2: "A good team is like a professional kitchen."

• You can then extend the metaphor: "Everyone has a specific role, communication must be fast and clear, and everyone needs to trust each other, especially under pressure."

✍️ Practice Quiz: Identify the Metaphor

1. "The CEO is the captain of the ship, and the employees are the crew. He has to steer us through this economic storm."

A) This metaphor compares a company to a sports team.
B) This metaphor compares a company to a journey or a voyage.
C) This metaphor compares a company to a building.

→ Answer: B. It uses the conceptual metaphor of A COMPANY IS A SHIP, with a CEO as captain and economic problems as a storm.

2. "After the meeting, I had to spend a few hours digesting all the new information."

A) This implies the speaker was literally eating.
B) This uses the metaphor IDEAS ARE FOOD, suggesting that information needs to be mentally processed.
C) This uses the metaphor ARGUMENT IS WAR.

→ Answer: B. This is a classic example of the IDEAS ARE FOOD metaphor.

Key Vocabulary

• Figurative Language (Noun Phrase) | ភាសាន័យធៀប
  Language that uses words with a meaning that is different from the literal interpretation.
• Literal (Adjective) | តាមន័យត្រង់
  The most basic or usual meaning of a word.
• Metaphor (Noun) | ពាក្យប្រៀបធៀប
  A figure of speech that describes an object or action in a way that isn't literally true, but helps explain an idea.
• Conceptual Metaphor (Noun Phrase)
  The understanding of one concept in terms of another, which forms the basis for many metaphorical expressions.

Your Mission: The Metaphorical Explanation ⭐

Your mission is to practice using a metaphor to explain a complex idea clearly and creatively.

1. Choose one abstract concept that is important to you (e.g., `love`, `success`, `knowledge`, `happiness`, `society`).
2. Create a simple metaphor to describe it. What IS it like? (e.g., "Success is a ladder," or "Happiness is a garden.")
3. Record yourself for 60 seconds. Start by stating your metaphor, and then spend the rest of the time explaining *why* it's a good comparison.
4. Example: "For me, a healthy society is like a strong tree. The roots are its culture and history... The trunk is its economy... The branches are its people..."