Linguistics of Computer-Mediated Communication: Approaching the Metaphor

Abstract

This chapter introduces the embodied metaphor as a means of studying the multifaceted relationship between computer-mediated communication (CMC) and culture. It argues that the embodied metaphor offers a more reliable framework, as opposed to both deterministic and dispositional perspectives, in that it provides a way to understand, explain, and frame the user’s adaptive response to CMC. Furthermore, it also argues that culture has the potential to shape interactions by influencing the way metaphors are enacted. The author hopes that the aforementioned approach will provide a new understanding of the interplay between CMC and culture, informing future study design and bridging the existing gap between qualitative and quantitative research through action science.