A Global War against Avian Influenza

Abstract

This article offers a cognitive semantic analysis of a few conceptual metaphors as instantiated in the news discourse of the British press, more particularly the crisis that followed the 2005 outbreak of avian influenza. Main attention is given to the use of metaphors which rely on the notions of war and force. Drawing on the work by Schön and by Lakoff, and following the line of research by some other scholars such as Nerlich, it is claimed that exposure to particular metaphors to describe a complex political reality can affect readers¿ perceptions and value judgements in accordance with the logic displayed by the metaphors encountered. Finally, the typical action frames evoked by politicians in food scares are analysed.