Tag: English

108 – Unconventional Metaphors in English as a Lingua Franca

Metaphors accompany us in everyday life, although they are mostly elusive. Yet, when used in unconventional ways, such as in the expression “English Philology is just a bubble”, they remind us of their presence. But what aspects distinguish unconventional from conventional metaphors? To answer this question, Sebastian Malinowski conducted a survey in which 160 non-native and native English speakers using English as a lingua franca (a common language) participated. The participants were encouraged to interpret different metaphorical expressions. In our interview, Sebastian describes the characteristics of unconventional metaphors, and he explains why some of the results of his study should encourage non-native English speakers to be more confident in their language skills.

Sebastian Malinowski’s doctoral thesis can be downloaded from DiVA: “English Philology is just a Bubble” : Unconventional Metaphors in English as a Lingua Franca

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85 – Biblical allusion in three Charles Dickens novels

The famous British novelist Charles Dickens (1812-1870) believed in the power of fiction to affect the reader. In some of his novels he used the reader’s familiarity with the Bible so as to engage them in imagining contemporary social conditions. In Yuanyuan Zhu’s research she investigates the use of biblical allusions in Dickens’ novels Bleak House, Hard Times, and Little Dorrit. Central to the interpretation of the biblical allusions in the novels is the dialogic relation between the biblical and fictive worlds as well as both to the Victorian socio-historical context. In our conversation, Dr. Zhu explains that the biblical allusions serve many purposes in the novels. Ultimately, they instruct the reader about the need for social improvement and individual moral actions.

Yuanyuan Zhu’s doctoral thesis can be downloaded from DiVA: Biblical Allusion in Three Charles Dickens Condition-of-England Novels

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