Definition
An orientational metaphor is a metaphor in which concepts are spatially related to each other, as in the following ways:
- Up or down
- In or out
- Front or back
- On or off
- Deep or shallow
- Central or peripheral
Examples
The following sentences express the happy-as-up and the sad-as-down metaphors:
- I'm feeling up.
- That boosted my spirits.
- Thinking about her always gives me a lift.
- I'm feeling down.
- I fell into a depression.
Sources 1
- Lakoff, G. and Johnson 1980, 14–15, 18