A passage is given with 5 questions following it. Read the passage carefully and choose the best answer to each question out of the four alternatives. All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances ... -William Shakespeare, As You Like It, The Philosophy of Rhetoric (1937) by rhetorician I. A. Richards describes a metaphor a shaving two parts: the tenor and the vehicle. The tenor is the subject to which attributes are ascribed. The vehicle is the object whose attributes are borrowed. In the previous example, "the world" is compared to a stage, describing it with the attributes of "the stage"; "the world" is the tenor, and "a stage" is the vehicle; "men and women" is the secondary tenor, and "players" is the secondary vehicle. Psychologist Julian Jaynes coined the terms ‘metaphrand’ and ‘metaphier’, plus two new concepts, ‘paraphrand’ and ‘paraphier’. ‘Metaphrand’ is equivalent to the metaphor-theory terms ‘tenor’, ‘target’, and ‘ground’. ‘Metaphier’ is equivalent to the metaphor-theory terms ‘vehicle’, ‘figure’, and ‘source’. In a simple metaphor, an obvious attribute of the metaphier exactly characterizes the metaphrand (e.g. the ship plowed the seas). With an inexact metaphor, however, a metaphier might have associated attributes or nuances – its paraphiers – that enrich the metaphor because they “project back” to the metaphrand, potentially creating new ideas – the paraphrands – associated thereafter with the metaphrand or even leading to a new metaphor. For example, in the metaphor "Pat is a tornado”, the metaphrand is "Pat”, the metaphier is "tornado". As metaphier, "tornado" carries paraphiers such as power, storm and wind, counter clockwise motion, and danger, threat, destruction, etc. The metaphoric meaning of “tornado” is inexact: one might understand that ‘Pat is powerfully destructive’ through the paraphrand of physical and emotional destruction; another person might understand the metaphor as ‘Pat can spin out of control’. In the latter case, the paraphier of ‘spinning motion’ has become the paraphrand ‘psychological spin’, suggesting an entirely new metaphor for emotional unpredictability, a possibly apt description for a human being hardly applicable to a tornado. Based on his analysis, Jaynes claims that metaphors not only enhance description, but "increase enormously our powers of perception...and our understanding, and literally create new objects”.
Referring to Julian Jaynes theory and considering the metaphor "All the men and women merely players", what are "men" and "women" ?
metaphrand
Understanding Julian Jaynes' Metaphor Theory: Metaphrand Explained
The question asks us to apply Julian Jaynes' theory of metaphor to the phrase "All the men and women merely players" from the provided passage. We need to identify what "men" and "women" represent within Jaynes' framework.
The passage introduces Julian Jaynes' terms related to metaphor:
- Metaphrand: Equivalent to 'tenor', 'target', and 'ground' in other metaphor theories (like I.A. Richards'). This is the subject being described or to which attributes are ascribed.
- Metaphier: Equivalent to 'vehicle', 'figure', and 'source'. This is the object whose attributes are borrowed to describe the metaphrand.
The passage first analyzes the quote "All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players" using I.A. Richards' terms:
- "the world" is the tenor, and "a stage" is the vehicle.
- "men and women" is the secondary tenor, and "players" is the secondary vehicle.
Now, let's apply Julian Jaynes' terms to the part "All the men and women merely players". We are comparing "men and women" to "players".
- The subject being described is "men and women".
- The object whose attributes are borrowed to describe "men and women" is "players".
According to Jaynes' theory, the subject being described is the metaphrand, and the object used for comparison is the metaphier.
Since "men and women" are the subject being described (the 'secondary tenor' in Richards' terms), they correspond to the metaphrand in Julian Jaynes' theory.
Let's look at the options provided:
- Option 1: history - This is not related to Jaynes' terms for metaphor components.
- Option 2: metaphrand - This term is defined by Jaynes as the subject being described. Based on our analysis, "men and women" fit this description.
- Option 3: metaphor - A metaphor is the figure of speech itself, not a component part like "men and women" within the metaphor.
- Option 4: metaphier - This term is defined by Jaynes as the object used for comparison. "Players" would be the metaphier in this part of the metaphor, not "men and women".
Therefore, according to Julian Jaynes' theory, "men" and "women" in the metaphor "All the men and women merely players" are the metaphrand.
Analysis of the Metaphor "All the men and women merely players"
| Concept | Term (Richards) | Term (Jaynes) | In "All the men and women merely players" |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject being described | Tenor (or secondary tenor) | Metaphrand | "men and women" |
| Object used for comparison | Vehicle (or secondary vehicle) | Metaphier | "players" |
This table clearly shows the correspondence between Richards' and Jaynes' terms as explained in the passage and how they apply to the specific metaphor about "men and women". "Men and women" are the subject, the 'tenor', which Jaynes calls the 'metaphrand'.
Revision Table: Key Terms in Metaphor Theory
| Term (Richards) | Term (Jaynes) | Role in Metaphor |
|---|---|---|
| Tenor | Metaphrand | The subject being described. |
| Vehicle | Metaphier | The object used to describe the subject. |
Additional Information on Jaynes' Metaphor Concepts
Julian Jaynes extended the understanding of metaphor beyond just the basic comparison of tenor and vehicle (or metaphrand and metaphier). He introduced the concepts of 'paraphier' and 'paraphrand'.
- Paraphier: These are the associated attributes or nuances of the metaphier. For example, for the metaphier "tornado", paraphiers include power, storm, wind, danger, destruction, etc.
- Paraphrand: These are the new ideas or understandings created when the paraphiers of the metaphier "project back" onto the metaphrand. These can enrich the metaphor or even lead to entirely new metaphors. In the "Pat is a tornado" example, the paraphier of 'spinning motion' could lead to the paraphrand 'psychological spin', suggesting emotional unpredictability.
Jaynes argued that this process of paraphiers creating paraphrands is crucial because it shows how metaphors don't just provide existing descriptions but can literally create new concepts and enhance our perception and understanding of the world and ourselves.
Important Questions from Reading Comprehension
What is the meaning of ‘intrigued’?
What are ice shelves?
What are icebergs?
When the iceberg turns upside down, it appears ________.
The use of science in its simple form has helped man to ____________
