Polysemy = the existence of multiple

meanings

‘fall’

Downwards movement Unintentional

‘Bird’

PrototypicalNon-prototypical

Metaphors: extreme non-prototypical usages

• “She’s a genuine night owl”• “He’s a proper ostrich

when it comes to facing facts.”

• “Henry’s a pig.”• “What a bitch.”

Use of intensifiers (genuine, proper) to indicate metaphorical usage.

Intensifier drops when usage becomes conventional

‘Disaster’

• “The Glen Cinema disaster is considered one of Scotland’s worst.”

• “I don’t like cooking, not since my disaster with the soup.”

• “The last wicket fell; it was another disaster for England.”

1. The Hillsborough football disaster killed 95 people.

2. To get a panama hat wet is to court disaster. The hat becomes limp and shapeless.

3. The gravy’s a disaster. It’s got too much fat in it.

4. Poor old Tommy had a disaster. He three-putted from three feet and made a double-bogey at the very first hole.

5. The next morning was an absolute disaster. Loretta’s hopes of a conciliatory chat with Bridget over the weekend were dashed.

6. With four minutes of the first half left, disaster struck for City.

7. The old Christmas tree lights could be the cause of an electrical disaster.

8. 268 miners were killed in the Abercarn mining disaster.

9. The Victoria Hall disaster was the worst of it’s kind in the UK.