THE FREQUENCY OF METAPHORICAL EXPRESSIONS IN PUBLIC LECTURER “WHY WE EXPLORE” BY PROFESSOR STELLA CHRISTIE: A CORPUS – BASED ANALYSIS

Abstract

This study investigates the frequency, types, and rhetorical functions of metaphorical expressions utilized in Professor Stella Christie’s public lecture, “Why We Explore.” Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research combines quantitative corpus-based analysis using Sketch Engine (MIPVU) and qualitative interpretive analysis on the lecture transcript to identify and categorize metaphors. The analysis identified 31 distinct metaphorical expressions, corresponding to a high normalized frequency of 31 metaphors per 1,000 words. The dominant type was Orientational Metaphors (45.2%), followed by Structural (25.8%), Ontological (16.1%), and Personification (12.9%) metaphors. These metaphors were primarily found to serve the key rhetorical functions of simplification (32.3%) and narrative construction (32.3%), alongside emotional evocation (25.8%) and emphasis (9.7%). The findings demonstrate that metaphorical language is strategically employed to enhance audience engagement, particularly in framing abstract concepts like exploration, curiosity, and economic growth in accessible imagery. The prevalence of Journey metaphors, such as “making the journey all the way here,” highlights the speaker’s attempt to connect with the audience's cultural understanding of progress. This research contributes to cognitive linguistics and rhetorical studies by offering practical insights into the effective use of figurative language in academic public discourse.