There is ample research on how metaphors of life vary both cross-culturally and within culture, with age emerging as possibly the most significant variable with regard to the latter dimension. However, no representative research has yet been carried on whether variation can also occur across time. Our paper attempts to fill this gap in the literature by exploring whether a major crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, can induce variation in how life is metaphorically conceptualized throughout society. By drawing on (...) the results of a nationwide, representative survey on the metaphorical preferences for life among Hungarian adults carried out during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, we hypothesized that the pandemic would induce a revolutionary change (in the sense of the change being swift, as opposed to gradual) in how Hungarian adults metaphorically conceptualize life, as compared to the metaphorical preferences of the pre-COVID-19 era. We expected this variation to manifest itself in the emergence of novel metaphorical source domains and a realignment in metaphorical preferences. Our results, however, indicate that novel conceptualizations emerged only as one-off metaphors; Hungarians mostly rely on a stock collection of life metaphors even in times of crises, with changes happening mostly in the form of shifts in metaphorical preferences. Our study also found that the choice of preference of the source domains showed less alterations among older adults – implying that the older we get, the more resistant to change our metaphorical conceptualizations become, even under extreme conditions such as COVID-19. (shrink)

This article delves into the significance and role of metaphors in shaping knowledge, perceptions, and decisions within the healthcare domain. Through a critical analysis of their impact, particularly in the dynamics between healthcare professionals and patients, three dimensions are proposed for unraveling their significance: the political dimension views metaphors as agents of power and tools for legitimizing inequalities; the cultural dimension sees them as cultural residues challenging prevailing biomedical knowledge; and the ethical dimension raises questions about the moral implications of (...) the constructed narratives. This holistic approach aims to enhance our understanding of the intricate interplay between language, cognition, and the experience of illness, ultimately advocating for more comprehensive approaches in healthcare. (shrink)