metaphor
A member of the Blemmyes, a nomadic tribe who—according to myth—were headless but had faces on their chests. Detail from a 1556 map by Guillaume Le Testu (link).
When you look across the world’s languages, terms for body parts often involve reference to other body parts. What motivates this peculiar pattern?
Read MoreAnatomical terms are some of the most wide-ranging words of all. They show up in language about shape, space, time, measurement, numbers, emotions, and more.
Read MoreAn ancient analogy for time and why it endures.
Read MoreA common way we make sense of stories is by visualizing their structure.
Read MoreOn a commonplace but curious phenomenon: metaphors that use one timescale to express something about another.
Read MoreHow has the tree diagram evolved?
Read MoreDarwin's "architect metaphor" blends elements of his earlier metaphors for evolution.
Read MoreWhy did Time have a forelock?
Read More
