Metaphor in Financial Reporting

Abstract

In this chapter I hope to provide evidence that choice of metaphor is very important in determining the type of story that a financial reporter is trying to tell, his own stance towards the narrative and the value system of the culture within which he is operating. The choice of metaphor reflects the evaluation conveyed by the financial reporter and conforms to social expectations and the degree of certainty with which events or knowledge claims are reported. I suggest that a conflict-orientated schema at the conceptual level — of the type that was found in political discourse and sports reporting — underlies many of the metaphor choices.