Computational Metaphorics (Draft)

An Unsupervised Learning Method for Metaphor Detection (2000) .. by Gideon Mann

>>As a foray into a uncharted area of “computational metaphorics“, this project yielded a number of insights.

Computational Metaphorics: Prior Work

There is a growing literature on computational linguistic approaches to understanding metaphor. The earliest attempts to understand metaphors used Lakoff’s recent theory but have restricted themselves to toy-domains, simplifying the problem [Martin 92, Fass 91]. In these systems, an expert defines a series of literal relationships, and when the natural language system is presented with a relationship outside the normal bounds, it uses its knowledge base to fit this phrase into its semantic system. These systems are brittle and rely on extensive input from the programmer.

[Dolan 95] sketches an initial attempt to detect metaphors in free text. The technical report presents a method which uses a proprietary ontology developed from a machine readable dictionary to detect metaphors, finding example mappings from one to domain to another. No results are given, and it is unclear whether or not he has actually implemented the system.

Another attempt at metaphor recognition comes from recognition of lexical phrases used to indicate metaphorical relationships. [Ferrari 96] describes a way to use lexical tags (“like an” for example) to detect metaphors.

However, no previous work has demonstrated results on free-text metaphor detection.<<

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Ocularcentrism, Inscription & the Figure of the Computer in Cognitive Theories of Language (2003) .. abstract by Chris Werry

>>I show how the computational metaphorics drawn on by Chomskyan and cognitive linguistics lead to a series of blindspots and limitations in their representation of language and mind.<<

Notes:

Computational Metaphorics concerns the study of metaphor analytics.  Computational or automated metaphor analysis may also fall under Metaphorology.

Quora:

Resources:

@metaphorbot .. Twitter bot for monitoring buzz about the IARPA Metaphor Program, quest to build a metaphor machine ..

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See also:

CogSketch | Computational Analogy | Computational Dreaming | Daydreaming Machines | IARPA 2011 | John A Barnden | Robopsychology | SME (Structure Mapping Engine) 2011

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