Study examines how we talk about dying<\/p>\n
30 September 2013 15:20
\nA journey or a battle? A crossroads or a fight? A stolen life or a gift?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
How people talk about dying in terms of metaphors, or verbal imagery, is being analysed by researchers at Lancaster University.
\nThe \u00a3218,000 project, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, brings together expertise from linguists, computer scientists and a health psychologist from the University\u2019s International Observatory on End of Life Care.
\nThe \u2018Metaphor in End of Life Care\u2019 project focuses specifically on metaphors \u2013 words and phrases which describe one thing in terms of another.
\nIllness, emotions, relationships and death are among the experiences for which people use metaphors to express, reflect and shape views, feelings, attitudes and needs.
\nThe team are scrutinising 1.5 million words used by patients, family carers and health care professionals in a bid to improve communications for those nearing the end of their lives, in consultation with the Lancaster Research Partners\u2019 Forum – a group of local people with experience of research and of end of life care in the UK.
\nThe project\u2019s Principal Investigator and Head of Linguistics and English Language Professor Elena Semino explains: \u201cMetaphors are often used to talk about experiences that are sensitive and emotional, or that might be taboo, and the choice of metaphor will reflect how we \u2018see\u2019 or feel about those experiences.
\n\u201cFor example, if we talk about being ill with cancer in terms of a journey with milestones and crossroads, we may experience things differently than if we talk about it in terms of a battle \u2013 fighting an enemy, winning, or losing. The competitive, heroic element of battle metaphors can be motivating for some people but demoralising for others.
\n\u201cDifferent metaphors may be more or less appropriate for different people or for the same person at different times.\u201d
\nThe seven-strong project team are studying metaphors in a 1.5 million word corpus, a textual database, consisting of personal interviews and contributions to online forums. They will analyse and interpret each metaphor used, the context in which it is used, the implications for the individual\u2019s experience, and differences within and across the three groups.
\nCombining qualitative and quantitative research methods, the project will exploit an innovative semantic annotation tool, embedded in a web-based system called \u2018Wmatrix\u2019, developed by project team member Dr Paul Rayson, a Senior Lecturer at Lancaster University\u2019s School of Computing and Communications.
\n\u201cThis will enable us to identify metaphorical expressions more systematically than is currently possible with other corpus-based methods for the study of metaphor in large data sets,\u201d said Dr Rayson.
\nHealth psychologist and expert in end of life studies Professor Sheila Payne, another project team member, is keen that the study should be used to inform policy-making and the training of health professionals.
\n\u201cBy analysing the language people use, we should be able to come up with conclusions that improve communication between the three groups involved in end of life care,\u201d she explained. \u201cA better understanding of people\u2019s uses of metaphor can help to identify possible sources of misunderstanding.\u201d
\nThe work is attracting significant interest from academics and health professionals in Europe and China who want to replicate the project in their countries.
\nAn end-of-project event will take place in May 2014 at The Work Foundation in London when government officials involved in cancer and end of life care strategy, senior NHS officials and policymakers will be invited to hear and respond to the project findings.
\nThere will also be places for senior academics involved in health research and for health practitioners involved in end of life care.
\nThere will also be a web-based seminar at Lancaster University\u2019s International Observatory on End of Life Care in April 2014.
\nFor more information, see the project website: http:\/\/ucrel.lancs.ac.uk\/melc\/index.php<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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