FROM OBJECTIFICATION TO PERSONIFICATION. DARWIN’S CONCEPT OF (NATURAL) SELECTION

Anna Drogosz

Katedra Filologii Angielskiej Uniwersytet Warmińsko-Mazurski w Olsztynie



Abstract

The article presents an analysis of conceptual metaphors used by Darwin to describe
artificial and natural selection. It is established that three kinds of metaphorization are
employed: objectification to conceptualize artificial selection, and agentification and
personification to conceptualize natural selection. It is argued that the evidence of Darwin’s
text justifies identifying agentification as a special type of metaphorization. Further it is
claimed that the ordering of metaphors: objectification – agentification – personification
demonstrates the primacy of objectification with respect to more elaborate metaphors and
recapitulates the phylogenetic development of the process of metaphorization. The article
also addresses the motivation for Darwin’s anthropocentric language.


Schlagworte:

personification, objectification, Darwin, selection


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Veröffentlicht
2012-06-01

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Drogosz, A. (2012). FROM OBJECTIFICATION TO PERSONIFICATION. DARWIN’S CONCEPT OF (NATURAL) SELECTION. Acta Neophilologica, 1(XIX), 51–60. Abgerufen von https://czasopisma.uwm.edu.pl/index.php/an/article/view/1006

Anna Drogosz 
Katedra Filologii Angielskiej Uniwersytet Warmińsko-Mazurski w Olsztynie