National Conceptualisations of the Body Politic

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The study explores the metaphor "the Nation as a Body" through a large-scale experiment involving over 1,800 respondents from diverse backgrounds. Musolff reveals that metaphor meanings are complex and culturally specific, often differing between senders and recipients. The book delves into historical and cultural traditions that shape these interpretations, challenging the notion of a universal, male-gendered concept of "the nation." It provides a methodological framework for cross-cultural metaphor analysis, highlighting nuanced meanings in political discourse, particularly in English.