Metaphoric relationships: The role of feature saliency

The saliency of specific features has been given a prominent role in the comprehension and production of metaphors by some recent models of metaphoric processing. These models have been generally mute on how one could operationalize feature saliency. In the present study, four distinctive indices of feature saliency were examined: associative dominance, typicality, fluency, and imaginal distinctiveness. Participants rated 112 sentences in which the subjects and predicates were linked as in a nominal metaphor. The judged metaphor goodness of these sentences was predicted by only one measure of feature saliency, i.e., the typicality of the shared feature. Typicality of the feature associated both to the sentential predicate (vehicle) and to the subject (topic) was shown to be related to goodness ratings even when the effects of the other saliency measures were partialed out. Manipulation checks based on (1) having people produce a common feature for each sentence and (2) having people rate the reverse relationship for metaphoric goodness both indicated the importance of the shared feature. Cognitive processes suggested by these data were discussed.This research was supported by a grant (A7040) from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.