Spring as a seasonal political metaphor : the Prague and Arab Spring in presidential rhetoric.

Presidential rhetoric has historically adopted the common metaphor of "spring as political change" which serves as a metonymic naming of political periods or events characterized by change and vitality. This "spring as political change" metaphor has been influential through history in naming a varied group of political activities and changes. This study focuses on "the Arab Spring" and the "Prague Spring" as "spring as political change" metaphors that have shaped and defined presidential rhetoric on the issues they purport to describe. In isolating the dimensions of the spring metaphor at work in presidential rhetoric, this study demonstrates that this "spring as political change" metaphor reflects and projects certain values in order to make the conclusions or associations of the rhetor appear natural, logical, or otherwise necessary to complete the metaphoric meanings initiated by this metaphor.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A.

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Grantor

Baylor University.

Year dc:date.issued

2014

Author dc:creator

• Cook, John W. (John William), 1989-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Gerber, Matthew G.

• Presidential rhetoric.
• Metaphoric criticism.
• Arab Spring.
• Prague Spring.

Statement dc:rights

• Baylor University works are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. Contact libraryquestions@baylor.edu for inquiries about permission.

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/2104/9056

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:baylor-ir.tdl.org:2104/9056