ABSTRACT
As the range of chapters in this handbook demonstrates, metaphors are fundamental to how we think about a great many things. That includes language and communication-what language is, what it does, how it does it, and what qualities it can possess. In English, we have many everyday metaphors that explain how linguistic communication works. We put our thoughts into words or get our ideas onto paper. We cram a lot of ideas into a sentence, utter words that are packed with emotion, and pour ourselves into our words. Yet even routine metaphoric thought can inspire extravagant expressions and creative ideas.
