Description

Metaphor is a pervasive element of natural language whose theoretical stock
has risen considerably in the past 25 years. Progress has been made on two
fronts simultaneously -- on the cognitive-linguistic front, which has
provided conceptual models of metaphor as a deeply entrenched and
systematic phenomenon, and on the computational front, which has provided
algorithms and representations for efficient analogical mapping and
inference.
   In this course we will explore the key elements of both strands, from
the underpinnings of contemporary metaphor theory to the algorithmic
workings of core processes like structure-mapping, considering along the
way the logical and philosophical implications of these processes in
mechanisms such as concept combination and conceptual blending. 
   We will also consider the utility of resources like WordNet abd Cyc to
the processing of metaphoric utterances.