Using Grammatical Metaphor to Say More With Less: Five Ways it Helps Academic Writing

Young children frequently write while speaking. However, the way we talk and write is not exactly the same. When we talk, we frequently utilize many clauses (word groups) in a sentence. However, while writing — particularly in academic contexts — we should use fewer sentences and utilize fewer words and clauses to convey information than when speaking.

To accomplish so, you'll need to know how to use specialized written language tools. Grammatical metaphor is a powerful technique in academic writing.

Lexical metaphor is the type of metaphor with which we are most familiar. This is a change in the meaning of a word or phrase.

A grammatical metaphor is not the same as a grammatical simile. Michael Halliday, an English-born Australian linguistics professor, invented the word. He is the creator of functional grammar, which is the foundation of the Australian English Curriculum.

Syntactic metaphor, as defined by Halliday, occurs when concepts stated in one grammatical form (such as verbs) are represented in another grammatical form (such as nouns). As a result, several ways of expressing a particular concept exist.

There are several sorts of grammatical metaphors, but nominalization is the most prevalent. This is when writers make nouns out of things that aren't ordinarily nouns (such verbs or adjectives).

Academic, bureaucratic, and scientific writing frequently use a grammatical metaphor, which is commonly done by nominalization, as in the instances above. Here are four reasons why it's crucial.

1. It Makes Sentences Shorter

Grammatical metaphor reduces the number of clauses in a sentence and shortens explanations. This is due to the fact that noun groupings may hold more information than numerous clauses. The three sentences from one via grammatical metaphor or nominalization.

2. It More Clearly Demonstrates One Thing Causing Another

A grammatical metaphor can be used to indicate that one event causes another inside a single sentence rather than across many clauses. In the first case, we required three phrases to illustrate how one action (people chopping down woods) may have resulted in another (land being exposed and being washed away by heavy rain).

The second version, on the other hand, uses grammatical metaphor to realize the causal link between two processes in only one sentence. As a result, it becomes more apparent.

3. It Aids in the Organization of Text and the Connection of Concepts

The writer can combine the two lines by changing the verb "decided" to the noun "decision" and using grammatical metaphors.

This permits the writer to insert more material and make it denser. It implies they may elaborate on the choice inside the same phrase, resulting in a more logical and cohesive narrative. The next statement can then be used to say something completely different.

4. It Establishes a Formal Tone

The use of linguistic metaphor also establishes a barrier between the writer and the reader, resulting in a formal and objective tone. This gives the text a more authoritative tone.

While some academics have advocated for making writing more personal, formality, social distance, and objectivity remain important elements of academic writing.

5. It is Instilled, but not Overtly

In the upper elementary years, it becomes widespread across all subject areas. It's also a big part of the growing usage of technical and specialized knowledge across subjects in secondary school.

However, the phrase "grammatical metaphor" isn't mentioned in the Australian Curriculum: English and isn't widely used in schools. As a result, many school instructors may be unaware of the connection between grammatical metaphor and excellent academic writing, as well as how grammatical metaphor operates in texts. You can get all the desired study material from free Shopify alternatives at reasonable prices.