Explaining superfoods: Exploringmetaphor scenarios in media sciencereports

摘要

Metaphorical language plays an important role in spreading and popularisingscientific information. However, little is known about the process through whichsober scientific research is transformed into colourful or even sensational news.This paper examines the main metaphor scenarios used to explain nutritionaldiscoveries, generally related to the overarching metaphors of “combat” and“maintenance”, and explores how they are developed and distributed acrossinstitutional press releases, online news reports, and magazines/blogs. Most ofthe metaphor scenarios seem to arise first in the press release, but these areconsiderably extended and embellished by the other media. Only occasionally arenew metaphor scenarios engaged, which reflect societal discourses concerningscience and nutrition.