Is Metaphoric Anaphor a Tough Nut to Crack? A Systematic Review of Referential Metaphor Processing Research

Abstract

This article presents a systematic review of eleven experimental studies on metaphoric anaphor processing. Beyond predicating specific properties to a subject (e.g., “Peter is an angel”, where angel conveys a set of possible features, such as kindness and helpfulness), metaphors can simultaneously fulfill a referential function, re mentioning an established discourse entity through a metaphorical noun, in this case called a ‘metaphorical anaphor’ (e.g., “That angel is always willing to help”, where angel also serves to refer to Peter). Given the experimental evidence that a higher processing cost is involved for referential metaphors relative to their literal counterparts and predicative metaphors, a special nature of metaphorical anaphors has been proposed. In this review paper, we offer a comprehensive overview of the recurrent research topics and findings on metaphorical anaphor by adopting a structured procedure of study identification and selection. We systematically compare the methodological and stimuli design variables to highlight their implications for processing and experimental outcomes. The review concludes with a discussion on the procedural costs of referential metaphors and a preliminary framework advocating for the development of an interactive model of processing.