[MD] What is an analogy?

[ian glendinning]

Arlo, SA.

You exchanged
[SA]

Analogies, like a tree, can be scientifically discovered, painted, and
poetically written, but analogies shake off any hardening or literalization.


[Arlo]
Yes, this happens through a process I have heard called "cultural renewal". Each
generation, at eac historical moment, must create/interpret analogies/metaphors
appropriate to that "age". While good metaphors can transcend years, none is
permanent.

[IG Says]
The key word there is "can". I see metaphors going one of two ways.
They either die, reify in the language, and the analogous content is
lost (except to etymologists). Or, they remain alive, dynamic and can
be refreshed by poets. (And of course even dead ones can have new
unsuspecting metaphors built over them --- like SA's "zoo of
metaphors".

Ian