Les métaphores liquides dans les terminologies scientifiques et leur circulation discursive

le cas du terme onde, entre convention et créativité

Abstract

In this article, we will first analyse the issues about liquid metaphor as a springboard for neonymy in technical and scientific vocabularies; metaphorical terms will be distinguished on the basis of the factors that govern their creation and implementation. We will then look at the strategies for reactivating these metaphors in media discourse addressed to the general public: we will try to show how metaphorical terms are sometimes taken up, manipulated and diverted in media online discourse, and what effects these discourse dynamics can have. Our case study will concern the term onde(s) électromagnétique(s) (‘electromagnetic wave(s)’), whose behaviour will be analysed in a specialised corpus and in a general corpus, in French and in English.