From Cancer as a Battle to Vaccines as Seat Belts - The Importance of Metaphor in Communication about Health and Fitness

Café Scientifique talk by Professor Elena Semino on how metaphors shape communication about cancer, vaccines and health.

Café Scientifique Brampton hosts an evening discussion led by Professor Elena Semino, a linguist at Lancaster University who studies how people talk about illness. She examines the metaphors used in health communication, from cancer described as a battle or journey to vaccines framed as seat belts or monsters, and argues that metaphors shape how we think as well as how we speak. Doors open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start, with the session ending around 9.30pm.