Other metaphors of communication

[Brian MacWhinney]

Marc and Bill,
  I think that Bill was interested in metaphors from common language.
Thinking of communication as a dialectic is great stuff, but not something I
have ever heard in common usage, even from academics.  The same can be said
for viewing communication as "proof and deduction".
   On the other hand, I think Marc hit the nail on the head with his pointer
to the "resonance" metaphor.  Remember the 60s, when we "tuned in", "hooked
up with vibes", "got on someone's wavelength" and the rest.  Resonance and
vibration are basically the same idea, although I must admit that adaptive
resonance theory says a bit more to me than people just sitting around and
humming "Om", but the core idea is similar.
  So, that one works for me as a common language metaphor and it is not
particularly non-Western.  I would like to think that
interpretation-hermeneutics could work too.  But the closest I can get is a
metaphor of adventure and exploration.  How about phrases such as "Do you
follow me?"  "Are I going down the same path?"  "Have I been misleading
you?"  Not a bad metaphor in any case.

--Brian MacWhinney