cross-linguistic metaphors (fwd)

[ROOD DAVID S]

David S. Rood
Dept. of Linguistics
Univ. of Colorado
295 UCB
Boulder, CO 80309-0295
USA
rood at colorado.edu

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 19 Feb 2011 16:02:32 -0700 (MST)
From: ROOD DAVID S <David.Rood at colorado.edu>
To: linguistics faculty <ling-fac at lists.Colorado.EDU>
Cc: linguistics grads <ling-grads at lists.Colorado.EDU>,
     siounists at spot.colorado.edu
Subject: cross-linguistic metaphors


Dear Colleagues:

 	I'm trying to tap into the biggest database I know of for knowledge of 
languages, namely all of you.  I have a query from someone who wants to know 
whether a language exists that does not equate "bright" and "dim" in the sense 
of light and shadow/dark with the same words used to describe intellectual 
acuity or lack thereof.  In English we can call people "bright" and 
"dim(witted)" to mean 'smart' and 'not so smart'.

  Do you know of a language that lacks that equation?

 	Thanks for your help.

Best,
 	David


David S. Rood
Dept. of Linguistics
Univ. of Colorado
295 UCB
Boulder, CO 80309-0295
USA
rood at colorado.edu