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Collisional metaphor

Device
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A metaphor created through the violent juxtaposition of incompatible elements

Detailed Definition
Collisional metaphor fuses two disparate conceptual domains through violent or abrupt juxtaposition, generating meaning from their friction rather than smooth analogy; it thrives on incongruity, shock, or paradox, using dissonance to reveal hidden connections or destabilize conventional perception.
Example
Example in poetry:
Collisional metaphor: Two unlike images forced together for shock—e.g., in Dylan Thomas: “The force that through the green fuse drives the flower / Drives my green age,” fusing botanical and human vitality violently.
Additional Notes
Collisional metaphor fuses disparate images or concepts violently or unexpectedly; generates friction, surprise, or new meaning—common in surrealist or metaphysical verse.
Also Known As
Impact metaphor Collision figure Crash imagery Contact-force comparison
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