An Ecocritical Metaphorology

The field of French and Francophone studies should lead the way in the development of an ecocritical metaphorology, that is, a science of the metaphors used to describe human involvement in environmental change in the Anthropocene. Using the analytical skills typically applied to the study of literary texts, scholars in French and Francophone studies should analyze the environmental metaphors in non-literary text and speech, such as journalistic articles, public policy, advertising, science writing, and industry documents. This focused attention on metaphorical expression could reveal patterns of thinking that repeat themselves subconsciously and offer a better understanding of how humans imagine themselves in relation to the natural world.