Metaphors We Remember By. Von psychologischen Gedächtnismetaphern zu Identitäts- und Heimatskonzepten

Drawing on linguistic-cognitive theory, this study analyses metaphorical schemes used in the German press to depict memory and its role in forming identity and the concept of Heimat. The aim is to highlight possible intersections between these concepts at the level of linguistic metaphor. Despite being a pilot study, the results already demonstrate how traditions of thought surrounding the concept of memory have crystallised into certain recurring metaphorical patterns and should guide future research. While these metaphors may have a cognitive-experiential basis, they are also subject to creative, functionally determined variations not only in the press, but in every communicative field, including literature. As a contextual phenomenon, the metaphor can reveal genuine linguistic mechanisms of collective identity formation in different communication contexts. In this sense, the study should pave the way for further research into the role of metaphors in shaping shared memory, particularly within the discourse of migration, where these concepts gain specific cultural and political significance and directly impact behavioural patterns and attitudes.