The serial/hierarchical model of metaphor comprehension hypothesizes that individuals activate the metaphorical meaning of a sentence after having first activated its literal meaning.

DePaul University

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Three general categories of hypotheses have been proposed to explain the underlying cognitive mechanisms of metaphor comprehension:

1. The serial/hierarchical model
2. The parallel/direct processing model
3. The context-dependent model

Hypotheses of underlying cognitive mechanisms of metaphor comprehension

This model hypothesize that the processing of metaphorical and literal meaning takes place simultaneously, since the metaphor is understood directly without having to pass through the literal level.

The parallel/direct processing model

this model hypothesize that context determines which meaning will be accessed (the literal or the metaphorical one) and the metaphorical meaning is directly accessed when relevant to a given context.

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