In the project “Multimodal metaphor and expressive movement”, cognitive linguists collaborate with film scholars to understand the connection between processes of emotional sensation and processes of understanding. We bring two theoretical models together to form a common perspective:

1) the applied linguistics theory of the activation of metaphoricity (processes that impart meaning) (Müller)

2) the analytic film-studies model of expressive movement (processes that manipulate emotions) (Kappelhoff)

On the basis of comparative studies on everyday communication and audiovisual media our theory-building research also aims to develop standardized methods of analysis and ways of presentation.

This project has been part of the Cluster of Excellence "Languages of Emotion" at Freie Universität Berlin since 2009 and is directed by Prof. Dr. Cornelia Müller (Europa Universität Viadrina Frankfurt/Oder) and Prof. Dr. Hermann Kappelhoff (FU Berlin).