David Ritchie, Professor of Communication, analyzes metaphors, playful language, and other figurative language from a cognitive science perspective. In his recently completed book, Context and Connection in Metaphor (Palgrave-Macmillan, expected release December, 2006), Professor Ritchie shows how metaphor use and interpretation can be understood as a process of simulating perceptions and feelings associated with metaphorical phrases. Other recent publications are available on Professor Ritchie’s web site, http://web.pdx.edu/~cgrd/.

Professor Ritchie was an invited participant in the Leeds workshop on the use of metaphor analysis in social science research, at the Universities of Leeds and York, UK, in May and July, 2006. Discussions at the Leeds workshop stimulated three recently completed projects, in which Professor Ritchie analyzed the “journey” metaphor in an essay about the grieving process, a series of metaphors based on the “journey” metaphor in a key political speech by British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and (in collaboration with graduate student Valrie Dyhouse) a series of playful metaphors used in casual conversation in the American Midwest. He is currently working on an analysis of James Watson’s account of the discovery of the double helix as an example of both extended cognition and intellectual play.

In other current projects, Professor Ritchie is collaborating with Professor Char Schell and a team of graduate students in the Communication Department on an examination of how metaphor and playful language is used in conversations among scientists and between scientists and non-scientists discussing issues of science policy. In a separate project, Professor Ritchie is a member of an interdisciplinary team organized and led by Professor Dalton Miller-Jones (Psychology) and Professor Yves Labissiere (University Studies) on a series of projects related to police profiling in the Portland community.

Professor Ritchie’s students gain experience analyzing the way language is used to structure communication interactions, and in turn how language is itself shaped by communication interactions. Professor Ritchie encourages students in all of his classes to think theoretically – and to understand how theories apply to everyday situations.