Mapping Emotion Through Metaphor: A Conceptual Metaphor Analysis of Adele’s 21

Nurhuda Fajar, Abd Halim, Muhammad Hasbi — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study examines the use of metaphor in selected songs from Adele’s album 21 through the lens of Lakoff and Johnson’s Conceptual Metaphor Theory (1980). Using a qualitative descriptive approach, the research analyses seven tracks: “Rolling in the Deep,” “Rumour Has It,” “Turning Tables,” “Don’t You Remember,” “Set Fire to the Rain,” “Love Song,” and “One and Only”—to identify the types and functions of metaphor within the lyrics. A total of 60 metaphorical expressions were found and categorized into three major conceptual types: structural (28), orientational (19), and ontological (13). The dominance of structural metaphors indicates Adele’s reliance on analogy-based mappings to construct emotional narratives, while orientational metaphors reveal how spatial concepts encode emotional states. Ontological metaphors further demonstrate how abstract feelings are framed as concrete entities, enhancing intimacy and emotional resonance. The findings suggest that metaphor in Adele’s songwriting operates not only as a stylistic feature but also as a cognitive mechanism that shapes how emotional experience is represented and interpreted. This study contributes to stylistics and cognitive linguistics by highlighting the role of metaphor as a meaning-making resource in contemporary song lyrics.

Vivid: Journal of Language and Literature

Mapping Emotion Through Metaphor: A Conceptual Metaphor Analysis of Adele’s 21