George Lakoff

Who Is George Lakoff?

George Lakoff is a highly influential American cognitive linguist and professor of linguistics at the University of California, Berkeley. Known for his groundbreaking ideas on the role of metaphors in shaping human thought and political behavior, Lakoff has been a key figure in the fields of linguistics and cognitive science. His work focuses on how language and metaphors structure our understanding of the world, influencing politics and society. Beyond his academic career, Lakoff has had a significant impact on political communication, especially within the progressive movement, advising political parties like the U.S. Democratic Party and collaborating with Spain’s Fundación IDEAS.

What is his Background?

George Lakoff began his career as a proponent of Noam Chomsky’s transformational grammar theory but later departed from this approach to develop generative semantics. In 1980, along with Mark Johnson, he published Metaphors We Live By, a revolutionary book that argued metaphors are not merely linguistic expressions but fundamental conceptual frameworks that shape how we think and act. This approach, known as the theory of the embodied mind, has had applications across multiple fields, including philosophy, literature, politics, and mathematics.

Throughout his career, Lakoff has authored influential books like Moral Politics and Don’t Think of an Elephant, which explore the role of language in shaping political debate. In these works, he emphasizes that mental frames, influenced by metaphors, are key to understanding how conservatives and liberals view the world. In addition to his academic contributions, he founded the Rockridge Institute, a progressive think tank that aimed to help liberal politicians redefine political metaphors and better connect with the electorate.