More than just a taste: Exploring food metaphors in Jordanian Arabic

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Abstract
Language and metaphor are intertwined, with metaphor serving as a key tool for conceptualizing experience and expressing social meanings. This study investigates the sociolinguistic use of food-related metaphors in Jordanian Arabic, focusing on how they reflect and construct perceptions of physical appearance, personality, and social traits. It aims to fill a gap in previous research by exploring how such metaphors function as tools for expressing social meanings and identities. The study employs a mixed-methods design and uses Conceptual Metaphor Theory and Sociolinguistic Variation to analyze how age and gender affect the use and interpretation of food metaphors. Data were collected from 60 native speakers of Jordanian Arabic through a structured questionnaire and semi-structured interviews to examine their use and interpretation of common food metaphors. The study found that food metaphors in Jordanian Arabic are grounded in embodied experience and shaped by sociolinguistic variables such as age, gender, and context. Quantitative analysis showed a significant difference in food metaphor usage across age groups, with older speakers using them more often than younger ones. Women used food metaphors to convey emotions and describe appearances, while men used them for humor and criticism, though these differences were not statistically significant. These findings highlight the role of metaphor as a linguistic resource for constructing social meaning and navigating interpersonal relationships in Jordanian society. The main meaning focus of these metaphors is not fixed but is interpreted based on the specific cultural context, reflecting and reinforcing cultural values.