‘Comprehension’ and ‘Metaphor’ in “Experiencing and the Creation of Meaning” (Gendlin, 1962/1997)

Please note that, although often misunderstood, “metaphor” in the seven functional relationships in “Experiencing and the Creation of Meaning” (Gendlin, 1962/1997) is not a relationship on the part of the inventor of the metaphorical expression, but only on the part of the reader or listener.

“Metaphor” ... really occurs only when one reads or hears a metaphor. On the other hand, the poet himself is in a different position. ... To invent a metaphor to express a prior felt meaning is “comprehension.” (Gendlin, 1962/1997, p. 117)

Explication and comprehension both seek symbolization for a given felt meaning. Thus, comprehension relates to metaphor as “explication” relates to “recognition.” (Gendlin, 1962/1997, p. 127)

So I could summarize as follows:

References

Gendlin, E. T. (1962/1997). Experiencing and the creation of meaning: a philosophical and psychological approach to the subjective (Paper ed.). Northwestern University Press.

Gendlin, E.T. (1995). Crossing and dipping: some terms for approaching the interface between natural understanding and logical formulation. Minds and Machines, 5 (4), 547-60.