Conceptual Metaphors in Taylor Swift’s 2022 NYU Commencement Speech

This study investigates the use of conceptual metaphor in Taylor Swift’s 2022 commencement address at New York University, focusing on how metaphor functions as a rhetorical tool in celebrity motivational discourse. Drawing on Conceptual metaphor theory (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980) and Critical metaphor analysis (Charteris-Black, 2005), the research identifies four dominant conceptual metaphors including LIFE IS A JOURNEY, LIFE IS A PHYSICAL BURDEN, IDENTITY IS A PATCHWORK, and CRINGGE IS A COMPANION. These metaphors frame Swift’s core messages to the audience such as self-discovery, emotional resilience, and personal authenticity. By metaphorically representing life, cringe, and identity through familiar and concrete domains such as travel, weight, fabric, and companion, Swift translates abstract life lessons into accessible and emotionally resonant insights. Her speech functions not only as personal storytelling but also as motivational discourse, which offers guidance and connection to a graduating audience facing an uncertain future. The metaphors serve both to clarify complex experiences and to establish Swift’s credibility as a reflective and relatable figure. This study contributes to the growing literature on metaphor in celebrity and popular discourse, revealing how public figures use metaphorical framing to inspire, instruct, and connect with their audiences in culturally significant moments.