A Computational Analysis of the Use of Metaphors versus Similes

Abstract Ever since Aristotle, scholars have debated the relation between metaphor and simile. One way to approach this question is to determine whether metaphors and similes are used differently, and, if so, the factors that determine the preference for one form over the other. A number of psychological studies of this issue have been conducted, but they suffer from serious difficulties. I present the results of a computational analysis, which demonstrates that the relevant factor is abstractness: the more abstract the vehicle, the greater is the preference for metaphor over simile.