Analysis of Metaphor Used in Bruno Mars' Songs

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Authors: Shafira Bevan Ramadhani, Kasmaini, Indah Damayanti
Cited by: 0

Abstract

This study discussed the use of metaphors in the lyrics of Bruno Mars’ songs. A metaphor is a form of figurative language that applies a phrase or expression to something beyond its literal meaning. The purpose of this research is to identify the types of metaphors used in Bruno Mars’ songs and to interpret the possible meanings of these metaphors. This study employs a qualitative method with content analysis techniques. The data were obtained from transcripts of Bruno Mars’ song lyrics, which were analyzed using a checklist instrument table as a data collection tool. The theory used to analyze the data is the classification of metaphors according to Lakoff and Johnson (1980). The results show that there are three types of metaphors in Bruno Mars’ song lyrics: 13 structural metaphor data, 33 ontological metaphor data, and 11 orientational metaphor data. It can be concluded that ontological metaphors are the most dominant type. This is because Bruno Mars tends to express his emotions by attributing human characteristics to inanimate objects, thereby creating a more vivid visualization of experience for the listener. The implication of this study is to increase awareness and appreciation of metaphor usage in everyday language as well as in educational contexts.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Language Metaphor and Cognition Linguistics and Language Analysis Poetry Analysis and Criticism

Publication details

Journal / source
Journal of English for Specific Purposes in Indonesia
Volume
5
Issue
1
Pages
24–31
Publication date
30 January 2026