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Golovincher (Novikova) V.Y., Soloimskaya V.P.
Adapting of the Test of Aspect Metaphors for the English language
We thank the World Socionics Society
for their support in conducting the experiment.
The Test of Aspect Metaphors (TAM) was established in 2005 on the basis of psycholinguistic technologies.
The method is reduced to that a figurative expression (metaphor) without a context is interpreted by a man through the context of one's world perception, which in its turn is semantically organized according to the structure of Model A. And thus, semantic analysis allows us identifying the TIM by the interpretation of metaphors.
There are a number of rules of metaphor formation and principles for decoding the fulfilled tests. The details are described in the article by Novikova V.Yu. Test of aspect metaphors. Technologies of psycholinguistics are in socionic diagnostics // Socionics, mentology and personality psychology. — 2008. — №2. — P.5-10
It is worth mentioning that the process of creating metaphors requires strong mental efforts, because the main condition for a metaphor is to bear no meaning and not to involve any lexical patterns, what is quite difficult to obtain. Therefore, initially it was assumed that a native speaker with fine feeling of phrase meaning is required to create the test. It was also assumed that the test would be effective for diagnosing only native speakers within the same language.
But 10 years of practice in the Russian-speaking environment added some clarifications to these assumptions.
- The native speakers from the same language group (in our case - Slavic) can easily pass the test.
- Even native speakers from a different language group who know the Russian language well or very well also show diagnostically valuable results in passing the Test of aspect metaphors formulated in Russian.
- Not all Russian native speakers are able to overcome the barrier of meaning absence in the metaphors and this overcoming requires a certain cognitive level in general. But such cases were rear in our sampling.
These clarifications have suggested that native speakers are not necessary to create the Test of aspect metaphors in other language and that it is sufficient if the test creator knows the language at a good and excellent level.
This idea resulted into creation of the English version of the Test of aspect metaphors.
Russian metaphors were taken as a basis and were creatively translated into English. In this case creativity was that the author (Russian native speaker) used all their knowledge in English to maximize the lack of meaning in phrases, which is to be interpreted by representatives of other cultures and other lexical and semantic templates. The task looks complicated, but was solved and tested on native speakers of the English language with different geography of residence.
As a result, the English version of the Test of aspect metaphors and the task look as follows:
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Explain your understanding of these phrases. What is their possible meaning? |
The first reactions of volunteers who checked the adapted test showed that metaphors were successful. "The phrases seem strange to me. Is it normal?", "Must this mean something?", "I think there is no sense". We often heard the same words during the diagnosis by TAM’s method in Russian. This is a good sign, it means, that the metaphors correspond to the requirements and do not involve any sense initially.
Decoding of metaphors that were sent by residents of the British Isles, Australia, America, Canada, showed a complete suitability of English version of the Test for the identification of a type. The analysis of the fulfilled tests showed that the decoding rules used in the Russian-language tests fully suit for the English language test.
The additional part of test consisting of single aspect metaphors and tasks for semantic difference identification has also been adapted for the English language, this is needed to clarify the obtained version of TIM in the second phase.
The metaphors in the second part are offered in order to specify the dimensions of minor functions, specifically to distinguish one-dimensional functions basing on the semantics of the phrases witch cause the greatest difficulty to one under test.
In accordance to the verifying version of the TIM, the test person is to decode or explain the following four phrases:
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Explain your understanding of these phrases: |
Metaphors of the second phase have also shown their suitability for diagnosing and have caused reactions and responses we had seen on the example of Russian speakers.
In fact, a full diagnosing of TIM was done in the process of checking the English version of the TAM.
This brings us to the following conclusions.
- TAM can be adapted to other languages by one who is not a native speaker. A good knowledge of the language and the understanding of TAM’s method are necessary for the TAM adaptation.
- Methodology of aspect metaphors created for the Russian language, is fully applicable to other linguistic areas. All the rules of decoding are well applicable.
- Metaphors noted in this article can be used for work in the English speaking environment. In fact, they are a complete English version of the TAM.
- If it is necessary, the TAM can be very quickly and easily adapted for any language, this opens up new opportunities for our colleagues outside Russian-speaking environment.
- This light and organic TAM adaptation for another language leads us to confirmation of the important fact . It doesn't matter what language we speak and it doesn't matter how greatly can differ the lexical structures of different languages (in this case, different language groups were involved), the deep semantic structure of human communication is organized in accordance with the 8 informational aspects, which are studied by socionics.
At the end of the article we hope that this work can help promoting socionic science further beyond the Russian-speaking environment.
Application
Some tests examples with answers.
Test 1 (ILI)
First part:
Explain your understanding of these phrases. What is their possible meaning? Please, write the test in detail and independently. We need to understand your way of thinking.
1) exulting classification
Hmm what does this mean? I think it is putting classification on a pedestal in some way. So having a way of classifying the environment and information that takes precedence over all other ways of dealing with the same information.
2) delicacy of benefit
There is a delicacy to benefit because sometimes what appears to be beneficial may in fact be a detriment. So yo have to be very careful of your action.
3) capture of period
Capture of period. I see this as a way to capture a time period. It's certain essence. The things that make it uniquely that time.
4) luscious probability
Luscious probability: knowing what you are doing will give you everything you desire. And so you can enjoy the consequences.
5) enthusiasm of structural schemes
Well when there is passion behind structure then there will be much more than solidity. There will be life within it.
6) mercy of profit
When an organization only accepts profit when others are not harmed in the process.
7) eternity violence
Violence that persists even with time. A flaw on the way something or someone is seen that lasts a long long time. Forever. Doesn't have to be physical. Could be social or emotional.
8) sleepy diversity
When things are not as diverse as you would like to have them. You are slacking off and giving undo preference.
Second part:
1) arrogance of heartfulness
I think one can be too caring and too concerned with how others are feeling. Sometimes we need to let them deal with their own problems on their own instead of thinking we know better
2) What's the difference between words 'rapture' and 'exultation'?
Rapture is static. Unmovable. Stuck in place. Exultation is like an e omission of energy. Alive and free.
3) discomfort of cosiness
Sometimes too much comfort can be overbearing. And start to cause pain in that the body is not being moved and challenged.
4) impotence of volition
If someone is hitting the wrong target to create force there will be no effect.
I guess it would be attempting to force something against a strong opponent. One who is already strong. So I guess a physical example is a small person trying to wrestle someone twice their size. It could also be seen as an unintelligent person arguing against a genius. Both will lose. Other targets would be more appropriate. The small person making use of their small size to escape from larger person. Genius may not be as practically minded so attack there.
Test 2 (IEI)
First part:
1) exulting classification
Someone who feels excited to classify objects and people.
2) delicacy of benefit
The joy of finding someone who is mutually beneficial to you.
3) capture of period
Figuring out the exact point of something in an event, freezing time.
4) luscious probability
All the possible probabilities are very inspiring and welcoming.
5) enthusiasm of structural schemes
Love for how things fit together and work.
6) mercy of profit
The freedom that having enough gives you to save you from whatever you need mercy from
7) eternity violence
Conflict that won't stop.
8) sleepy diversity
A comfortable change of pace.
Second part:
1) abstractly regularised structure
Internal understanding of the world, a framework of how the world is.
2) uselessness of benefits
Sometimes outcomes or successes aren't necessary for what you want, so while good, they aren't useful. Maybe getting a job at a company you thought would be good, and getting paid well, but the work is horrible. So the money is a useless benefit
3) discomfort of cosiness
unable to relax.
4) impotence of volition
Inability to hold their own beliefs and goals.
Test 3 (IEE)
First part:
1) exulting classification
I see someone who enjoys putting things into boxes. They really, really, enjoy this.
2) delicacy of benefit
Benefit is awesome. It is craved. It is like a fabulous cuisine, figuratively speaking. It is… not a rare thing, per se, but it is highly valued and of high quality.
3) capture of period
I don’t know about this one. “Capture” as taking, “period” as “a stretch of time”. But you can’t really capture a period, unless you are taking it and committing it to media of some kind. You could take events and attitudes, and things that will flesh out what that period was and what it means.
4) luscious probability
It could be someone who enjoys the act of studying probabilities. Or it could be someone who has found the very best probability. It is juicy, and tasty, and exciting.
5) enthusiasm of structural schemes
Hmm. I’m seeing someone like Napoleon here, who enjoys rising to the top of whatever structure (in this case, political or social) he or she is taking on. They have a plan, and they are excited about it.
6) mercy of profit
These I don’t really see as compatible. Mercy is to hold back, perhaps out of emotional direction. Profit, on the other hand, can be very emotionless, as in maximizing the profit no matter what the cost. If I had to stretch, I could see one using their profit to benefit others in a charitable manner.
7) eternity violence
Violence lasting for an eternity.
8) sleepy diversity
A bunch of people of different colors , genders, nationalities, etc, together in one place, about to doze off. Who knows why. Maybe the speaker is boring or something. Or it might be an airport. Or the World Cup.
Second part:
1) abstractly regularised structure
Something having to do with the organization of the intangible.
2) uselessness of benefits
I find myself thinking of employment benefits that are practically worthless.
3) There is a chance, but there is no possibility
Closest I can get to is “it could happen, but the likelihood is excessively low”.
4) What's the difference between 'on time' and 'timely'?
To me, “on time” is the occurrence of being on time once. “Timely” refers to an ongoing habit of being on time. Granted, that is not the dictionary definition, where I believe the latter is more like “occurring at a time that you particularly needed it to happen”.
Test 4 (ILE)
First part:
1) exulting classification
Definition 1) The individual stimuli that evoke a state of cathartic joy in the individual. This can be in terms of a situation or environment, and its specifics to this particular person.
definition 2) the psychoanalytical method of asking a person who claims to be unable to be happy to visualise the moment in which they felt really happy or achieved something. It is a mental framework, a signpost.
2) delicacy of benefit
(this is actually a nonsensical phrase to me, so I will do my best). This is the amount of benefits, either financial or in terms of other services, that the person feels they may receive. It may also mean the proper act of munificence that the person is willing to show. IE: is a thousand dollars really an acceptable sum to give someone if the recipient is not materialistic, or does not wish to feel indebted to the donor.
3) capture of period
The man scraped away the last piece of limestone from the edge of the ancient tomb door, then entered, masking his mouth from the intense dust and odour of ancient lichen. From what little light his torch provided, he was given a deep sense of being in the threshold of something profound; for him there was no exterior to this place, but rather it was all encapsulating. A chunk of that time was held within the chamber; it was not a place of shadows but living things, the essence of that ancient time.
4) luscious probability
The aesthetic value of lines connecting to one another, and the depth of beauty that they are able to make manifest.
5) enthusiasm of structural schemes
A state of paroxysm of thought that is all encompassing and its relation to a system or structure. It is the moment in which a piece of architecture, say, is no longer the product of a mysterious system of masonry but is rather a thing of complexity that the person may - if only for a moment - be able to mentally visualise. It is to be within a constructive system, but to see its beauty in terms of complexity but rather how its complexity is the expression of something quite profound.
6) mercy of profit
An act of mercy that initially seems to be the least logical, most improper form of action that later provides unseen results that benefit all parties.
7) eternity violence
The belief that war and atrocity are inevitable, and such will essentially never end.
Definition 1)the idea that a never-ending conflict, though horrible is somehow more interpersonally acceptable. If a war goes on long enough and it does not directly affect the person, then it ceases to be a factor for reverie.
8) sleepy diversity
definition 1) When thousands of people of many cultures and creeds find a common denominator in all of their dreams. The analysis of this is the hope to find an interconnectivity of individuals, that they may be hubs of a universal mind.
definition 2)The resolution of conflict in a state of dreaming.
Second part:
1) arrogance of heartfulness
the love and affection that we impart on those that we have convinced ourselves that we know; the sudden realisation that we have been interacting with a surface.
2) discomfort of coziness
the result of routine comforts that begin to be one’s only purpose. Think of the rat who is most content roaming around a maze. He is well-fed, intellectually occupied, but there comes a point in which the repetition causes a nagging from within his psyche; there are other substances outside of the capsule.
3) impotence of volition
every instant that seems to be occuring in sequence has the appearance of organicity but is in fact not in motion. Random thoughts, actions are not such but are really an illusion. Thus, volition is not so much from a drive as we experience it but rather a line of text in the book of life.
4) What's the difference between words 'rapture' and 'exultation'?
Rapture is suggestive of something quite profound that happens to one on a spiritual or sensuous level. Exultation is more of a mood, albeit one that we are infected with by the personal energies - or perhaps one might say impressions or emotional atmosphere - within which we exist.
