Shared Wounds, Shared Words : The Role of Metaphor in Building Online Group Narratives of Infertility

Abstract

In this study, the authors investigate how metaphor use in online infertility forums can influence personal disclosure and the group’s illness identity. Infertility is a growing public health concern in Hungary, where, according to the latest statistics, the reproduction rate has plummeted to an all-time low. This, in turn, elevates the role of online forums as unique spaces that provide anonymity, community support, and an opportunity to renegotiate and normalise one’s identity within the context of illness. However, little is known about how a specific linguistic feature – namely metaphor – can impact user engagement and emotional openness in these online spaces. The findings reveal that forums with metaphor-rich opening posts prompt greater subsequent metaphor use and personal sharing among participants, fostering greater openness. The metaphors used in the analysed forums helped create a shared narrative that can enhance trust and emotional expression within the community, suggesting that metaphors, beyond their meaning-making function, also serve as a cohesive force in online forums.