Metaphors of Nostalgia Among Thai Language Users on Application X: A Conceptual Metaphor and Metaphor Function Approach

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Nostalgia is an important and complex emotion with both positive and negative impacts in people’s daily lives. It can therefore be difficult to use language to clearly explain the emotion of nostalgia, which is inherently abstract. Metaphors appear to be a key tool that could help explain nostalgia more concretely and clearly. This research, therefore, aims to study conceptual metaphors of nostalgia, which are reflected through metaphorical expressions used by Thai language users on the X application (formerly known as “Twitter”), and to study the functions of these nostalgia metaphors from the above data.

Methods: The data were collected from X from January 2023 to September 2025, by searching the keyword “khwam khitthueng” (nostalgia). Metaphorical expressions were then selected from non-metaphorical expressions. The Conceptual Metaphor Theory (Lakoff & Johnson, 2003) as further developed by Kövecses (2002, 2004) was applied to analyze these metaphorical expressions and classified into conceptual metaphor groups. Only groups with a total frequency of five or more occurrences of metaphorical expressions were included in the study. Furthermore, the functions of these nostalgia metaphors were analyzed with the Functions of Metaphor Theory of Goatly (1997) by focusing on their semantic features and the context, then classified the functions of these nostalgia metaphors into groups.

Results: The research findings revealed 4 conceptual metaphors of nostalgia used by Thai language users on X, which were reflected through a total of 157 metaphorical expressions. These metaphors, in descending order of frequency, are [NOSTALGIA IS A PERSON], [NOSTALGIA IS AN OBJECT], [NOSTALGIA IS A DISEASE] and [NOSTALGIA IS WATER]. Moreover, these conceptual metaphors perform several significant functions: the Ideational function, the Ideational and Interpersonal function, the Interpersonal function and the Textual function. Notably, the Ideational function and the Textual function were identified in almost all conceptual metaphors.

Application of this study: This research reveals the conceptualizations of nostalgia of Thai language users. It fosters a deeper understanding of nostalgia among Thai people. Furthermore, the findings have pedagogical benefits to some courses such as “Language and Thoughts” or “Language in Thai Society and Culture”.

Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the emotion of nostalgia (khwam khitthueng) is conceptualized by Thai language users through metaphorical expressions grounded in familiar, concrete, and everyday experiences. Four major conceptual metaphors were identified: [NOSTALGIA IS A PERSON], [NOSTALGIA IS AN OBJECT], [NOSTALGIA IS A DISEASE] and [NOSTALGIA IS WATER]. These metaphors reveal how Thai speakers understand and communicate an abstract emotional experience by mapping it onto physical and social domains of experience. Beyond conveying meaning, the metaphors function as linguistic resources for organizing thoughts, expressing emotions, establishing interpersonal connections, and constructing self-expression in online social media spaces. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the relationship between language, cognition, and emotion among Thai language users, while reflecting the role of metaphor as a linguistic mechanism that helps convey complex emotional experiences in ways that can be communicated and understood effectively.