This study aims to examine the public's perception of the appropriateness of metaphorical expressions used by medical professionals in medical discourse. A sample of 142 individuals were asked to evaluate the appropriateness of ten metaphorical expressions used by health-care experts. Additionally, questions were posed about the effects of using metaphors. The ten items showed variability in the degree of appropriateness, with metaphors being considered more appropriate when the target was familiar and the similarity between the source and target domains was high. Positive aspects of metaphor use by medical professionals included aiding in understanding, with respondents perceiving such professionals as kind, considerate of patients, and trustworthy. Negative aspects included difficulties in understanding when the similarity between the metaphorical targets was low, requiring lengthy and complex thought processes, and potential misunderstandings of scientific facts. Approximately 15% of respondents reported their own experiences with metaphorical expressions in medical discourse, noting that these metaphors helped them understand the illness and treatment, and induced positive behavioral changes.

1. 들머리
2. 연구 대상 및 방법
3. 비유에 대한 일반인의 태도
    3.1. 비유 표현의 적절성 정도
    3.2. 비유 표현 사용의 효과
    3.3. 일반인이 경험한 비유 표현
4. 마무리
참고문헌

• 송현주(Professor, Teachers College, Kyungpook National University, 80 Daehak-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu 41566, South Korea) | Hyunju Song
• 김예니(Lecturer, Office Of International Affairs, Kyungpook National University, 80 Daehak-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu 41566, South Korea) | Yeni Kim
• 홍미주(Lecturing Visiting Professor, Office of Education Innovation Policy, Kyungpook National University, 80 Daehak-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu 41566, South Korea) | Miju Hong Corresponding author