“NERVES”

Abstract

The communication of pain and suffering can vary considerably from society to society. This article examines the Sicilian-Canadian “language of distress,” in particular the idiom of “nerves.” The discussion focuses specifically on how Sicilian-Canadians make use of cultural metaphors to both communicate distress and present a discourse that attempts to structure and frame how significant others interpret and respond to the messages they receive. The researcher argues that metaphor plays an important role in shaping the understanding of experience.