Metaphors and agreement construction in US inaugural addresses

US presidential inaugural addresses (IAs) are rhetorically sophisticated speeches, rich in evocative language, including metaphors. Many of such metaphors are drawn from a ‘repository’ of source domains that have stratified, thus becoming typical of the genre, and entailing an extent of intertextuality which risks being missed by an international audience. Metaphors can be powerful means for establishing agreement with the audience, and can be used to intensify selected perceptions and connections. The paper thus explores the functions of metaphors in relation to the IA institutional purpose of fostering a sense of national unity around core values and identity traits. Attention is given in particular to conventional metaphors and their reactivation, discussing both canonic and deviating uses.