Hyperbole and emotionalisation: Escalation of pragmatic effects of proverb and metaphor in the “Brexit” debate

(How) Can the use of hyperbole in metaphorical idioms and scenarios contribute to an increase emotionalisation public debates? Using a research corpus quotations from British politicians speeches interviews press texts 2016-2020, this paper investigates hyperbolic formulations Brexit-related applications proverb You cannot have your cake eat it related national liberation, which appear strongly boosted emotionalised debates. For instance, Brexit proponents reversal into assertion, We can our it, their figurative interpretation as war liberation (against EU) triggered highly emotional reactions: triumphant affirmation among followers, fear resentment opponents. The argues that combination speech (proverb, metaphor) with heightened polemical impact pro-Brexit argument. Whilst effect may be deemed been rhetorically successful short term (e.g. referendum election campaigns), its long-term on political discourse is more ambivalent, for leads polarisation radicalisation Britain (as evidenced, massive COVID-19 debates). study means thus seems most promising part discourse-historical investigation socio-pragmatic effects (mainly, metaphorical) language use, rather than isolated, one-off rhetorical phenomenon.