Cultural differences in conceptualization of loss and grief as expressed by Americans and Poles

Expertly using the toolkit of cognitive linguistics, Kamila Midor describes how Americans and Poles talk and think about loss and grief. In doing so, she provides us with deep insight into the forces that shape the ways they construct and experience these unavoidable aspects of the human condition.

Dr. Zoltán Kövecses

Professor emeritus

Eötvös Loránd University, Hungary

Grief is an experience that unites us across cultures, languages, and histories. Yet the words we choose to describe loss profoundly shape how we understand, express, and ultimately integrate it. Kamila Midor offers a thoughtful and illuminating exploration of the metaphors of grief in Polish and American English, revealing both the cultural nuances that distinguish us and the universal threads that connect us. By showing how language constructs our narratives of loss, this work enriches not only our understanding of linguistics but also our capacity for empathy. This is a thoughtful, compassionate, and important contribution to our understanding of grief, language, and what it means to be human.

Anja Franczak

Founder of the Instytut Dobrej Śmierci (Institute of the Good Death) and President of the Management Board of the Instytut Dobrej Śmierci foundation, Poland

Kamila Midor offers a compelling cross-cultural account of how Americans and Poles conceptualize loss and grief. She bridges metaphor and blending theory with bereavement psychology to demonstrate how shared metaphorical patterns function alongside important cultural differences. Besides contributing to cognitive linguistics and health communication research, this book has clear relevance for professionals who support bereaved people.

Dr. Dennis Zhiming Tay

Professor

Division of Humanities

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, China

In this engaging and compelling book, Kamila Midor explores how Americans and Poles conceptualise and communicate experiences of loss and grief. Grounded in a combination of metaphor analysis and blending theory, her work offers a thoughtful investigation of bereaved people’s experiences, deepening our understandings of grief and loss and illuminating the role of culture in their conceptualisation and expression. It is sure to be of relevance not only to cognitive linguists, but to thanatologists, bereavement support professionals, and anyone with an interest in how we make sense of and communicate our experiences.

Dr. Sarah Turner

Centre for Arts & Creative Cultures

Coventry University, UK