I think that it can be related by the fact that metaphors aren't literal, and explaining Ni visions in a literal way is nearly impossible to do without losing the meaning of what you want to tell. Specially without using Te, which is more concrete, for me is a pain to explain my ideas in a literal manner, unless it's something that can be translated easily via Te, things like formulas or scientific ideas that are well known by other people, otherwise that filter isn't enough, so using metaphors is better for explaining something to other intuitive, because I'm not sure if I would confuse people that isn't attuned to such mode of talking, so in those circumstances I try to be on concrete mode for avoiding confusions.

Aquarian said:

Somewhere along the way I picked up the idea that Ni-doms have a particular affinity for metaphor as a way to understand and/or communicate about Ni perception. My experience interacting with Ni-doms here has borne this out with only one exception (the impetus for me checking my assumption more explicitly).

I know that in me, metaphor is a major mode of trying to describe - for myself or others - what I perceive via Ni, and metaphor is also a source of insight into what's going on in what I would call a "Ni landscape." But I wonder if I'm mapping something to Ni that isn't as strongly related as I thought.

So, is metaphor an organic/comfortable/usual mode of understanding or communicating Ni perceptions for Ni-doms? Why/why not?

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I'd say metaphors and images. You see them everywhere, and they speak for themselves.

I like the metaphor of Ni "river," where there's a flow of attention directed somewhere, but not necessarily somewhere you can see directly at its end.

Yeah, I can definitely see how that'd fit for Ni-doms - it appears to me though that Ni communication through metaphor would sound quite abstract and maybe even impenetrable to some. An Ne-dom, by comparison, would also employ metaphor, but in such a way that they would be able to clarify almost exactly what they are trying to communicate to others. I'd imagine for Ni-doms, (who of course, I can't really speak for), metaphor would feel an adequate form of communication (if indeed they did choose to attempt communication of Ni perceptions), but if the other party was not inclined to have an understanding of the Ni metaphor-speech, then the Ni-dom might well not bother to elaborate or clear up their explanation. Or, as Mugino Shizuri says, perhaps they would try to compact the perception into a form that would make more immediately obvious sense to others. I'm not sure, I don't have much experience with Ni-doms, it must be said.

I think in the Ne-dom's case, they are more likely to employ analogies rather than metaphors.

trifle said:

Yeah, I can definitely see how that'd fit for Ni-doms - it appears to me though that Ni communication through metaphor would sound quite abstract and maybe even impenetrable to some. An Ne-dom, by comparison, would also employ metaphor, but in such a way that they would be able to clarify almost exactly what they are trying to communicate to others.

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Ah, yes, yeah that's probably more accurate actually.

PaladinX said:

I think in the Ne-dom's case, they are more likely to employ analogies rather than metaphors.

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Wow, I hadn't made this distinction but: Yes, in my experience Ni --> metaphor, Ne --> analogy. After I posted I was thinking about different angles of this and wondering why my Ne-aux says she doesn't do metaphors but is really good at this other thing that I couldn't pinpoint. It's analogy!

I love analogies because they can help me understand ... for me, they help Ni and Ti work together in a really useful way. But I don't think I use analogies for description of Ni material. I want to try to better understand the difference, because to my perception they feel different but related.

PaladinX said:

I think in the Ne-dom's case, they are more likely to employ analogies rather than metaphors.

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Mugino Shizuri said:

I think that it can be related by the fact that metaphors aren't literal, and explaining Ni visions in a literal way is nearly impossible to do without losing the meaning of what you want to tell. Specially without using Te, which is more concrete, for me is a pain to explain my ideas in a literal manner, unless it's something that can be translated easily via Te, things like formulas or scientific ideas that are well known by other people, otherwise that filter isn't enough, so using metaphors is better for explaining something to other intuitive, because I'm not sure if I would confuse people that isn't attuned to such mode of talking, so in those circumstances I try to be on concrete mode for avoiding confusions.

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I love that description of Te-aux's place in communication for you. Very interesting.

And your explanation of the link between Ni and metaphors makes a lot of sense to me.

Figure said:

I'd say metaphors and images.

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Yes - I think at some level I assume Ni descriptive images are metaphors. Is that inaccurate, do you think?

I found this helpful:

Metaphor, Simile and Analogy: What?s the Difference? | Copyblogger

Aquarian said:

I love analogies because they can help me understand ... for me, they help Ni and Ti work together in a really useful way. But I don't think I use analogies for description of Ni material. I want to try to better understand the difference, because to my perception they feel different but related.

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I use metaphors, similes, and analogies all fairly equally, depending upon who I'm talking to and what I think will make the most sense to them.

Is this in relation to Ni information/perception specifically, or in your overall communication?

Christie42476 said:

I use metaphors, similes, and analogies all fairly equally, depending upon who I'm talking to and what I think will make the most sense to them.

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@Aquarian : Ni-related. I find the thoughts that come from that process are hard to describe in relatable ways without "comparison-based" communication, but the kind I use varies because of the variety to be found among my social circle. If I'm having a conversation with someone I don't know as well where Ni comes into play, I find myself trying all three until I make myself understood. Then, if there are future interactions with that person, I rely on whichever worked best with them before to convey my thoughts in a way that will make some kind of sense to them and better facilitate the conversation.