Abstract In language teaching, metaphors are the representations of how teachers identify themselves. Through metaphor analysis we can get deep detailed insights into English language teaching and learning process. In this study, we first explored teaching, learning, and learner roles as entailed by the metaphors that were elicited from the participants categorized in the nine conceptual metaphors of provider of knowledge, friend, organizer, nurturer, spiritual leader, parent, entertainer, counselor, and innovator. We also took into account the metaphors mentioned by male and female teachers separately. Then, we examined learners\\\\\\\' beliefs about teachers. Finally, we investigated to what extent teachers\\\\\\\' beliefs conformed to their practice through enquiring their learners.

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