Language, Experience, and Autism: Understanding Popular Sayings and the Limits of Symbolic Empathy.Therapeutically Relevant Neurolinguistic Processes

People with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) frequently struggle to understand proverbs and metaphoric expressions. This article argues that such difficulties are not due to a mere cognitive limitation but stem from an absence of shared, emotionally-rooted experiences that give rise to symbolic language. Based on neuropsychological concepts such as mirror neurons, secondary self, and experiential context, we propose that the autistic individual often learns language through lexical imposition, detached from interpersonal interaction. We also discuss therapeutic implications, criticizing the indiscriminate use of behavioral approaches, such as ABA, in favor of relational models like the French “Terapies d’Échanges et de Développement”. This work aims to broaden clinical understanding and point to more humanized, experience-based interventions