Within science education studies and research on subject language a key discussion is how to use metaphorsin teaching to make the subject accessible and understandable for the students. Words and concepts used canbe abstractand therefore in need of metaphors and analogies inorder to be correctly conceptualizedin a teaching context. Metaphors and analogies can however lead to incorrect conclusions because of their inherent ambiguity. In this article we argue that the social science subjects need a corresponding discussion regarding the metaphors and analogies that describe the social sciences subjects complex and abstract subject content. We state,based on Bernstein (1974/2003; 1990; 1999),that–what we call –didactic transfer concepts have a vitalrole in forming asubject matter language för the social sciences. Didactic transfer concepts are widely used in teaching. By illuminating these didactic transfer concepts, the prerequisites for a common subject matter language can be conceptualized.