Metonymy

I’m reading Shakespeare. America doesn’t want another Pearl Harbor. Washington is negotiating with Moscow. Nixon bombed Hanoi. We need a better glove at third base.

I’m reading one of Shakespeare’s works. America doesn’t want another major defeat in war. The American government is negotiating with the Russian government. American bombers bombed Hanoi. We need a better baseball player at third base.

Metonymy is conceptual THE PRODUCER FOR THE PRODUCT (THE AUTHOR FOR THE WORK) I’m reading Shakespeare. She loves Picasso. Does he own any Hemingway? THE PLACE FOR THE EVENT America doesn’t want another Pearl Harbor. Let’s not let El Salvador become another Vietnam. Watergate changed our politics.

THE PLACE FOR THE INSTITUTION Washington is negotiating with Moscow. The White House isn’t saying anything. Wall Street is in a panic. Hollywood is putting out terrible movies. THE CONTROLLER FOR THE CONTROLLED Nixon bombed Hanoi. Ozawa gave a terrible concert last night. AN OBJECT USED FOR THE USER We need a better glove at third base. The sax has the fl u today.

Vehicle and Target entities; V and T are close in conceptual space (contiguity); V and T are parts of a coherent domain (frame, or ICM); Parts of the ICM are tightly linked in experience; They co-occur repeatedly; They can be used to indicate the whole ICM or another part.

Definition of metonymy Metonymy is a cognitive process in which one conceptual entity, the vehicle, provides mental access to another conceptual entity, the target, within the same domain, or idealized cognitive model (ICM).

Differences between metaphor and metonymy Similarity vs. Contiguity The creampuff was knocked out in the first round of the fight. (metaphor) We need a new glove to play third base. (metonymy)

The „is like” test: The boxer is like a creampuff. (metaphor) *The third baseman is like a glove. (metonymy)

Two domains vs. One domain

Understanding vs. Providing mental access Understanding a domain in terms of another: metaphor. A set of systematic mappings An element of a domain providing mental access to another: metonymy A single mapping from V to T

Same realm vs. Different realms Metaphor:

Semiotic triangle:

„That is a self-contradictory utterance.” FORM FOR CONTENT (CONCEPT) WORDS STAND FOR THE CONCEPTS THEY EXPRESS

Metonymies emerge in two ways

WHOLE AND PART The Thing and its Parts ICM THE WHOLE FOR THE PART (America) THE PART FOR THE WHOLE (England) Active Zone: Let’s go to the theater tonight. / This is the new Globe Theatre. Synecdoche: sail, hand, head,… - the crown, the stage,…

Constitution ICM THE OBJECT FOR THE MATERIAL CONSTITUTING THAT OBJECT (cat) THE MATERIAL CONSTITUTING AN OBJECT FOR THE OBJECT (wood) Complex Event ICM SUCCESSIVE SUBEVENTS FOR A COMPLEX EVENT (grade) CO-PRESENT SUBEVENTS FOR A COMPLEX EVENT (speak)

Category and Member ICM: CATEGORY FOR A MEMBER OF THE CATEGORY (pill) A MEMBER OF A CATEGORY FOR THE CATEGORY (aspirin) Category and Property ICM: CATEGORY FOR DEFINING PROPERTY (jerk) DEFINING PROPERTY FOR THE CATEGORY (blacks)

Action ICM: (action, instrument, agent, object, result, time,…) Part and Part Action ICM: (action, instrument, agent, object, result, time,…) Causation ICM: CAUSE FOR EFFECT (healthy looks) PRODUCER FOR PRODUCT (Shakespeare) EFFECT FOR CAUSE (healthy exercise, sad book) STATE FOR THE PERSON/THING THAT CAUSED IT (my joy)

Control ICM: CONTROLLER FOR CONTROLLED ( CONTROLLED FOR CONTROLLER ( Containment ICM: CONTAINER FOR CONTAINED (bottle) PLACE FOR PEOPLE: (the whole town) CONTAINED FOR CONTAINER (milk tipped over)

Correlation ICM: Two events in a single frame: anger and body heat Correlation-based metaphors: ANGER IS HEAT Correlation metaphors are based on metonymy.