On ‘Formal’ Metonymy: Relevance and Inference

초록

Metonymy, a phenomenon where expression A is used to stand for related expression B, has been analyzed in conceptual terms. Nunberg’s meaning transfer and cognitive linguistics’associations between two concepts are all about concepts. A relevance-theoretic approach suggests that a metonymic word is a case of an ad hoc concept construction just like hyperbole and metaphor. In this research, I present Korean examples which are intended to stand for other expressions which they resemble in form, such as aphmyen molswu for anmyen molswu‘pretending not to know,’ where aphmyen ‘front side’ is used to stand for anmyen ‘face, acquaintance.’ I call this phenomenon ‘formal’ metonymy, where expression A is used to stand for expression B which resembles A in form. Within a relevance theory framework, I analyze this kind of formal metonymy as a loose metarepresentation of the speaker’s intended expression. The speaker may be unable/unwilling to metarepresent what she intends to say precisely. By considerations of optimal relevance, the addressee infers the intended expression and meaning from the used expression and contextual implications. I conclude that a relevance-theoretic inferential account can provide a unitary account for both conceptual metonymy and formal metonymy.

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