Towards a textual theory of metonymy : a semiotic approach to the nature and role of metonymy in text
This thesis argues that the scope of metonymy throughout history remains severely reduced to a process of word substitution and the signifying potential of the trope is limited to lexical representation. The study therefore proposes a semiotic approach to take the trope beyond this limitation and to develop a textual theory to the trope. A background study related to how metonymy is treated in previous studies is therefore necessary. This review of literature covers a long period starting from ancient Greece and going up to the present day. Chapters one and two of this thesis, which give this general background, show that the hypothesis is to a large extent valid. The thesis then examines another related hypothesis which is that metonymy is semiotic in nature and a semiotic approach to metonymy will solve the problem of reductionism in the treatment of this trope. Chapter three is devoted to an examination of this hypothesis. It shows that a semiotic approach to metonymy is not only possible but also crucial. The semiotic approach to metonymy basically concerns the treatment of metonymy as a sign which cuts across three domains of representation. These are the domain of words, the domain of concepts and the
Al-Sharafi, Abdul Gabbar Mohammed
Cognitive linguistics; Semantics; Rhetoric
Towards a textual theory of metonymy : a semiotic approach to the nature and role of metonymy in text. This thesis argues that the scope of metonymy throughout history remains severely reduced to a process of word substitution and the signifying potential of the trope is limited to lexical representation. The study therefore proposes a semiotic approach to take the trope beyond this limitation and to develop a textual theory to the trope. A background study related to how metonymy is treated in previous studies is therefore necessary. This review of literature covers a long period starting from ancient Greece and going up to the present day. Chapters one and two of this thesis, which give this general background, show that the hypothesis is to a large extent valid. The thesis then examines another related hypothesis which is that metonymy is semiotic in nature and a semiotic approach to metonymy will solve the problem of reductionism in the treatment of this trope. Chapter three is devoted to an examination of this hypothesis. It shows that a semiotic approach to metonymy is not only possible but also crucial. The semiotic approach to metonymy basically concerns the treatment of metonymy as a sign which cuts across three domains of representation. These are the domain of words, the domain of concepts and the
towards textual theory metonymy semiotic nature role metonymy text argues scope metonymy throughout_history remain severely reduced process word substitution signify potential trope limit lexical representation study_therefore propose semiotic take trope beyond limitation develop textual theory trope background study relate metonymy treat previous_study therefore_necessary review_literature cover long_period start ancient_greece present_day give general_background show hypothesis large_extent valid examines another related hypothesis metonymy semiotic nature semiotic metonymy solve_problem reductionism treatment trope devote examination hypothesis show semiotic metonymy possible also crucial semiotic metonymy basically concern_treatment metonymy sign cut_across domain representation domain word domain concept