Metaphor and metonymy

Metonymy in Dance: Ballet Bunheads Take a Cognitive Turn

Dance Research ◽

10.3366/drs.2019.0251 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 37 (1) ◽

pp. 18-34

Author(s):

Edward C. Warburton

Keyword(s):

Identity Formation ◽

Cognitive Science ◽

Artistic Development ◽

Individual Level ◽

Figures Of Speech ◽

Self Image ◽

Level I ◽

Dance Educators ◽

The Individual ◽

Metaphor And Metonymy

This essay considers metonymy in dance from the perspective of cognitive science. My goal is to unpack the roles of metaphor and metonymy in dance thought and action: how do they arise, how are they understood, how are they to be explained, and in what ways do they determine a person's doing of dance? The premise of this essay is that language matters at the cultural level and can be determinative at the individual level. I contend that some figures of speech, especially metonymic labels like ‘bunhead’, can not only discourage but dehumanize young dancers, treating them not as subjects who dance but as objects to be danced. The use of metonymy to sort young dancers may undermine the development of healthy self-image, impede strong identity formation, and retard creative-artistic development. The paper concludes with a discussion of the influence of metonymy in dance and implications for dance educators.

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Metaphor and Metonymy: Jakobson Reconsidered

University of Toronto Quarterly ◽

10.3138/utq.56.4.557 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 56 (4) ◽

pp. 557-574 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Leon Surette

Keyword(s):

Metaphor And Metonymy

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Metaphor, Cognition, Culture

10.1093/oso/9780190879228.003.0002 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Zoltán Kövecses

Keyword(s):

Conceptual Metaphor ◽

The Other ◽

Conceptual Metaphor Theory ◽

Conceptual Metaphors ◽

Culture And Cognition ◽

Metaphor Theory ◽

The One ◽

Cultural Reality ◽

Metaphor And Metonymy

The chapter reports on work concerned with the issue of how conceptual metaphor theory (CMT) functions as a link between culture and cognition. Three large areas are investigated to this effect. First, work on the interaction between conceptual metaphors, on the one hand, and folk and expert theories of emotion, on the other, is surveyed. Second, the issue of metaphorical universality and variation is addressed, together with that of the function of embodiment in metaphor. Third, a contextualist view of conceptual metaphors is proposed. The discussion of these issues leads to a new and integrated understanding of the role of metaphor and metonymy in creating cultural reality and that of metaphorical variation across and within cultures, as well as individuals.

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Anger stinks in Seri: Olfactory metaphor in a lesser-described language

Cognitive Linguistics ◽

10.1515/cog-2017-0100 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 31 (3) ◽

pp. 367-391 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Carolyn O’Meara ◽

Asifa Majid

Keyword(s):

Lexical Resources ◽

States Of Affairs ◽

Hunter Gatherers ◽

Valuable Data ◽

Metaphor And Metonymy

AbstractPrevious studies claim there are few olfactory metaphors cross-linguistically, especially compared to metaphors originating in the visual and auditory domains. We show olfaction can be a source for metaphor and metonymy in a lesser-described language that has rich lexical resources for talking about odors. In Seri, an isolate language of Mexico spoken by indigenous hunter-gatherers, we find a novel metaphor for emotion never previously described – “anger stinks”. In addition, distinct odor verbs are used metaphorically to distinguish volitional vs. non-volitional states-of-affairs. Finally, there is ample olfactory metonymy in Seri, especially prevalent in names for plants, but also found in names for insects and artifacts. This calls for a re-examination of better-known languages for the overlooked role olfaction may play in metaphor and metonymy. The Seri language illustrates how valuable data from understudied languages can be in highlighting novel ways by which people conceptualize themselves and their world.

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