Metonymic matrix domains and multiple formations in indirect speech acts
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Xianglan Chen
Abstract
The notion of matrix domain in metonymy needs further exploration in connection to its role in the unfolding of contextual elements in discourse. On the basis of different dialogues in Chinese, I examine the way shifts in indirect speech act meaning relate to changes in the metonymic source and target domains underlying such meaning. I claim that matrix domains can have different configurations within the same discourse: in some situations, one source domain can map onto more than one target domain, while in others several source domains can map onto only one target domain. I propose that speech acts sometimes change from one (sub)type to another as the speaker–hearer interaction develops, remodeling the initial configuration of the matrix domain
Abstract
The notion of matrix domain in metonymy needs further exploration in connection to its role in the unfolding of contextual elements in discourse. On the basis of different dialogues in Chinese, I examine the way shifts in indirect speech act meaning relate to changes in the metonymic source and target domains underlying such meaning. I claim that matrix domains can have different configurations within the same discourse: in some situations, one source domain can map onto more than one target domain, while in others several source domains can map onto only one target domain. I propose that speech acts sometimes change from one (sub)type to another as the speaker–hearer interaction develops, remodeling the initial configuration of the matrix domain
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- List of contributors vii
- Introduction 1
- Reviewing the properties and prototype structure of metonymy 7
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Part I. Metonymy and related cognitive, semantic, and rhetorical phenomena
- Metonymization 61
- Zones, facets, and prototype-based metonymy 89
- Metonymy and cognitive operations 103
- Metonymy, category broadening and narrowing, and vertical polysemy 125
- Metonymy at the crossroads 147
- The role of metonymy in complex tropes 167
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Part II. Metonymy and metonymic chains as mappings or processes within domain matrices/networks
- Putting the notion of “domain” back into metonymy 197
- What do metonymic chains reveal about the nature of metonymy? 217
- Metonymic matrix domains and multiple formations in indirect speech acts 249
- Authors’ biodata 269
- Metaphor and metonymy index 275
- Name index 277
- Subject index 281
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- List of contributors vii
- Introduction 1
- Reviewing the properties and prototype structure of metonymy 7
-
Part I. Metonymy and related cognitive, semantic, and rhetorical phenomena
- Metonymization 61
- Zones, facets, and prototype-based metonymy 89
- Metonymy and cognitive operations 103
- Metonymy, category broadening and narrowing, and vertical polysemy 125
- Metonymy at the crossroads 147
- The role of metonymy in complex tropes 167
-
Part II. Metonymy and metonymic chains as mappings or processes within domain matrices/networks
- Putting the notion of “domain” back into metonymy 197
- What do metonymic chains reveal about the nature of metonymy? 217
- Metonymic matrix domains and multiple formations in indirect speech acts 249
- Authors’ biodata 269
- Metaphor and metonymy index 275
- Name index 277
- Subject index 281
