Zones, facets, and prototype-based metonymy

This chapter investigates the relationship between metonymy and two related semantic phenomena: profile/zone discrepancy and facetization. Both of these phenomena aim to explain linguistic examples that activate only a specific zone or facet of the entity referred to. However, their precise semantic status, both with respect to each other and to metonymy, remains unclear. In order to resolve the resulting terminological confusion, we claim that profile/zone discrepancy functions as an overarching category that spans a continuum ranging from the classic concept of metonymy, via facetization, to non-metonymical language. We put forward several pragmatic, syntactic, and semantic arguments in support of this position.

Published online: 24 June 2011
https://doi.org/10.1075/hcp.28.05gee