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Part of
Studies in Figurative Thought and Language
Edited by Angeliki Athanasiadou
[Human Cognitive Processing 56] 2017
► pp. 274–294

Chapter 11
Pragmatic effects in blended figures

The case of metaphtonymy

| University of Alberta

Issues concerning pragmatic effects resulting from blends of figurative language forms are considered. Different resulting patterns in such blends are approached first through deconstruction of pragmatic effects in individual figures such as metaphor, synecdoche, broader metonymy, verbal irony and others. How blends of those figures can then afford cancellation, facilitation, combination and other outcomes for their corralled pragmatic effects is then demonstrated from previous research and consideration of blended figurative examples, most prominently blends of metaphor and metonymy, or metaphtonymy. A call for further research and delineation of some specific issues warranted by such an exploration is then offered.

Keywords: pragmatics, metaphor, metonymy, verbal irony, hyperbole, synecdoche, oxymora, figure blends, figurative language
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Figures in isolation
    • 2.1Metaphor
      • 2.1.1Association
      • 2.1.2Sharing
      • 2.1.3Blending
      • 2.1.4Emergence
      • 2.1.5Simulation
    • 2.2Synecdoche
      • 2.2.1Diminishment
      • 2.2.2Iconic minimalism
      • 2.2.3Attitude demonstration
    • 2.3Verbal irony
      • 2.3.1Pretense
      • 2.3.2Echoic mention and reminder
      • 2.3.3Graded salience
      • 2.3.4Contrast
  • 3.Blended figures
    • 3.1Metaphor with verbal irony
    • 3.2Verbal irony with synecdoche (metonymy)
    • 3.3Metaphor with synecdoche (metonymy)
  • 4.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 26 April 2017
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/hcp.56.11col
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