Metaphor, metonymy and raising: Difference between revisions

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# a metaphor: mapping sheep to fools
# a metaphor: mapping sheep to fools
# a metonymy: head of a person is made equal to the person himself.
# a metonymy: head of a person is made equal to the person himself.
There are several words in Lojban related to expressing metaphors:
#{{jvs|metfo}} - x1 (clause) is a metaphor/figurative expression having literal meaning x2
#{{jvs|pevna}} - x1: its qualities are represented as a metaphor x2 in dimension x3 (contains two {ce'} places for x1 and x2)
#{{jvs|pe'a}} - marks a construct as figurative (non-literal/metaphorical) speech/text
=Metaphor or metonymy? A matter of understanding=
Lojbanic community generally discourages of metaphors. E.g.
{{mu|mi claxu lo zifre ditcu|I lack free time.}}
is considered a [[malglico]].
However, it might be the case of incorrect translation + the lack of understanding that metonymy is involved here.
{{mu|mi claxu lo se zifre se ditcu||I lack free time}}
might be a better translation that fixes English mixing of te sumti due to the lack of adequate analogs of SE particles in English.

Latest revision as of 11:19, 22 November 2014

Metaphor is domain mapping. Metonymy is domain highlighting.

He is a sheep's head.

This saying meaning He is a fool. has:

  1. a metaphor: mapping sheep to fools
  2. a metonymy: head of a person is made equal to the person himself.

There are several words in Lojban related to expressing metaphors:

  1. metfo - x1 (clause) is a metaphor/figurative expression having literal meaning x2
  2. pevna - x1: its qualities are represented as a metaphor x2 in dimension x3 (contains two {ce'} places for x1 and x2)
  3. pe'a - marks a construct as figurative (non-literal/metaphorical) speech/text

Metaphor or metonymy? A matter of understanding

Lojbanic community generally discourages of metaphors. E.g.

mi claxu lo zifre ditcu
I lack free time.

is considered a malglico.

However, it might be the case of incorrect translation + the lack of understanding that metonymy is involved here.

mi claxu lo se zifre se ditcu
I lack free time [literally]

might be a better translation that fixes English mixing of te sumti due to the lack of adequate analogs of SE particles in English.