14 Metaphor and metonymy

Abstract This chapter provides an LCCM account of figurative language phenomena such as metaphor and metonymy. It argues that figurative language is continuous with literal language. This follows as there are a common set of mechanisms which underlie meaning construction in language understanding. The chapter illustrates how these mechanisms apply giving rise to figurative language. A further issue addressed is the distinction between metaphor and metonymy, showing how the two are distinct, from the perspective of LCCM Theory.