Mechanisms involved in the formation of metaphorical classes within the framework of the class-inclusion model of metaphor comprehension

Abstract

According to Glucksberg’s class-inclusion model of metaphor comprehension, metaphors are understood by the inclusion of the topic X into a metaphorical class of the vehicle Y. But what is the cognitive mechanisms through which X is included in the metaphorical class of Y? Drawing on previous literature on the roles of semantic features, metonymy, and relations in metaphor processing, this article presents a new proposal according to which every metaphorical class is defined by one of three categories of a concept’s characteristics: semantic features, metonymic aspects, or relational aspects. Each category may consist of a large set of such characteristics. One characteristic (or at most several characteristics) usually defines the metaphorical class of Y. Additionally, it is proposed that the metaphorical class is created by the suppression of metaphorically-irrelevant characteristics, consistent with ideas from Relevance Theory. The result of this process is a metaphorical class which has a higher degree of abstractness compared to the literal class of Y. Finally, it is proposed that the three categories of characteristics may be in interaction with each other. Therefore, in some cases, two or even three categories of characteristics may be involved in the formation of a metaphorical class, but one specific category plays the main role in the process.