A Conceptual Metaphor Analysis of Metaphors, Metonymy and Their Interaction in the Conceptual Space: the Case of Kikamba

Abstract

This research paper is an explication on metaphors and metonymy in Kĩkamba language with an analysis using The Conceptual Metaphor Theory perspective. It touches on agreed upon expressions in Kĩkamba and details on how metaphors and metonymy in Kĩkamba operate simultaneously within the conceptual space. In this research, Metaphors, Metonymy, Metometaphors and Metametonyms drawn from the KĩMasakũ dialect variety of the Kĩkamba language were analyzed in the CMT. Metaphors and Metonymies in Kĩkamba have been explicated in the CMT with clear details on how mental mappings take place during meaning assignment. An elucidation on data where a conceptual mapping of an expression starts with a single domain mapping followed by a cross domain mapping has been done and such phenomena has been referred to as Metometaphors. This is followed by an analysis of linguistic phenomena whose meaning assignment starts off with a double domain mapping followed by a single domain mapping. This has been referred to as Metametonymy. The main focus of this research was to describe the presence of Metaphors, Metonyms and linguistic phenomena consisting of the interaction between metaphor and metonymy in Kĩkamba KĩMasakũ dialect. It poses the question of the role of CMT in the communicative event in Kĩkamba. Analysis involves the decoding of structured sentences which are rich in Metaphors, Metonyms, Metametonyms and Metometaphors in Kĩkamba.