Metonymic Analysis of Body Parts: the Case of Gikuyu

Abstract

This study investigates the use of metonyms in the Gikuyu language that make reference to human body parts to establish how these metonyms serve to explain different nuanced communicative functions using a variety of illustrations. The objectives of this study are matched to explain how metonyms in the language of illustration fit into the cognitive semantic theory in their nuanced communicative functions. The identified and illustrated nuanced communicative functions for this study are limited to behavior regulation, transmission of social norms and those used to inculcate values in the Gikuyu language. The findings reveal that Gĩkũyũ metonymic concepts associated with human body parts serve as vehicles to comprehend abstract concepts. The classification of data was based on Radden and Kovecses (1999) division of ICMs which embrace the tenets of cognitive semantics.