Metonymy and Metaphor as Verbal Postulation: The Epistemic Status of Non-Literal Speech in Indian Philosophy

Authors

Malcolm Keating, Yale-NUS CollegeFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2017

Publication Title

Journal of World Philosophies

Abstract

In this paper, I examine Kumārila Bhatta's account of figurative language in Tantravārttika 1.4.11 -17, arguing that, for him, both metonymy (laksanā) and metaphor (gauna-vrtti) crucially involve verbal postulation (śrutârthāpatti), a knowledge-conducive cognitive process which draws connections between concepts without appeal to speaker intention, but through compositional and contextual elements. It is with the help of this cognitive process that we can come to have knowledge of what is meant by a sentence in context. In addition, the paper explores the relationship between metonymy and metaphor, the extent to which putatively literal language involves metonymy, and the objective constraints for metaphorical interpretation.

Keywords

Epistemology, Indian philosophy, Interpretation, Metaphor, Mīmamsā, Philosophy of language

Volume

2

Issue

1

First Page

67

Last Page

80

DOI

10.2979/jourworlphil.2.1.06

Comments

Archived as published.

Recommended Citation

Keating, Malcolm, "Metonymy and Metaphor as Verbal Postulation: The Epistemic Status of Non-Literal Speech in Indian Philosophy" (2017). Philosophy: Faculty Publications, Smith College, Northampton, MA.
https://scholarworks.smith.edu/phi_facpubs/73