O tzw. znaczeniu literalnym i jego funkcji w semantyczno-składniowym opisie zdań metaforycznych

Abstract

The author argues that syntactic analysis of metaphorical sentences must be preceded by specyfying what semantic and syntactic meanings are attached to these expressions in their non-metaphorical usages, or literal usages. Considering the various propositions offered by various researchers, the author reaches the conclusion that there is a lack of an adequate definition of the term „literal meaning”, and also of the principles for distinguishing these two types of meanings. The author then postulates that, in view of the need to distinguish metaphors from among all the usages of language units — one should call upon syntactic dictionaries and one’s own lingual competence in studying specific examples of such expressions. In the final part of the article are given examples of analyses of metaphorical sentences, carried out according to the earlier methodological declarations.