Genre-dependent metonymy in Norse skaldic poetry

Abstract

This article describes a metonymic process which is common in skaldic verse, but rare in everyday language. This process allows one member of a category to stand for another (for example, SEA is referred to by the name of another member of BODIES OF WATER, such as `river' or `fjord'). This process has previously been called `metaphor' (cf. Fidjestøl, 1997). However, I show that the process lacks several characteristics of metaphor as defined in cognitive linguistics, including multiple mappings and the creation of target-domain inferences. I suggest that the process is more similar to metonymies such as Category for Member (cf. Radden and Kövecses, 1999), and should be called `Member for Member' metonymy.

I argue that Member for Member metonymy is rare in conversational language because it fails to generate the inferences and cognitive benefits provided by most metaphors and metonymies. However, Member for Member is abundant in skaldic verse, because the aesthetic and sociolinguistic goals of this genre outweigh the considerations of clarity and efficiency imposed on conversation by the Gricean Maxims. I furthermore propose that Member for Member metonymy is a defining feature of classical skaldic poetry, and one that distinguishes this genre from later, more naturalistic styles such as hrynhent.

The observation that Member for Member occurs in a specific literary genre like skaldic poetry — even though it is normally barred from conversational language — indicates that cognitive linguists must study the full range of linguistic genres in order to document the cognitive processes that underlie language use.