Abstract

This study proposed a tagmemic linguistic approach to metaphor. The purpose of this study was to develop a theoretical as well as methodological base for the use of tagmemic linguistic analysis in the study of metaphor. Previous studies of metaphor have fallen short of a comprehensive treatment which deals with both linguistic and non-linguistic factors in the study of the subject. Such a comprehensive treatment is crucial for the development of a satisfactory theory of metaphor which explains what metaphor is and how it functions in human communication. Tagmemic linguistics, with its primary concern on the context in which a language unit operates, offers a possible model of a unified approach to metaphor. This study examined the limitations of different approaches to metaphor and argued for the need of a tagmemic linguistic approach. Designed to illustrate the tagmemic approach to metaphor, a group of metaphors were selected and analyzed in the light of tagmemic principles. The results of the analysis indicated that tagmemic linguistic theory has the potential of addressing the essential questions of metaphor concerning its nature and function as a language unit. This approach provides a framework which successfully deals with the speaker's intention, situational contexts, and cultural factors in a unified treatment