The Cognitive Motivation for the Use of Metonymy in Kuria and Iraqw Personal Names

Abstract

It has been commonly held that metonymy is an aspect of literary  works; acting as figures of speech. There are scholars who consider  metonymy to be a technique that is employed by someone experienced  in literary works. In Cognitive Linguistics, however, metonymy is  considered to be part of human cognition. That means people use  metonymy without any effort because it is part of the mental function.  They use it even without being aware that they are using it. This paper  attempts to demonstrate the cognitive motivation for the prevalent use  of metonymy in Kuria and Iraqw personal names. It is argued, in the  paper, that common use of metonymy in the two languages ' personal  names demonstrates coincidental relationship between birth and place,  circumstance and time. It is concluded that personal names in the two  languages studied are bestowed based on some cognitive principles  which name-givers may not be aware of but they use them because such  principles are part of their cognition. It is also concluded that  metonymy is as well governed by construal operations which also have  a cognitive basis.Key words: metonymy, personal names, cognition, cognitive linguistics