Abstract
(forthcoming online by deGruyterOpen)
This paper argues that English phrasal verbs
constitute a case of metonymy due to their special type of construction. The
paper develops into three main arguments. Firstly, it is proposed that the
semantics of the verb-particle construction denote spatial and temporal senses,
which have a metonymic basis. Secondly, metonymic readings enable speakers to
establish mental relations for the constituent parts of a sentence.
Particularly, it is argued that due to the semantics of the verb-particle
construction speakers can access the meaning of a sentence. Hence, there are
certain connections between the
actors interacting in an event, their
activity, instruments, tools and affected objects or products. Lastly, the paper aims to
that English phrasal verbs are rooted in image schemas that have a metonymic
basis.
