The article discusses the problem of metaphor from the semantical point of view, at the lexical level. Alter havins explained why do metaphors represent a touch stone of any semantical theory, and after having given a brief survey of possible theoretical solutions of the problem, the author exposes her own view of metaphor based on late Wittgenstein's theory of meaning. On the assumption that there should be no artificial break between semantics and pragmatics the author argues that the same semantical, pragmatical an epistemological principles govern the production and interpretation of literal and metaphorical language. The difference between literal and metaphorical is understood as a token, and not a type difference, depending on what is considered to be the common meaning of a word. Metaphor Is defined as a semantic innovation, nomination, realized by the extension of literal meaning. Arguments for her thesis the author finds in the analysis of the processes of language acquistion.
On the semantics of metaphor
