Meaning in Metaphors Used in Nollywood Films: A Lexical Concept Integration
Date
2019
Authors
Sobola, Eniayo
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Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Language Research Institute, Sejong University
Abstract
This paper examines contributions of the semantic potential of lexical items in the metaphorical expressions used in Nollywood films towards realisation of the intended meaning. Metaphor can be described as a semantic change based on a similarity in form or function between one linguistic concept and another. The data were extracted from the Nollywood films uploaded on internet via YouTube, and they are analysed using the lexical concept integration in Vyvyan Evans’ theory of Lexical Concept and Cognitive Model in order to match the semantic potential of the lexical items in the metaphors used in the films. The study reveals that only the open-class lexical concepts in the metaphors have semantic potential to undergo interpretation in a lexical conceptual unit; each open-class lexical concept in the metaphors has a cognitive model profile which contains cognitive models—layers of meaning—to which it facilitates access; each cognitive model in the cognitive model profile of the open-class lexical item is an interpretation, both socio-cultural and linguistic; matching explores interpretation of the two interpretations that connect among the possible interpretations to arrive at the intended meaning of the metaphors with socio-cultural and linguistic import as used in Nollywood films.
Description
Keywords
metaphor, meaning, Nollywood, Nigerian film, lexical concept , interpretation