Cognitive approaches to the study of metaphor: the relevance theory and the conceptual metaphor theory

Abstract

Metaphor has been the subject of reflection in various fields of knowledge. For this reason, it has neither a clear conceptual delimitation nor consensus regarding how it is understood. However, in the area of linguistics there are two major theoretical approaches for the treatment of this phenomenon: the relevance theory and the conceptual metaphor theory. This theoretical review aimed to contrast these study perspectives from the discussion of a comparative table. The results show that both theories integrate the cognitive foundation in the treatment of the metaphor, but to a different extent. The elevance theory focuses on the process of generation and interpretation of the metaphorical statement; in the conceptual metaphor theory, metaphors organize the entire conceptual system through which we think and act.