Extension and Suppression in Metaphor Comprehension: Relevancy Degrees of Semantic Features and Meaning Associations in Nominal Metaphors

Looking at metaphors from the perspective of class-inclusion model, this study sought to examine processes involved in metaphor comprehension. Conducting two experiments in which 35 undergraduate students were the subjects, the researchers of the present study investigated degree of acceptability of 20 nominal metaphors and also the relevancy degree of 10 semantic features of topic and vehicle in each metaphor. Based on the obtained results of experiment 1, a negative correlation was found between degree of acceptability (aptness) and diversity of acceptability. Also, the results of experiment 2, suggested that relevancy degrees of semantic features are spread across a wide range. Some features are highly relevant in the statement; these play the main role in metaphor comprehension. Some features are nearly or absolutely irrelevant; they have no role in metaphor comprehension processes. Between these two extremes, there is a list of features possessing various degrees of relevancy; they play a limited role in metaphor understanding. Therefore, degree of relevancy is not a matter of zero or hundred percent. Degrees of relevancy are spread across a range between two extremes of no-relevancy and absolute relevancy. Level of importance of each feature in metaphor comprehension is dependent on its level of relevancy