Metonymy and Anaphoric Reference: Anaphoric Reference to a Metonymic Antecedent in Dude, Where’s My Country, Stupid White Men, The Da Vinci Code and Deception Point

TLDR: In this paper, the authors analyze some of the most outstanding cases of anaphoric reference to a metonymic antecedent in four best-sellers of the last decade.

Abstract: Departing from the postulates of Ruiz de Mendoza and his collaborators on metonymic anaphora (Ruiz de Mendoza 1997, 1999; Ruiz de Mendoza; Otal 2002; Ruiz de Mendoza; Diez 2004), this paper analyzes some of the most outstanding cases of anaphoric reference to a metonymic antecedent in four best sellers. Antecedent selection turns up problematic in certain cases. These difficulties are considerably reduced, however, by means of the distinction between simple and double metonymies, and some constraints and principles that govern the selection of the anaphoric referent: Constraint on Metonymic Anaphora, Domain Availability Principle, Domain Combinability Principle, and Domain Precedence Principle. The operation of mappings and principles is described through the analysis of real language examples. The phenomenon of metonymic anaphora is surveyed along with cases of implicative reference, through which these scholars account for otherwise problematic cases of anaphoric reference. Ruiz de Mendoza's is a highly comprehensive approach as far as metonymic anaphora is concerned, but further research should be carried out regarding its relationship with implicative reference.