ABSTRACT
This chapter identifies first the distinctive linguistic and conceptual properties of metaphor and metonymy in a broad sense and then of metonymy in the narrow sense and synecdoche. The differences between the main figures of the plane of content are highlighted in the presence of conflict and are grounded on the grammatical distribution of foci, on the internal structure of the conflict, and on the orientation of conceptual. The interaction between forms of conflict, syntactic distribution of foci, conceptual properties, and interpretative strategies shows that metaphor and metonymy are distinct and incommensurate kinds of figure. Metonymy dissolves the conflict by activating a consistent link between the conflicting concept and a textually relevant and consistent counterpart. While both metonymy and synecdoche put pressure on the conflicting focus, metaphors are ready to affect the conceptualization of the consistent tenor. The role of traditional criteria, based on interpretative strategies, is residual, confined within the narrow structures that are shared by both figures.
