The Study of Proximity Association and Metonymic Interests

Due to the link with the Qur'anic language and Muslims' verbal beliefs, the concept of metonymy has been considered as a controversial and important challenge from the beginning of rhetorical studies in the Muslim world. Farra, Ibn Abi al-Khattab Qureshi, Abu Obeida Moammar bin Muthanna, Jahiz, Abd al-Qahir al-Jurjani are the most prominent people who have taken the basic steps in formulating the definition of metonymy. It has, however, changed in to a rhetoric term near Sakkaki and khatib Qazvini and has been realized with the same definition till now. Nowadays, metonymy is repeated with the same traditional definition and the interests exist in ancient rhetorical texts, however the contemporary linguistic studies help greatly in making the classification and modern definition of topics in eloquence clear. Drawing the evolution has happened in the definition of metonymy and its interests, the present study is to analyze it on the basis of Jakobson's theory of "metaphorical and metonymic poles of language" and through the concept of association and the law of proximity, it attempts to prove that metonymy applications are actually figurative associations to the semantic interests of proximity; and it would be possible to take a new look on the discussion of metonymic interests and to facilitate its instruction using this approach.