From Anatomy to Abstraction: Metaphorical and Metonymic Mappings of the Term Cabeça in Brazilian Portuguese
Keywords:
polysemy; cognition; head; metaphor; metonymy; semanticsAbstract
This article analyzes the construction of meaning for the lexeme cabeça ("head") in Brazilian Portuguese, based on Cognitive Semantics. The study focuses on the metaphorical and metonymic processes that structure the term’s polysemy, considering language as a symbolic activity rooted in cognition and bodily experience. Twenty-five occurrences of the term were examined from an electronic corpus, selecting the most expressive uses. The results indicate mappings based on image schemas, conceptual metaphors, and metonymies, organized into prototypical structures and radial networks. The research highlights the body as a central conceptual source.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Maíra Mendes Magela
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