AN EMPIRICAL STUDY ON MECHANISM OF FIGURES OF SPEECH THAT REGULATE THE UNDERSTANDABILITY OF PICTURES

Abstract

This study aims to clarify the semantic processing mechanism of pictures, in which pictures and their meanings are not the same. Meanings are sent out from pictures using all conceptual extension mechanisms such as synecdoche, metonymy and metaphor. Time required to judge the relationship between picture and meaning depends on these types of figures of speech. This mechanism was examined in relation to two strategies, word association and perceptual simulation, which were employed to determine the relationship between picture and meaning. It was assumed that the “mechanism for recognition of figures of speech”would determine the strategy, and these strategies would generate differences in reaction time. We verified this hypothesis through two tasks, by changing variable conditions. As a result, it was found that at least synecdoche and metonymy could be treated as specific recognition mechanisms for which word association and perceptual simulation were suitable in meaning processing.