Working within the framework of Relevance Theory, I investigate the nature of referential metonymy (specifically, metonymically-used definite descriptions), aiming to elucidate (i) the pragmatic mechanisms involved in referential metonymy comprehension, and (ii) the contribution of a metonymically-used definite description to the explicitly communicated content of an utterance. I propose that, while the interpretation of referential metonymy is properly inferential in nature, it cannot be explained in terms of ‘meaning modulation’ (narrowing and broadening); rather, the literal meaning of a metonymically-used referring expression remains intact, and is used as evidence of the speaker’s target referent. In addition, I argue that the referential/attributive distinction proposed by Donnellan (1966) for literally-used definite descriptions also applies to metonymically-used definite descriptions. Thus, the contribution of a metonymically-used definite description to explicit utterance content differs according to whether the definite description is used ‘referentially’ or ‘attributively’.

在关联理论的框架内，我研究了指代转喻的性质（具体来说，指代使用的定性描述），旨在阐明（i）指代转喻理解所涉及的语用机制，以及（ii）代词-对明确表达的话语内容使用了明确的描述。我建议，尽管指称代词的解释本质上是适当的推论，但不能用“意义调制”（变窄和变宽）来解释。相反，转喻使用的指称表达的字面意义保持不变，并被用作说话者目标指称的证据。此外，我认为Donnellan（1966）提出的指称/定语区分也用于字面使用的确定性描述。因此，根据使用定语描述是“指代”还是“定语”，转喻使用的定语对显性话语内容的贡献是不同的。