Metonymy in the use of determiners and indefinite quantifiers in Spanish. Descriptive approach and didactic application for the Spanish as foreign/second language classroom

doi: https://doi.org/10.31810/rsel.53.1.4

Abstract

This paper analyses what kinds of metonymy are implied in the usage of definite and indefinite determiners in Spanish. It also assesses how can the conceptualization of determiners systems be improved by developing learners’ awareness of metonymic links between the different values of these forms and the constructions they take part in.
The distinction between generic references values (Un médico debe ser empático ‘A doctor must be empathic’), non-specific values (Necesitamos un médico ‘We need a doctor’) and specific values (Pediré cita a un médico que me recomendaron ‘I will request an appointment for a doctor that was recommended to me) of articles and some quantifiers will be discussed, as well as the quantifying interpretation of definite determiners in cases such as ¡No sabes los amigos que tiene Laura! ‘You don’t know the friends Laura has’, meaning ‘You don’t know (you can’t imagine) how many friends Laura has’. The use of the typical iconic notations of Cognitive Grammar (Langacker), and likewise of others theoretical tools of this model such as the profile/base alignment, among others, will allow to consider metonymy as a kind of construal.
Regarding the didactic application, we will explore the advantages of the cognitive approach combined with a variety of exercises and conceptualization strategies in tasks of presentation and practice of different determiners.