metaforanya

Metaforanya is a term used in literary theory and cognitive linguistics to denote the metaphor that organizes a discourse or conceptual frame within a text. The word is a coinage built from metaphor (metafora) with the Indonesian possessive suffixnya, effectively meaning “its metaphor” or “the metaphor at issue.” It is not a standard label in all scholarly traditions, but it is used to discuss how a dominant metaphor structures meaning across a narrative, argument, or analysis.

In practice, metaforanya refers to the central metaphor that shapes interpretation. Analysts examine how this metaphor extends across domains, binds claims, guides the selection of evidence, and influences audience perception. The concept encourages attention to the situational and cultural factors that elevate a particular metaphor to prominence, as well as to how competing metaphors can coexist or clash within the same discourse.

Applications of metaforanya appear in literary analysis, political rhetoric, media studies, and cognitive science. Researchers may trace how a single metaphor frames issues such as power, time, or social organization, and how that framing affects argumentation, policy preference, or reader response. Critics emphasize that metaforanya is not a fixed label but a dynamic, context-dependent construct that can be challenged or revised through alternative figurative schemes.

Related concepts include metaphor, metonymy, and conceptual metaphor theory, which provide complementary tools for examining how language shapes thought.