Moral metaphor, metonymic causation

Abstract This article explores the double metaphoric and metonymic use of the Danish word plet (“stain” or “spot”) in discourse about shame and moral judgment. Drawing on Danish corpus data and a close analysis of therapeutic interaction, the study argues that plet operates not only as a metaphor — grounded in the moral schema of “clean versus dirty” — but also as a metonymy, where a visible stain stands for the social and emotional consequences of past actions. In the corpus data, plet is used metaphorically to describe both temporary reputational damage (e.g. sports defeats) and more lasting moral stains. In therapy data, however, plet takes on a deeper, socially embedded function, expressing personal shame and the fear of social exposure. Here, its metonymic structure — as an effect standing for a cause — becomes especially salient. The analysis highlights how metaphor and metonymy work together to construct meaning in social contexts, and how their interplay can be creatively exploited in a therapeutic setting. By externalizing shame onto a physical object (a letter of concern), the therapist helps the client reframe a stigmatizing experience. The findings underline how metaphor and metonymy coalesce in a single expression creating layered meaning in social contexts.