Referential Metonymy across Languages: What Can Cognitive Linguistics and CONTRASTIVE LINGUISTICS Learn from each Other?

Tlie paper dernonstrates how contrastive linguistics may receive a fresh breath of life from approaching certain probleins froin tlie cogiiitive linguistic point of view. Cognitive linguistics is not only capable of providiiig contrastive linguistics with a comprehensive but coherent theoretical backboiie the latter has always badly needed for its survival, but it is also certain to open up new avenues of research that have so far beeii more or less out of bounds for contrastive linguistics. At the same time, contrastive linguistics rnay playa critical, catalytic role in the development of cognitive linguistics theory and methodologq. This is due to its irnrnense potential in validating or falsifjing soine claims put forward by cognitive linguistics. wliich is iiilierently biased towards stressing the more universal aspects of language. This mutual cross-Sertilizatioii is dernonstrated on the example of metonymically used names of capitals in English, German, Croatiaii aiid Huiigariaii