comparison of metaphorical denotation with implicit and implied denotations

the topic of “trilogical denotations” (al-dalalat al-thalath) appears in avicenna logic system following the development of the discourse on “terms subject” (al-mabahith al-alfad) in his system. it was avicenna, who, for the first time, paid more attention to this subject and was responsible for its extended discussion. among the issues to which he addresses is the one on trilogical denotations (implicit, implied, and metaphorical). implicit denotation, to which the logicians were more concerned, in that it denotes some meaning different from its original referent, was similar to some kinds of metaphorical denotations, and this similarity leads to some misconceptions in differentiating between the two denotations, metaphorical and implied. in this research we have shown that metaphorical denotation differs from implicit and implied ones in three respects: first, in implicit and implied denotation, the denotation is the result of coining words, but in metaphorical one, it is through some evidence. second, in differentiating between real and metaphorical meaning we do not need “evident mutual implication in its restricted meaning” (bayyen bi al- ma’na al-akhas). third, there are not any mutual implications between metaphorical meaning and real meaning, but both implicit and implied meanings imply the real meaning.