Types of Conceptual Metaphor in American Political Speeches: Cognitive and Discursive Approaches

Abstract

In linguistics, the problem of conceptual language is widely developed, which a deep study of its fragments is necessary. In addition, the relevance of the research is also due to the general focus of modern linguistic science on determining the ways of representing the mental world of the individual in language, the study within the cognitive-discursive paradigm in the author's choice of specific language means, the strengthening of the interest of modern linguists and psycholinguists in the study of the mental mechanisms of individual reflection of reality, as well as the urgency of developing the issue of cognitive and conceptual styles in linguistics. The object of the study is the political speeches of political figures of the USA. The subject is the types of conceptualization of political metaphor in the speeches of US political figures. The purpose of the research is to analyze and distinguish the means of verbalization of concepts in the political speeches of American politicians. The set goal involves solving the following main tasks: to define and describe the main functions of political speech; identify and classify cognitive metaphors in the political speeches of politicians. As a result of the study, metaphors were singled out as linguistic means of verbalization of concepts in the discourse of American political figures, lexical and stylistic analysis of the texts of political speeches was carried out, as well as the strategies and tactics used by participants in political discourse to convince the audience of the legitimacy of their opinion were analyzed. The analysis of the analyzed material gives us the reason to believe that the political discourse of American politicians is saturated with metaphors. Political metaphors carry an evaluative load and are closely related to the type of political thinking, and reflect a specific way of perceiving political realities by addressees.