COGNITIVE ASPECTS OF METAPHOR INTERPRETATION IN POLITICAL DISCOURSE (BASED ON THE INAUGURAL ADDRESS BY JOSEPH R. BIDEN)

Abstract

Cognitive linguistics treats metaphor as an ideal model of the basic thinking process reflected in the linguistic means. It is a universal tool of cognition, reasoning and understanding the world. In the political discourse, metaphor is viewed as an indirect way of shaping public opinion aimed at building up a political image, establishing views and beliefs, producing emotionally evaluative judgment, either a positive or a negative one. Therefore, the research of metaphor and metaphorization in the cognitive discourse paradigm is a relevant and prospective field of modern linguistic studies. The article deals with the conceptual aspects of the English political discourse metaphorization. The detailed analysis refers to the cognitive and communicative-pragmatic peculiarities of the figurative expressions employed by Joseph Biden in his inaugural address. In the course of studies, the fundamental conceptual metaphors (UNITY IS A PURPOSE, HISTORY IS A STORY, HISTORY IS A PERSON, NATION IS AN ORGANISM, DEMOCRACY IS A WAR) constituting the propositional content frame of his political speech have been determined. The conceptual metaphors in question are manifested through a number of figurative means such as metaphor-cliché, metonymy, personification, simile, and original individual metaphor. The material analyzed proves the dominance of the latter one in the President’s political discourse. The most efficient way of rendering this kind of metaphor into the target language is by literal translation, with applying absolute and relative equivalents. The research of the political metaphors has been conducted from the perspective of figurative linguistic means as constitutive elements of the American political leader – Joseph Biden’s authentic style. The authors suggested effective translation strategies of conveying the English figurative means utilized by the American President Joseph Biden into Ukrainian, not adversely affecting their semantic, pragmatic and stylistic potential.