THE IMPACT OF TEMPORAL METAPHORS ON MENTAL AND CULTURAL PERCEPTION

Abstract

From the perspective of modern cognitive linguistics, metaphors are not merely artistic devices in language but an integral part of human cognition and conceptual systems. Temporal metaphors, in particular, are regarded as one of the fundamental mental mechanisms for structuring abstract concepts. This article examines how temporal metaphors in Uzbek and English influence cognitive processes, cultural practices, and mechanisms of time perception. The study is based on theoretical frameworks such as the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis of linguistic relativity, Lakoff and Johnson’s Conceptual Metaphor Theory, as well as cognitive models developed by Talmy and Langacker. Through the analysis of horizontal, vertical, and non-traditional conceptualizations of time in languages such as English, Mandarin, Hopi, and Aymara, both universal cognitive principles and culture-specific features are identified. The findings confirm that although language does not rigidly determine cognitive processes, it does shape dominant conceptual orientations in human thinking.