METAPHORICAL REPRESENTATION OF NEGATIVE EMOTIONS IN ENGLISH: STRUCTURAL AND ORIENTATIONAL METAPHORS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47390/ydif-y2026v2i11/n08Keywords:
conceptual metaphor, structural metaphors, orientational metaphors, negative emotions, cognitive linguistics, lexical-semantic field, English language, emotional conceptualization, linguistic worldviewAbstract
The article examines structural and orientational metaphors as the principal mechanisms for the conceptualization of negative emotions in the English language. The study is conducted within the framework of the Conceptual Metaphor Theory developed by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson, according to which metaphor functions not only as a linguistic device of expression but also as a means of understanding and structuring human experience. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of the structural metaphors “emotion as an opponent,” “emotion as fire,” and “emotion as force,” as well as orientational metaphors based on the spatial oppositions “up-down,” “forward-back,” and “in-out.” The research material consists of examples drawn from the GloWbE corpus and works of English fiction. The findings demonstrate that structural and orientational metaphors form stable cognitive models through which speakers conceptualize and verbalize negative emotional experience. It has been established that these metaphorical models reflect the distinctive features of the English linguistic worldview and contribute to the systematic organization of the lexical-semantic field of negative emotions.
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