CONCEPTUAL ANTITHESIS IN MODERN LINGUISTIC THEORY

Abstract

This thesis examines conceptual antithesis as a fundamental cognitive and
discursive mechanism that structures human understanding of oppositional
relations. While traditional rhetoric views antithesis primarily as a stylistic device
based on syntactic parallelism, contemporary cognitive and linguistic research
demonstrates that antithesis operates at a deeper conceptual level, reflecting binary
structures that shape categorization, evaluation, and interpretation. Drawing on
materials from Russian and international studies, the work analyzes how
conceptual antithesis functions within literary, ideological, and scientific discourse,
revealing its role in constructing evaluative meaning, enhancing rhetorical
expressiveness, and modeling abstract processes. Special attention is given to the
interaction between antithesis and conceptual metaphor, particularly in
dichotomous metaphors such as knowledge as light and ignorance as darkness,
which rely on embodied image schemas. The thesis emphasizes that conceptual
antithesis is not only a linguistic phenomenon but also a cognitive pattern deeply
embedded in cultural worldviews and discursive practices. Its interdisciplinary
relevance highlights its significance for understanding meaning construction in
contemporary linguistics