CONCEPTUAL METAPHOR AS A COGNITIVE FOUNDATION OF MEANING CONSTRUCTION

Abstract

This thesis examines the role of conceptual metaphor as a
fundamental cognitive mechanism that structures the human understanding of
abstract domains. Drawing on the framework of Conceptual Metaphor Theory
developed by Lakoff and Johnson, as well as contemporary cross-linguistic and
corpus-based research, the work demonstrates how metaphor organizes reasoning,
shapes emotional and temporal conceptualization, and functions in scientific and
popular-science discourse. The analysis highlights the significance of embodied
experience in forming conceptual mappings, revealing how cultural models and
socio-historical developments influence metaphorical systems. Special attention is
given to the cognitive, communicative, heuristic, and didactic functions of
metaphor, alongside its methodological implications for modern linguistic research.
The study underscores the centrality of metaphor in meaning construction, cultural
worldview formation, and the evolution of discursive practices.