Dynamics of the cold war concept’s figurative component in the US political discourse

Abstract

The article presents the results of a study aimed at analyzing the dynamics of the development of the COLD WAR concept’s figurative component in political discourse based on the material of the American media. The research conducted using the methods of discursive, conceptualdefinitional and comparative analysis has shown that the COLD WAR concept is a complex multi-component concept-scenario (or dynamic frame) that evolved during the second half of the 20th century. The figurative component of the concept manifests itself in its metaphorization and develops as the concept penetrates into the American mass consciousness. Throughout its history the COLD WAR concept has been both the source domain and the target domain of metaphorization with numerous models of metaphorical reinterpretation. Moreover, the author states that demetaphorization of the concept has also played a big part in the development of its figurative component. The article opens up a perspective for the study of the conceptual field of the “cold war” in different linguocultures, which is very important considering the changing international situation and the emergence of such concepts as COLD WAR 2, COLD WAR 2.0, etc.

Keywords

• cognitive linguistics
• political discourse
• concept
• framework
• conceptual metaphor
• cold war