Metaphor as a Means of Implementation of Humor in the Nonstandard Military Vocabulary (on the Material of the French Language)

Abstract

The article deals with the use of metaphors as an effective tool for embodying the humor in the modern French substandard military vocabulary. The analysis of the metaphors encoding the military realities allows considering the humor as the most common way to achieve the comic representation of professional sphere. The sources of metaphorical transfer are frequently based on the ordinary realities specific to the civil life. This kind of metaphorical thinking reflects the «naive» picture of professional world conveyed by the humorous metaphors. Furthermore, the metaphor may contribute to the psychological adaptation to the military-related stress. The analysis of the humorous metaphors may also permit to understand some mental particularities specific to the native speakers issued from a given social community.

Keywords

• metaphor
• humor
• French nonstandard military vocabulary
• cognitive linguistics