Metaphorical Representation Of Women’s Images In The Contemporary American TV-Series

© The Editorial Council and Editorial Board of Linguistic Studies

Linguistic Studies
Volume 41, 2021, pp. 172-179

Metaphorical Representation Of Women’s Images In The Contemporary American TV-Series

Kozachyshyna Oksana, Mosiichuk Antonina

Article first published online: May 01, 2021 


Additional information
 Author Information: 

Kozachyshyna Oksana, Candidate of Philology, Associate Professor of the English Philology Chair at Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsyubynskyi State Pedagogical University. Her areas of research in­terests include translation studies, gender linguistics, cognitive linguistics. Correspondence: okozachyshyna@vspu.edu.ua

Mosiichuk Antonina, Candidate of Philology, Associate Professor of the English Philology Chair at Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsyubynskyi State Pedagogical University. Her areas of research interests include cognitive linguistics, cognitive poetics, cognitive semiotics, and linguosynergetics. Correspondence: amosiichuk@vspu.edu.ua

Citation: 
Kozachyshyna, O.,Mosiichuk, A. Metaphorical Representation Of Women’s Images In The Contemporary American TV-Series [Text] // Linhvistychni Studiyi / Linguistic Studies : collection of scientific papers / Vasyl' Stus Donetsk National University; Ed. by Anatoliy Zahnitko. Vinnytsia : Vasyl' Stus DonNU, 2021. Vol. 41. Pp. 172-179. ISBN 966-7277-88-7

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.31558/1815-3070.2021.41.17

Publication History:

Volume first published online: May 01, 2021
Article received: March 20, 2021, accepted: April 03, 2021 and first published online: May 01, 2021

Annotation.

У статті аналізується роль концептуальних метафор як концептуального підґрунтя жіночих образів у сучасному американському телесеріалі. Виявлені групи концептуальних метафор дозволили схарактеризувати образний компонент чотирьох жіночих образів аналізованого телесеріалу та встановити особливості концептуалізації образу жінки, який у сучасному американському світобаченні набуває разом з традиційними нових, нетипових для нього характеристик. 

Keywords: woman’s image, metaphorical representation, conceptual metaphor, contemporary TV-series, cognitive poetics



Abstract.

METAPHORICAL REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN’S IMAGES IN THE CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN TV-SERIES

Oksana Kozachyshyna, Antonina Mosiichuk

English Philology Chair, Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsyubynskyi State Pedagogical University, Vinnytsia, Ukraine

Abstract

Background: The analysis of women’s images from the perspective of cognitive poetics aims to explain the cognitive processes underlying their perception, processing, and interpretation by the reader. Offering a new approach to the investigation of the image, cognitive poetics allows viewing a woman’s image as a linguo-cognitive construct comprising the conceptual and verbal facets. The conceptual facet is revealed through its notional/non-metaphorical (concept WOMAN) and figura­tive/metaphorical (conceptual metaphors) components while the verbal facet is associated with the corresponding lexical means of expressing the concept in the TV-series excerpts.

Purpose: The purpose of the article is to describe the figurative component of women’s images in the contemporary American TV-series “Desperate Housewives” by analyzing the specifics of their metaphorical conceptualization and distinguishing types of conceptual metaphors women’s images are grounded in.

Results: The paper characterizes women’s images in terms of the four basic aspects of the modern American woman’s self-realization in society by associating them with the corresponding concepts of MARRIAGE (WOMAN-PARTNER), MOTHERHOOD (WOMAN-MOTHER), CA­REER (WOMAN-PROFESSIONAL), and HOUSEKEEPING (WOMAN-HOUSEKEEPER).

Discussion: Aspects of women’s images such as MARRIAGE, MOTHERHOOD, CAREER, HOUSEWORK are metaphorically interpreted in terms of the three types of conceptual metaphors: ontological (MARRIAGE IS AN OBJECT, LOVE RELATIONSHIP IS A PATH, MARRIAGE IS MACHINERY/VEHICLE, FAMILY LIFE IS A CYCLE, MARRIAGE IS AN ACTIVITY), struc­tural (FAMILY IS SPORT, FAMILY IS WAR, MOTHERHOOD IS A JOB, HOUSEWORK IS SPORT) and orientational (CAREER IS UPWARD MOVEMENT). Together, they testify to the spe­cifics of conceptualizing women’s images in modern American society where a woman shifts from the traditional roles of a wife, mother, and housekeeper to a woman-professional. The WOMAN-PARTNER conceptual metaphors, which constitute the most significant group revealed in the TV-series (44% of the sample), prove that love relationship and marriage remain the main priority for the modern American woman despite her professional aspirations.

Keywords: woman’s image, metaphorical representation, conceptual metaphor, contemporary TV-series, cognitive poetics

Vitae

Oksana Kozachyshyna is Candidate of Philology, Associate Professor of the English Philology Chair at Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsyubynskyi State Pedagogical University. Her areas of research in­terests include translation studies, gender linguistics, cognitive linguistics

Correspondence: okozachyshyna@vspu.edu.ua

Antonina Mosiichuk is Candidate of Philology, Associate Professor of the English Philology Chair at Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsyubynskyi State Pedagogical University. Her areas of research in­terests include cognitive linguistics, cognitive poetics, cognitive semiotics, and linguosynergetics.

Correspondence: amosiichuk@vspu.edu.ua

Article.

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