Metaphorical Space of Emotions in Russian: Structure and Cognitive Strategies of Modeling

Abstract

This article focuses on the analysis of the structure of the metaphorical space of emotions, modeled through a paradigmatic analysis of emotive vocabulary. The primary source of material is the thesaurus “Alphabet of Emotions” (2021). A total of 2,091 lexemes with metaphorical meanings representing 19 fundamental emotive concepts were analyzed. The statistical analysis of the sample yielded data on the proportion of metaphorical meanings within grammatical, functionalsemantic, and denotative-ideographic classes of emotive vocabulary. It was established that the processes of enriching the emotive vocabulary with metaphorical meanings are most active within the functional-semantic classes related to emotional impact and the formation of emotional states. A set of denotative-ideographic groups of emotive vocabulary with high, medium, and low content of metaphorical language was identified. The categorization of emotive metaphors by source domains of metaphorical transfer was carried out using a meta-language of semantic descriptors. Within the structure of the metaphorical space, 193 metaphorical models were identified, grouped into 23 denotative spheres. A model of the metaphorical space of emotions is proposed in a field format. The core of the metaphorical space of emotions is formed by vocabulary related to specific physical activities. The peripheral zone includes vocabulary from the domains of “Living Nature,” “Inanimate Nature,” “Perception,” and “Human as a Living Being.”