The metaphoric profilization of the concept power

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THE METAPHORIC PROFILIZATION OF THE CONCEPT POWER

Томенюк О.С.

ДВНЗ «Ужгородський національний університет»

We are in the habit of understanding and experiencing one kind of thing in terms of another. We understand abstract concepts in terms of concrete objects. Metaphors are an integral part of the model of our mind; it is the model in terms of which most of us think and operate. Because of this, cognitive approach to metaphor widens and broadens the scope of study from the poetry and literary works to our everyday speech. Most of the language in poetry is metaphorical, but the same holds true for daily speech. Lakoff calls the three types of metaphors mentioned above the conceptual (or cognitive) metaphors because they structure our ordinary conceptual system [1, p.45].

The topicality of the research is predetermined by the priopity of the concept POWER in English picture of the world.

The main aim of the research is to give valid, systematic analysis of the concept POWER in English.

Metaphoric profilazation, after A.M. Prykhodko, is one of the most effective means of the concepts actualization that may be both analytical and syntactical. It has been proved that concepts (especially abstract ones) are apt to “accumulating” metaphorical and combining associations in the language consciousness. The latter, from one side, allow this consciousness to “see”, “listen to”, “experience” and understand concepts; on the other hand they demonstrate the insufficiency for the language personality of the latter, as they are rather a hardly caught idea than an essence of a subject-concrete nature [2, p. 113].

After J. Lakoff and M. Johnson metaphors are dived into three types: structural metaphor, orientational metaphor and ontological metaphor.

Structural metaphors refer to metaphors in which one concept is metaphorically structured in terms of another. For example, in the conceptual metaphor ARGUMENT IS WAR, the concept ARGUMENT is metaphorically structured in terms of the concept WAR which is reflected in our everyday language by a wide variety of expressions [1, p. 61].

Orientational metaphors organize a whole system of concepts with respect to spatial orientation: up-down, in-out, front-back, on-off, deep-shallow, and central- peripheral. These spatial orientations are directly grounded in our experience of social and physical character. Orientational metaphors give a concept a spatial orientation; for example, HAPPY IS UP; SAD IS DOWN. [1, p. 14].

Just as the basic experiences of human spatial orientations give rise to orientational metaphors, our experiences with physical objects (especially our own bodies) provide the basis for an extraordinarily wide variety of ontological metaphors, that is, ways of viewing events, activities, emotions, ideas, etc., as entities and substances. We are able to understand our experiences in terms of physical objects and substances. Once we can identify our experiences as entities or substances, we can refer to them, categorize them, group them, and quantify them and, by this means, reason about them 1, p. 25].

Metaphors are realized by free and phraseological units that are formed on the basis of the name of the concept and the members of its synonymic line. The majority of the metaphors that we came across in the media-discourse samples belong to ontological metaphors, e.g. the weight of power/authority conceptualizes POWER as a physical object, the obligatory feature of which is weight:

to have/lose power - as an object of possession;

to give power to smb/to be given power, to hand power (over) to smb, to cede power to smb, to give up one's power in favour of smb, to hand power back to smb, to inherit power from smb, to renew power, to restore power - as an object of alienation; metaphor model conceptual integral

balance of power, division of authority, more/less/the most/the least power/authority - as a dynamic material recourse that can be reorganized in the quantitative amount;

to desire/to want/to be desperate for power - as an object of the desire; to use/abuse/wield power to obtain smth - as an instrument; corridors/ hall of power - as a building; the mechanics of power - as a mechanism.

The metaphor POWER IS AN OBJECT OF ALIENATION is verbalized in the investigated discourse by verbal word combinations to give/ cede power to smb, to be given power, to hand power (over) to smb, to give up one's power in favour of smb, to hand power back to, to inherit power from, to renew/ restore power, to grant jurisdiction.

In most cases in the situation we see the representation of two actants of the action, the one who has power and want to give it and the one who will get power, e.g.: King wants to hand power to people. (Guardian, Nov. 9, 2005)

As Bhutan's chief justice, Lyonpo Sonam Tobgge, said last week during a rally to discuss the proposed change, it is almost “unique in human history ” for a monarch to use his absolute authority to cede power to his people. (Guardian, Nov. 9, 2005)

And now the people of this happy Land of Thunder Dragon have made known, as strongly as good manners allow, that they wish their king not to give up his absolute power in favour of a democratic system. (Guardian, Nov. 9, 2005)

The metaphor POWER IS AN OBJECT OF ALIENATION may be verbalized by substantive word combinations a transfer of power to smb, a power transition to smb, handover of power to smb, e.g.:

There are growing demands, too, that Mr. Blair settle doubts about the leadership succession by clearly setting out the timetable for a stable and orderly transfer of power to Mr. Brown. (Financial Times, Nov. 4, 2005)

Chung said Kini's “army fist” policy could pave the way for a smooth power transition to army leaders on to technocrats with a military connection. (Independent, Nov. 16, 2005)

The metaphor is supported by the word combinations on the basis of the synonyms of the name of the concept to extend authority, e.g.:

Sir, as a doctor, I was very concerned to read of the plan to extend almost full prescribing authority to appropriately trained nurses and pharmacists. (Time, Nov. 18, 2005)

While there is nothing to beat actually being in the hall for the life experience, the discs should transmit the rare insight and authority that Haitik wielded in his opening programme of the second Leonore overture. (Guardian, Nov. 19, 2005)

The conservative primates said they were “troubled by his reluctance to use his moral authority to challenge the liberal North American Churches ”. (Guardian, Nov. 17, 2005)

The Human Rights Act 1998 had extraterritorial effect where a public authority was found to have exercised extraterritorial jurisdiction on the application of the state agent authority principles. (Time, Jan. 6, 2006)

In a world in which Great Britain still exercised dominion over palm and pine,

Opposition leaders are making promises, confident they can only be redeemed once power has been gained. (Guardian, Nov. 9, 2005)

Hitler's first attempt to seize power began at a beer hall in Munich. (International Herald Tribune, Nov. 8, 2005)

He knew how to use ruthless violence and screwed deception to keep power. (Independent, Nov. 16, 2005)

The New German coalition government which will take power next week intends to increase the value-added tax to 19 percent in 2007. (International Herald Tribune, Nov. 16, 2005)

The number of homeless families had more than doubled to 101, 030 since Labour won power in 1997. (Guardian, Nov. 14, 2005)

The metaphor POWER IS A TROPHY is supported by the verbal word combinations on the basis of the synonyms of the name of the concept POWER to test/ question/ challenge smb 's authority, to take away smb 's authority; порівн.:

Sir, Ruth Gledhill writes that the archbishops are challenging Ronan William's authority. I think not. His authority is that of Barnabas - a good man full of Holly Ghost and of faith. They are challenging his power, of which he has little and needs none. (Time, Nov. 22, 2005)

Performance director Sir Clive Woodward prepares to increase his power at the club and the players start to question the manager's authority. (New York Times, Nov. 20, 2005)

The synonymic verbal word combinations also may imply the presence in the situation of the actant-agent, e.g.:

He blames the parents and the fact teachers have had their authority taken away. (USA Today, Nov. 18, 2005)

As the prime minister prepares for a vote that will again test his authority over Labour MPs. (Financial Times, Nov. 9, 2005)

The metaphor POWER IS A CONTAINER represents power as a limited space open for a temporary stay of the subject of power: to be in power, to stay in power, to remain in power; e.g.:

Since last week's government defeat there have been so many apocalyptic predictions of doom it is almost a surprise that Labour is still in power. (Independent, Nov. 15, 2005)

The metaphor POWER IS A CONTAINER is supported by word combinations with synonyms of the name of the concept POWER to be in authority, to be within jurisdiction, e.g.:

I really expect some idiot in authority to cancel the parade at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday in case it offended the Germans. (New York Times, Nov. 22, 2005)

Those citizens were temporarily within this country's jurisdiction. (Time, Jan. 6, 2006)

Thus, the analyzed idioms verbalize the concept POWER on the basis of structural metaphors together with the metonymy. Metonymy in the examples is based on the images of the physical objects like the parts of the body (ear, hand etc.), things (cradle).

Literature

1. Lakoff G. Metaphors We Live by / G. Lakoff, M. Johnson. - Chicago : University of Chicago Press, 1980. - 242 p.

2. Приходько А.М. Концепти і концептосистеми в когнітивно-дискурсивній парадигмі лінгвістики / А.М. Приходько. - Запоріжжя : Прем'єр, 2008. - 332 с.

3. International Herald Tribune. - http://global.nytimes.com

4. Financial Times. - http://www.ft.com

5. New York Times, The. - http://www.nytimes.com

6. USA Today. - http://www.usatoday.com

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