The image of a woman in the spanish discourse of masculism in the context of metaphorical modeling

Abstract

The article analyzes the image of a woman in the Spanish-language discourse of masculism in the aspect of metaphorical modeling. Masculism is considered to be one of the most controversial social men’s rights movements, which is currently broadcasted in the space of social media and forms a unique image of a woman inside it. The purpose of the study is to consider metaphorical models and their linguistic representatives used by Spanish-speaking Instagram masculine activists to construct the image of a woman. In terms of the study the following methods are used: the method of conceptual analysis of metaphorical models, lexico-semantic analysis and analysis of dictionary definitions. The results obtained reveal the image of a woman formed within the discourse of masculism. It has been established that the image of a woman, according to masculism’s followers, is formed on the basis of the most important archetypal role – the role of a mother through the metaphorical model “woman-mother”. At the same time, the similarity of conceptual spheres is built not on the primary meanings laid down by the role model of the mother, but on the negative characteristics attributed to the woman through the actualization of such negative stereotypical scenario frames as manipulation of children, blackmail of the father, depreciation of the father's contribution to the upbringing of children and sole guardianship. Metaphorical modeling of the woman’s image is also realized with the help of metaphorical models “woman-tyrant” and “woman-false victim”, the actualization of which raises the problem of false denunciations. The results obtained in the course of the study give an idea of the linguistic means of representing the problem of gender inequality and linguistic sexism in Spanish.