CONCEPTUAL METAPHOR “WAR” IN THE SPEECH GENRE OF COMMENTARY

Abstract

The study focuses on the conceptual metaphor «war» in the genre of online comments. The authors use the theory of conceptual metaphorology by J. Lakoff and M. Johnson as a methodological framework. This theory views metaphors as mechanisms that shape our perception of reality. The study explores the role of metaphorical language in shaping public perception of current social and political challenges. The article analyzes the impact of war metaphors on users' emotional responses and their interpretation of news content. By examining a large corpus of comments on various publications in the English-speaking internet, the authors found a significant prevalence of military metaphors. The article examines specific examples of the use of lexical units such as «fight», «weapon», «attack», «enemy», and «strategy» in the coverage of non-military events. Special attention is given to the functional diversity of military metaphors, which allow users to distance themselves from anxious emotions, perceive problems through the lens of a controlled conflict, and defend their own beliefs. The study emphasizes that war metaphors in comments serve not only as expressive means but also as tools for shaping collective consciousness and subjective interpretations of reality.