CONCEPTUAL METAPHOR AS A TOOL OF MEANING CONSTRUCTION
Abstract
This article explores how conceptual metaphors construct meaning in contemporary discourse and how their systematicity can be supported by empirical findings across genres. The study aims to investigate recurring metaphorical patterns, clarify the mapping mechanisms supporting stable interpretation, and demonstrate how the choice of metaphors is connected to pragmatic purposes such as evaluation and persuasion. Methodologically, it combines qualitative metaphor identification with corpus-assisted analysis of collocational profiles and contextual constraints. The scientific novelty of the study lies in combining a mapping-based approach with distributional evidence to show how metaphorical models shape inference in authentic texts rather than being limited to introspective examples.