Open AccessLIGHT and DARK
Author(s) -
Світлана Мартінек
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
jezikoslovlje
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.136
H-Index - 6
eISSN - 1848-9001
pISSN - 1331-7202
DOI - 10.29162/jez.2019.10
Subject(s) - binary opposition , universality (dynamical systems) , consciousness , epistemology , metaphor , phenomenon , cognitive linguistics , linguistics , opposition (politics) , cognition , conceptual metaphor , sociology , cognitive science , psychology , philosophy , physics , quantum mechanics , neuroscience , politics , political science , law
Cognitive Linguistics, which primarily dealswith the conceptual structures of human mind via their languagemanifestation, opens new prospects in studying binary oppositions. Despitenumerous researches of this phenomenon, lots of questions raised here do nothave exhaustive answers. What we need is not only inquiry oriented towardascertainment of the universality (or the degree of universality) of somebinary oppositions, but studies of their system in a certain linguaculturewithin a given time period. The precise study of interrelations among varioussymbolic domains in this sphere is another important problem. Furthermore,binary oppositions should not be seen as stable and unchangeable structurespresented within human consciousness but they must be regarded as theexternal manifestation of specific cognitive mechanisms.This paper presents an empiricalinvestigation of the binary opposition light-darkbased on the method of an associative experiment. The analysis of theresponses clearly reveals binary oppositions which are deep-rooted in thespeakers’ consciousness and which closely interact. These oppositions build arich background for the metaphorical interchange between correspondingdomains which create a whole system where the correlating parts are used forthe metaphoric designation of each other. The main focus of this study is theinteraction of cognitive mechanisms of contradistinction with conceptualmetaphor and further analysis of the result of this process in a language.