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What role does metaphor play in Ukrainian emotional language visualisation

What role does metaphor play in Ukrainian emotional language

Feelings and Emotions in Ukrainian: A Learning Guide: What role does metaphor play in Ukrainian emotional language
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Metaphor plays a crucial role in Ukrainian emotional language by serving as a core expressive device that shapes and conveys intense emotional and cultural meanings. In Ukrainian, metaphors are used not only to express feelings but also to articulate social and political identity, particularly emphasizing emotional consciousness and national self-determination, especially during times of conflict such as the Russian-Ukrainian war. Metaphors allow Ukrainians to recode and rethink linguistic values, enabling the language to become a symbol of cultural and historical identity rather than just a communication tool. 1

Ukrainian emotional language employs metaphor extensively to create vivid imagery and convey nuanced emotional states. For example, stylistic devices such as epithets, similes, personification, and metaphors combine to map emotional concepts onto tangible imagery or human characteristics, thus enriching the expressive potential of the language. This is particularly evident in literary and poetic works where metaphor shapes the interpretation of emotions like despair, love, and patriotism, reflecting deep cultural and psychological experiences. 2, 1

Moreover, metaphors in Ukrainian emotional language function dynamically in different communicative contexts, from mass media and political discourse to poetry and everyday communication, where they evoke collective sentiments, shared cultural narratives, and emotional solidarity. By metaphorizing concepts such as “land,” “peace,” or “identity,” metaphors also contribute to constructing a collective socio-political consciousness and emotional resilience. 3, 4, 5

In summary, metaphor is fundamental in Ukrainian emotional language as a tool for emotional expression, cultural identity construction, and socio-political awareness, highlighting both individual feelings and collective historical experiences through rich figurative language. 5, 1, 2

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