Cognitive and Linguocultural Approaches to Conceptual Metaphors in Phraseological Units

The primary objective of this article is to examine the gender characteristics of conceptual metaphors through the analysis of phraseologisms and paremies in English and Uzbek languages. The research aims to implement the concept of metaphor as a mental and verbal construction in expressing conceptual metaphor and gender aspects. The proposed approach to metaphor study facilitates the consistent reconstruction of national figurative understanding domains and their comparative analysis. This approach aims to enhance comprehension of the essence and mechanisms of figurative and metaphorical thinking.
In our ongoing research, within the cognitive and linguistic-cultural investigation of conceptual metaphors, the metaphor is considered a mental- verbal construction that serves to describe and illustrate an object based on its similarity or associative resemblance to another object. In the cognitive analysis, study of metaphors as a language (speech) tool, and expression of metaphor concepts, methodologies such as content analysis, metaphorical modeling, component analysis, contextual analysis, cognitive interpretation, and conceptual analysis were employed for the integrative description of the language phenomenon.
This research indicates that studying conceptual metaphors from cognitive and linguistic perspectives enhances understanding of their role in language and cognition, clarifies methodological foundations, and offers development prospects. It significantly benefits researchers and practitioners in linguistics, linguistic culture, and cognitive sciences. Given that metaphors are prevalent in education, politics, economics, and marketing, it is essential to acknowledge metaphors as a general linguistic phenomenon, not just a literary research subject.
These results lead to the conclusion that it is necessary to further elucidate the essence and mechanisms of metaphorical thinking, adhere to established methods of metaphorical research, and achieve successful outcomes in the scientific activities of researchers and students studying conceptual metaphors from cognitive and linguacultural perspectives. The article addresses the systematicity of conceptual metaphors.