Koropatnitska T. Comparative Structures with the wie and als Markers in Contemporary German Language: Structural-Semantic and Lingual-Cognitive Aspects

The thesis deals the investigation of formal, semantic and lingual-cognitive features of the comparison actualized by comparative structures with the markers wie and als in the contemporary German language. The research presents a comprehensive analysis of the comparison, ranging from its structure, through frame modeling to its usage in various utterances with a certain pragmatic aim. The thesis distinguishes four domains in the notional space of the referent MENSCH/MAN, determining the degree of specification for each of referent domain (comparison range), and to fourteen domains in the notional space of the correlate, determining the range of the comparison. On this basis have been differentiated three basic cognitive models of the comparison: the naturomorphic cognitive model; the anthropomorphic cognitive model; the artefact cognitive model. The pragmatic potential of the comparative structures in fiction and media discourses have been determined. Key words: comparative structures, target domain, source domain, comparison module, frame modeling, comparison frame, cognitive model of comparison.