Muzannar L. Metaphor in modern Arabic political discourse.

The thesis analyzes cognitive metaphors in Arabic political discourse. In particular, the research aims at illustrating metaphorical modelling of two sets of concepts – WAṬAN and DAULA (‘Motherland’ and ‘State’) and ‘ADĀLA and QĀNŪN (‘Justice’ and ‘Law’) in Arabic discourse on the material of political speeches delivered by leaders of Lebanon, Palestine and Egypt. Drawing on achievements in Political Linguistics, Political Linguistic Personology and Political Metaphor Analysis as well as taking into account the addresser’s pragmatic objectives and communicative strategies, the study explores the content and the topics of Arabic political discourse alongside with specific metaphorical modelling of the above-mentioned concepts within this discourse. The research argues that ‘metaphorical modelling of the concept’ is inherent in political discourse of the Arab world. The paper examines typical features of direct and indirect metaphorical conceptual modelling that noticeably impact on mass consciousness. The cognitive metaphors are subsequently structured in accordance with the semantic principle. The urgency of the investigation into specific properties of political discourse arises from the current interest of linguistic science in political rhetoric and, consequently, in political metaphor as an instrument inevitably employed by politicians in order to achieve their pragmatic goals, i.e., to gain control over mass audience and, in the long run, to exercise power.