Стоянова И.Ф.

 

Stoianova I.F.

(Free International University of Moldova)

 

METAPHOR AS A MEANS OF DRIVING TERMS FORMATION

 

Metaphor continues to foster scientific interest and remains the subject of multi/interdisciplinary researches. Nowadays it is an integral element of modern cognitive linguistics as it contributes to the analysis of public consciousness, starting with a narrowly functionally directed elegant figure of speech to the basic mechanism of thinking and cognition.

Language is not only a means of communication but also a way of getting to know the surrounding environment/reality; it is a system of encoding, storing, and transmitting the information acquired. Since the cognitive process occurs on comparing the new with the already known/ existing (e.g. the abstract with the concrete etc.), metaphor appears as one of the tools for cognition and encoding new information in the language. In modern society, scientific texts are known to serve as a repository of scientific knowledge [2, p. 356].

The scientific text uses a set of linguistic and paralinguistic means, among which the ones of literary expression take an important place. On studying the permeation of metaphors into scientific lexical units, special attention should be drawn to the terms appearing because of the words' semantic transfer from the standard language as a source. Such terms are coined as a result of meaning derivation between members of different lexical systems (terms of the national scientific picture of the world versus words of the international linguistic picture of the world) [1, p. 52].

 The present article/report intends to study the creative role of metaphor in coining English driving terminology, where the stylistic device is presented both in concrete and in the abstract lexicon. The majority of terms formed by the process of metaphorization express the notions of driving and its phenomena, while the typology of metaphorical transferences and the ground for the semantic assignment is based on the identity of form, process, function, and quality of the process. Further, some driving metaphorized terms are discussed.

Blind spot. The primary meaning of the adjective blind (слепой) is the inability to see because of medical conditions. In driving, it is a zone on the road that cannot be seen by a driver while looking at rearview or side mirrors (мертвая зона). The process of metaphorization is based on similarity of quality, namely, failure to see the space behind/close to the vehicle: The driver must turn his or her head to see a vehicle in one of these blind spots [3]./ Водитель должен повернуть голову, чтобы увидеть транспортное средство в одной из мертвых зон. 

Bonnet. As the Oxford dictionary states, the primary meaning of the word bonnet is a woman's or child's hat tied under the chin and with a brim framing the face (шляпа/ капор) [4]. In driving bonnet refers to the hinged metal canopy covering the engine of a motor vehicle (капот). The process of metaphorical transference takes place based on similarity of action (covering), e.g.: The front bonnet affords extra crumple space in the event of an accident [3].- Передний капот обеспечивает дополнительное пространство для смятия в случае аварии.

In everyday English communication, a clutch denotes a tight grasp (сжатие, хватка). In specialized vocabulary clutch (сцепление) represent a mechanism for connecting and disconnecting an engine and the transmission system in a vehicle, or the working parts of any machine. The process of meaning transference also occurs based on a certain action (tightening), e.g.: Positioned between the engine and gearbox and using a dual-clutch system, this works as both current generator and flywheel [3]. - Располагаясь между двигателем и коробкой передач и используя систему двойного сцепления, он работает как генератор тока, так и маховик.

Wing (крыло) is known to be a modified forelimb that bears large feathers used for flying. In driving, it is a raised part of the body of a car or other vehicle above the wheel [4]. The metaphorical transference is based on the similarity of place and position in an object, e.g.: Drawn by a former Aston Martin design chief, the rear wings and roofline are the best bit [3]. - Разаботанные бывшим дизайнером Aston Martin, задние крылья и линия крыши являются лучшими. 

The lexical unit boot is referring to a sturdy item of footwear covering the foot and ankle, and sometimes the lower leg (ботинок). In driving specialized vocabulary, a boot is an enclosed space at the back of a car for carrying luggage or other goods [4] and is translated into Russian as багажник/багажное отделение. It is the purpose (i.e. to carry goods), that motivates the semantic transference of the term, e.g.: A full-size spare wheel is under the boot floor [3]. - Полноразмерное запасное колесо находится под полом багажника.

Therefore, the driving metaphor has a contradictory character: in the process of terminological metaphorization both a certain similarity between the referents (implicit nature of metaphor) and dissimilarity (generation of a new meaning) is actualized. Various aspects related to the field of driving are conceptualized into kinds of entities and objects. The degree of similarity and dissimilarity determines the true metaphorical meaning of the newly formed terminological unit.

 

 

References

1. Корнилов О. А. Языковые картины мира как производные национальных менталитетов: [учебное пособие]./  О А. Корнилов. – М. : КДУ, 2014. – 348 с.

2. Попова Т. Г.,  Сачкова Е.В. Метафора в научном стиле.  / Попова Т.Г.,  Сачкова Е. В. // International Journal of Experimental Education. Philological Sciences. – 2016. – № 2. – С. 356–360.

3. DriversEd. [Электронный ресурс]. / – Режим доступа: https://driversed.com/. – 14.09.2021.

4. Oxford English and Spanish Dictionary, Synonyms, and Spanish to English Translator [Электронный ресурс]. / Режим доступа:  https://www.lexico.com/ – 12.09.2021.