Cognitive Metaphors of Covid-19 Pandemic in Business News

Abstract

The research considers the COVID-19 pandemic cognitive metaphors conveyed by means of the English language in business news. The interpretation of metaphor goes beyond its traditional understanding as a rhetorical device. The approach is consistent with a cognitive theory claiming that metaphor is a mental instrument to reflect the way we reason and imagine the world. The paper provides a brief theoretical framework of the research, discusses the concept, role and types of cognitive metaphor. It deals with particular cases of metaphoric representations of the pandemic selected from The Financial Times , an international daily with focus on business and economic affairs. The results of the study reveal a variety of lexical means to express the dynamic image of the pandemic that exhibits a gradual shift from the military metaphor to variant interpretations. The findings prove the pervasiveness of metaphor in business and mass media communication, its significance to understand difficult situations, efficiently communicate ideas and influence the audience.