Conceptualization of Anger in Modern Standard Arabic and English: a Comparative Study

Abstract

Figurative language is part of our everyday life where meaning is communicated indirectly. Metaphor is among the major figurative devices that are commonly encountered in interactions. This study investigates the use of metaphors employed to conceptualize abstract concepts, namely that of anger in both English and Arabic. For this purpose, a corpus of metaphorical expressions denoting anger in both languages was utilized. These expressions were classified based on their metaphorical mappings and later analyzed using Kövecses’ (2002) framework. The results indicate that although the two languages share several anger conceptualizations, they have specific differences. These differences were attributed to language differences, in that language genius and vocabulary repertoire often influence the conceptualization process. Culture also proved to be another source of elements like climate and lifestyle that manipulate the conceptualization process. The study of metaphorical conceptualization of emotions in general and anger in particular in the Arabic language is a prospective topic that requires further research.