THE FORMATION AND CONTEMPORARY INTERPRETATION OF METAPHOR THEORY

Abstract

This article examines the historical formation and contemporary interpretation of metaphor theory, tracing its development from classical rhetoric to semantic, interactional, cognitive, cultural, and discourse-oriented approaches. Particular attention is paid to the transition from viewing metaphor as an ornamental linguistic device to understanding it as a fundamental mechanism of conceptualization. The study discusses Aristotle’s classical account, the contributions of I. A. Richards and Max Black, Conceptual metaphor theory developed by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson, and later approaches emphasizing embodiment, context, cultural variation, and discourse. The analysis shows that contemporary metaphor studies integrate linguistic form, cognition, communicative context, and culture.