Cognitive Matrices of the HERO — ANTIHERO Conceptual Opposition: a comparative analysis

About the author:

Samofalova Anna S., Assistant, Department of English Philology and Translation Studies, University of Tyumen; a.s.samofalova@utmn.ru

Abstract:

This article presents a comparative study of the cognitive matrices of the binary opposition HERO — ANTIHERO in the Russian and English conceptual spheres through the prism of anthropocentric approaches. The cognitive-matrix analysis helps to distinguish cognitive matrices of the binary opposition HERO — ANTIHERO in “Doctor Zhivago” by B. Pasternak and “Death of a Hero” by R. Aldington.
The research points out that there are isomorphic and allomorphic features in the linguo­cognitive models. Isomorphic features express similar cognitive processes and both writers’ deep concern over the political situation during the war; on the other hand, allomorphic features depict heroes and authors’ certain culture-specific mentalities and visions of the world.
The comparative analysis of language means and cognitive mechanisms of the binary opposition HERO — ANTIHERO reveals the antonymous nominations of the concepts representing the dialectical unity of opposites and reflects the authors’ individual attitude to the war and heroism in the works under consideration.

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