CONCEPTUAL MODELS IN ALLUSIVE EPITHETS IN ENGLISH LITERARY DISCOURSE

In the last decades the focus of linguistic research has been significantly moved from the study of the language as the so-called "self-contained" system to applying it as a tool of investigating the whole world. Understanding the real meanings of certain linguistic phenomena often leads to gaining the insights of what speakers' attitudes, connections and associations stand behind them. In this paper, we focus on applying the cognitive linguistics notions to allusive epithets in literary discourse based on the novels by modern English and American authors (Modernism period of literature is concerned). Under allusive epithets we understand the specific sort of descriptive words and phrases based on the allusive referencing to metalinguistic external contexts. The research we have conducted revealed a lot of particular ways of expressing different ideas implicitly by means allusive epithets. As a result, we provide a taxonomy of possible epithets in terms of the source domains in the relevant conceptual models. Examples of using the allusive epithets in literary contexts are given to elaborate on the mapping between source and target domains and the ways they are paired. Finally, the data gained through the free association word experiment are proposed to check if there are particular mind sets to stand behind the allusive epithets and the related sources. As a result, some light is thrown on conceptual structures shared by members of certain communities the readers belong with. The paper may raise interest as the research of the complicated linguistic and extralinguistic phenomena in their combinations.