Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Associate professor, Linguistics Department, Faculty of Persian literature & Foreign Languages, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran
2 student
Abstract
Within the framework of Conceptual Metaphor Theory, metaphor is considered not merely a rhetorical device but a fundamental mechanism in human thought and perception, through which abstract concepts, including illness, become comprehensible via more concrete domains. HIV/AIDS, as a complex and multilayered phenomenon with biological and socio-cultural dimensions, is an abstract concept whose public understanding is significantly influenced by metaphorical language. This study, employing a cognitive semantics approach within cognitive linguistics, analyzes conceptual metaphors related to HIV/AIDS in Persian-language media discourse. The data comprise 2700 metaphorical expressions extracted from Jame Jam and Hamshahri newspapers (2006-2023). Qualitative data analysis was conducted using Lakoff and Johnson's (1980) Conceptual Metaphor Theory, Kövecses's (2005) views on metaphor in culture, universals, and variations, and Sontag's (1989) critical approach to illness-related metaphors like those for cancer and AIDS. Findings indicate that this illness is primarily conceptualized through ontological metaphors, which constitute the highest frequency (74%, 1987 instances) among the three types of conceptual metaphors based on their cognitive function: ontological, structural, and orientational. Additionally, six macro-metaphors with source domains "Human," "Object," "Property," "Force," "Phenomenon," and "Mythical Creature" were identified, among which the macro-metaphor "Phenomenon" holds the highest frequency (45.93%, 1240 instances). Persian-language media have often presented threatening images of HIV/AIDS, playing a significant role in reproducing negative stereotypes and contributing to stigma and discrimination. Reviewing the metaphorical language used in the media can be effective in reducing social stigma, enhancing public awareness, and providing a more realistic portrayal.
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