PRAGMATIC AND CULTURAL INTERPRETATION OF METAPHOR IN MODERN LITERARY DISCOURSE

Abstract

This thesis explores the pragmatic and cultural dimensions of metaphor within modern literary discourse. Building on the theoretical insights of linguopragmatics and cognitive linguistics, the study analyses how metaphors function as communicative tools and as reflections of national mentality in literature. Drawing examples from Charles Dickens and Tohir Malik, the paper demonstrates that metaphors serve not only aesthetic but also ideological, psychological, and cultural purposes. They reveal the writer’s worldview, emotional stance, and social critique. The findings show that while English and Uzbek authors employ metaphor differently, both traditions use it as a bridge between personal experience and collective cultural identity.