Metaphor in Russian and English Sport Discourse

Since the ancient times metaphor has been considered a significant figure of speech, with the development of cognitive linguistics it gained even more importance as a way of thinking. Nowadays the interest to the metaphors used in sport articles is increasing due to the growing influence of sport media. This paper aims to reveal the specific characteristics of English and Russian metaphors used in the modern sport discourse. The study is based on the traditional and cognitive approach to metaphor, as well as classifications and functions of metaphor proposed by Russian and foreign linguists. The empirical research contains the comparative and contrastive analysis of metaphors found in Russian, American and British sport news websites. The analysis of metaphors is based on the formal and semantic classifications proposed by V.P. Moskvin as well as the functions of metaphors suggested by V.K. Kharchenko. The study depicts the numerous functions of metaphor realized in sport discourse as well as the conceptual groups which are often used in English and Russian metaphors.