СONCEPTUAL METAPHOR IN TEACHING ENGLISH (ON THE BASIS OF THE NOVEL BY JEROME K. JEROME)

The article examines the problem of conceptual metaphor and its role in learning a foreign language. Interpreting a foreign-language literary work on the basis of the conceptual metaphor enhances the mental abilities of the foreign language students.  

According to the hypothesis of the study, conceptual metaphor analysis applied at the foreign language lessons has significant linguo-didactic value and enhances the educational efficiency. The following types of metaphors are studied in the present article: structural metaphors, conduit metaphors, orientational metaphors, ontological metaphors and container metaphors. The author of this article considers the language tools used for the conceptual metaphor creation.  

The linguo-didactic value of the studied phenomenon is analyzed on the basis of the novel by Jerome K. Jerome «Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog)». Since the conceptual metaphor is examined as an educational tool, we analyze the above-mentioned phenomenon on the basis of adapted version that is designed for English learners. A variety of conceptual metaphor examples and their functioning within the text were studied in the terms of the theoretical data collected in the article. Having analyzed the problem the author distinguishes the linguo-didactic value of the conceptual metaphors and also comes to the conclusion that the phenomenon analysis enhances the study of literary works in a foreign language. The conceptual metaphor analysis allows students to understand the essence of the literary work more fully and deeply, as well as to identify the reasons for relations that are established between the characters, the characters’ actions, and also clear up the author’s attitude towards the characters. 

This approach accustoms the students to critical thinking and raises fundamentally the developmental level in general and communicative skills in particular.