Metaphorical representation of the VIE concept in popular French language songs

The article deals with the features of metaphorical representation of the VIE concept in popular French-language songs. The research methodology is based on the postulates of the cognitive and discursive paradigm, the theory of conceptual metaphor, and the theory of metaphorical modeling. The methods used are contextual analysis, discourse analysis, metaphorical modeling, description, generalization, and classification. The material for this study was 150 metaphorical contexts used to describe the VIE concept in popular French-language songs of the 21st century. The study revealed that French ontological metaphors can be divided into two groups: object metaphors and container metaphors. In the first case, metaphorization is based on external, perceived characteristics of an object as an entity of the physical world. Life, conceptualized as an object, consists of parts, has color and weight, is illuminated or in the shadow, and has several sides. The object can be controlled, interacted with, and transferred to other subjects. In the second case, attention is focused on the internal space of the object (container), separated from the outside world by a boundary. The “Container” frame illustrates background knowledge that some objects (containers) have an internal space in which substances or other objects can be placed. Metaphors of this frame are used to represent various psychological states that, like substances, can fill life, conceptualized as a container with an internal volume. Also, knowledge that containers can be empty and full is used in modern French song discourse to describe the meaninglessness of life (empty container) and the saturation of life with meanings and emotions (filled container).