Conceptual metaphor as the meaning embodiment of the modern folklore text

The article analyzes the metaphorical nature of language within the framework of cognitive linguistics and its manifestations in modern folklore texts. The study examines conceptual metaphors as universal cognitive structures. The article focuses on new genres of modern folklore and identifies the main characteristics of modern folklore texts, which enable the most generalized meaning expression. The author aims to demonstrate that conceptual metaphor, with its capacity for generalization and information condensation, embodies the meaning of modern folklore texts. The study analyzed modern folklore texts selected from a representative sample of contemporary digital sources. Methods used include content analysis, semantic analysis, cognitive analysis based on the theory of G. Lakoff and M. Johnson, inductive reasoning, modeling, and generalization. The research confirmed that conceptual metaphor is a key cognitive structure that allows for the holistic and generalized conveyance of meaning in modern folklore texts. The analysis revealed a close connection between metaphorical constructions, collective consciousness, and contemporary sociocultural realities. Parameters essential for interpreting conceptual metaphors were identified: the universality of ideas, the recurrence of key meanings, and the adaptability of traditional elements to digital environments. Mapping metaphorical transfers revealed universal ideas and helped formulate conceptual metaphors reflecting the content of the texts. In conclusion, it is argued that conceptual metaphor serves not only as a means of structuring cognitive space but also as a tool for adapting complex cultural and social phenomena to human perception. Its use in modern folklore texts facilitates the transmission of collective experience and worldview under conditions of globalization, urbanization, and digitalization. This study deepens the understanding of the mechanisms of meaning formation in contemporary culture and underscores the significance of metaphor in comprehending sociocultural transformations.