METAPHORICAL CONCEPTUALIZATION OF WAR AND RESILIENCE IN MODERN UKRAINIAN PUBLIC DISCOURSE

Abstract Metaphor functions not merely as a stylistic device but as a cognitive mechanism structuring perception and shaping collective understanding. In periods of sociopolitical upheaval, metaphorical language intensifies and becomes central to public discourse. Contemporary Ukrainian discourse surrounding war and national resilience demonstrates a particularly rich metaphorical landscape in which conflict, endurance, reconstruction, and identity are framed through recurring conceptual patterns. This study examines metaphorical conceptualizations of war and resilience in modern Ukrainian public discourse, including media texts, political speeches, civic communication, and digital narratives. Drawing upon conceptual metaphor theory and critical discourse analysis, the research identifies dominant metaphorical schemas and analyzes their cognitive and pragmatic implications. Special attention is devoted to how metaphor organizes emotional response, moral evaluation, and collective positioning. The objective is to demonstrate that metaphorical framing plays a decisive role in constructing narratives of endurance and national self-definition in contemporary Ukraine.