Conceptualizações metafóricas e metonímicas em pronunciamentos de Putin e Zelensky sobre a guerra Rússia/Ucrânia

Abstract

This dissertation aims to analyze metaphorical and metonymic conceptualizations in pronouncements by Presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky about the war between Russia and Ukraine. The pronouncements are from February and March 2022, respectively, at the beginning of the conflict. This research is descriptive and exploratory, since it investigates metaphors and metonymies about the war and explores their meanings, their effects, and their application to certain contexts. It is also documentary, since it analyzes documents as the main source of data that are not recognized as being in the scientific domain (Oliveira, 2007). To this end, we base ourselves on the Theory of Conceptual Metaphor and Metonymy, whose main exponents are Lakoff and Johnson ([1980]1982), Lakoff (1987, 2017), and Kovecses (2002). Putin's statement was collected and translated into Portuguese by Folha de S. Paulo. Zelensky's speech was collected from the European Parliament's digital platform in English and translated by the author to Portuguese. In the data analysis, a global analysis of the pronouncements was first carried out. Then, conceptual metaphorical and metonymic expressions related to the context of the war were selected and analyzed. With regard to metaphors, the results showed that both speakers used, albeit in different ways, the metaphors of the STATE AS A PERSON and the FAIRY TALE (Lakoff, 1992) - which are based on the metaphor of the GLOBAL COMMUNITY. They also used several ontological and orientational metaphors. With regard to metonymy, there was systematic use of the metonyms INSTITUTION BY THOSE RESPONSIBLE and LOCAL BY THOSE RESPONSIBLE. The use of such metonyms is associated with the war scenario that involves spatiality, institutions and leaders. Both metaphors and metonymies have the function of constructing an argument aligned with the points of view defended by the speakers. Research of this nature contributes to updating the state of the art of the Theory of Conceptual Metaphor and Metonymy in Brazil and to reflecting on how the concept of war can foster actions in the world.