Department: Linguistics

Breakup group: English language

METAPHORICAL NOMINATION
IN ENGLISH COMPUTER
DISCOURSE

Author:K.S. Biba
Research supervisor:

English language teacher

I.A. Horban
THE TOPICALITY OF THE RESEARCH
is predetermined, foremost, by the general
orientation of modern linguistics on the
study of metaphor in LSP, the importance
of a multifaceted study of metaphorical
mechanisms of new computer concepts nomination.
THE AIM OF THE RESEARCH – to explore
metaphor as the means of metaphorical
nomination and the mechanisms of formation and
patterning
of English computer metaphorical lexis.
The research pursues the following objectives:

– to identify the specific features of metaphorization as a

lexico-semantic way of word-formation;
– to highlight the role of metaphor as a device of computer
terminology formation;
– to outline the linguistic features of computer discourse;
– to reveal the sources of metaphorization in computer
terminology;
–to describe the mechanisms of metaphorization and its
influence on computer slang formation;
– to single out thematic patterns of metaphorical computer
terms;
– to detect structural and derivative features of
metaphorical computer terms.
modern English metaphorical lexis used
in the computer domain.

THE SUBJECT OF THE RESEARCH –

the mechanisms of metaphorization, thematic
patterning, structural and derivative features
of English metaphorical computer lexis.
DATA SOURCES– the texts from Internet
resources (chats, forums, online computer and
slang dictionaries, IT web sites)
 THE THEORETICAL VALUE of the research
findings is that they are seen as a contribution to
linguistics, including lexicology and terminologу science.
THE SCIENTIFIC NOVELTY OF THE
RESEARCH lies in the first attempt of
revealing the mechanisms of metaphorization
of English computer slang and terms. The
sources of metaphorization of English
computer slang and terms, as well as their
thematic patterns and structural and derivative
features have been identified for the first time.
The main results of the research paper have been
reported at the annual meeting of the European
Youth Parliament
The results of our research were tested at Lexicology
seminars at Kyiv National
Linguistic University
 THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

METAPHOR: THEORY, METHODS AND

APPLICATIONS:
Yu.D. Apresyan (1993); N.D. Arutyunova (1979);
A.P. Chudinov (2001), M. Jonson & G. Lakoff (1980), V.V. Telia (1988),
S. Ullmann (1970).

COMPUTER DISCOURSE: THEORY AND

ANALYSIS:
N. D. Arutyunova (1990), G. S. Rybakova (2012), T.A. Sytnikova (2010).
METAPHOR is a semantic change based
on similarity (in form or function between
the original concept named by a word and
the target concept named by this word).
 SOURCE DOMAINS OF
METAPHORICAL COMPUTER TERMS:

HUMAN / ACTIVITIES (14 %):

to sleep знаходитися у режимі сну

TRANSPORTATION AND MOVEMENT (12%):

driver драйвер
 FOOD (13%):
lasagna syndrome синдром лазаньї
(діалогові вікна, які накладаються,
завдяки чому завдання майже
неможливо виконати)

ANIMALS (11 %):

worm хробак (різновид вірусу)
 SOMATISMS (6 %):

RUNNING FOOT НИЖНІЙ КОЛОНТИТУЛ

ESSENTIALS (6%):
key клавіша
 ARTICLES / ELEMENTS
OF CLOTHING (6%):
button кнопка

FLORA (5%)
tree-killer принтер
 MEDICINE (4%):
antivirus

MYTHOLOGY (3%)
Trojan horse “троянський кінь”
(різновид вірусного ПО)
 DWELLING ELEMENTS (3 %)

backdoor клас програм, які відкривають

зловмисникам доступ до чужої cистеми

NATURAL PHENOMENA (3%):

storm broadcast storm
лавиноподібне поширення повідомлень для
абонентів програмного забезпечення
 TEMPERATURE (3 %)

warm “тепле” перезавантаження (через

натискання клавіш Ctrl-Alt-Del)

HUMAN
BIOPHYSICAL FEATURES (3%)
thin client клієнт-термінал, мережевий комп’ютер
з обмеженими обчислювальними ресурсами
 SOCIAL ORIGIN (2%)

HOST будь-який комп’ютер у сітці, який вміщує послуги

для інших комп’ютерів

PSYCHO-INTELLECTUAL FEATURES (1%):

INTELLIGENT NTERMINAL IНТЕЛЕКТУАЛЬНИЙ “ВАЖКИЙ” ТЕРМІНАЛ
 KINSHIP (1%):

mother motehrboard (материнська плата)

SOUND (1%):
click double click
 COLOUR (1%):

blue blue screen of death

ODOPUR (1%):
flavour flavour
(різновид команди)
 IMAGE (1%):
ICON (FASHION) ICON (COMPUTER)
 SOURCE DOMAINS
OF METAPHORICAL COMPUTER SLANG
FLORA (12%):
DAISY WHEEL – пелюстковий шрифтоносій (для
матричних принтерів)

ZOONYMS (14%):
CANGAROO CODE заплутана програма
 NATURAL PHENOMENA
BIG IRON
(8%):
“велика залізяка”, надпотужний,

надшвидкісний комп’ютер

SOMATISMS (4%):
EYEBALLS користувачі Інтернету
 PHYSICAL
PAIN IN THE NET
CONDITIONS (6%):
надокучливий автор
скандальних повідомлень

AGE CHARACTERISTICS (8%):

SILVER SURFER користувач Інтернету
похилого віку
 HUMAN COMMUNICATION
DIGITAL DIRT
(8%):
неприємна інформація або думка, яку

можна залишити в блогах або чатах

LIFEWARE (6%):
COMPUTER NERD
Інтернет-фанатик
BOB’S YOUR UNCLE KINSHIPпідбити
(2%): підсумок позитивної
ситуації (ця фраза вживається в
чатах)

NATIONALITY (6%):
DIGITAL IMMIGRANT людина, народжена до
настання цифрової епохи
 PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY
WEBSMITH (14%):
веб-дизайнер

SOCIAL HIERARCHY (4%):

ORPHAN ANNIE веб-сторінка, яка не є
активною, але доступною в мережі
 HISTORICAL
IRON AGE CONCEPTS /FIGURES (4%):
епоха, яка передувала
сучасному розвитку Інтернету

WORLD OF CHILDREN (6%):

MICKEY MOUSE PROGRAM тривіальна програма
SOURCE DOMAINS OF METAPHORICAL
COMPUTER SLANG
(QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS)
 THEMATIC GROUPS OF METAPHORICAL
COMPUTER TERMS

Computer and its

constituents parts
Programs User

Software Internet
Thematic groups of metaphorical computer terms
(quantitave analysis)
 STRUCTURAL CLASSIFICATION
OF METAPHORICAL COMPUTER TERMS

STRUCTURAL PATTERNS
MULTI-
1-COMPONENTIAL
COMPONENTIAL
TERMS
TERMS
(45%)
(55%)
 WAYS OF MORPHOLOGICAL FORMATION
OF METAPHORICAL COMPUTER TERMS

40% 27% 22% 11%

COMPOUNDING SUFFIXATION PREFIXATION CONVERSION

- motherboard - driver - hyperlink - log in
- network - resolution - interface login
- breadcrubms - software - autocorrect - look up
lookup
 Structural models
Multi-componential terms
of multi-componential terms
Two-word combinations
N + N (40%)
body code
Adj + N (33%)
thin client
V + N (11%)
to upload files

Three-word combinations
Adj +N +N (14%) cold boot
attack
V+N+N (2%)
to choose a sleep mode
 CONCLUSIONS

21 source of metaphorization of computer terms has been identified.

The most productive sources are those relating to HUMAN ACTIONS
(14%), HUMAN MOVEMENT (13%) and FOOD (12%).

15 sources of metaphorization of computer slang have been identified.

The dominant sources are those relating to
HUMAN, HIS/HER BIOPHYSICAL, INTELLECTUAL AND
SOCIAL FEATURES (74%),
less numerous are sources relating to ANIMAL WORLD AND
PLANT KINGDOM (26%)
5 thematic groups of computer metaphorical terms have been
identified.The dominant groups are SOFTWARE (14,5%) and
PROGRAMS (14,5%)
4 morphological ways of term formation have been identified:
COMPOUNDING, AFFIXATION, SUFFIXATION, CONVERSION.
COMPOUNDING is the most productive way (40%).
3 structural models of 2-word combinations have been identified: N+N;
ADJ. +N; N+V, the model N+N being most productive (40%).
THANK YOU