‟Wave” Metaphors in Russian and Polish

Abstract

The aim of this article is to provide a comparative analysis of metaphorical constructions involving the lexeme wave (волна in Russian, fala in Polish) in Russian and Polish. The examples analyzed were drawn from the national corpora of Russian and Polish, as well as various websites.

The study demonstrates that wave metaphors, as a subset of ‟water-space” metaphors, are actively employed in different types of texts to offer more expressive descriptions of various phenomena and to model specific fragments of reality. The analysis reveals that the linguistic imagery associated with wave metaphors in Russian and Polish is partially similar but also exhibits notable differences.

In many cases, the wave in these metaphors is conceptualized as an obstacle that must be overcome and often represents a threat to life. As such, wave metaphors frequently appear in texts addressing contemporary societal challenges and significant dangers. Consequently, metaphors of water space, including those centered on wave, are widely used to conceptualize and evaluate social life. They reflect both the external reality and the mental world of individuals, revealing how these elements are embedded in the linguistic system.