TEMPORAL LEXICAL CYCLES OF THE RUSSIAN LANGUAGE IN THE SYSTEM OF CONCEPTUAL METAPHORS

Abstract

The article is focused on conceptualization of temporal experience by native Russian speakers. The purpose of the study is to identify ways to conceptualize time periods that form time counting systems. The study is carried out on metaphorical images of temporal concepts expressed by members of entire lexical groups - cycles - groups of period of time names connected by semantic relations of sequence and recurrence. Syntagmatic analysis of names-constituents of the day (утро, день, вечер, ночь), week (понедельник, вторник, среда,четверг, пятница, суббота, воскресенье), season (весна, лето, осень, зима) and year (январь, февраль, март, апрель, май, июнь, июль, август, сентябрь, октябрь, ноябрь, декабрь) cycles allows us to reveal the implementation specifics of the basic conceptual metaphors of time ‘time is a moving object’ and ‘time is the space through which the subject moves’ in the Russian language. It has been revealed that an anthropomorphic metaphor, where time is likened to a living being, is one of the forms of understanding cyclical periods of time. In this case, comparison with the human essence occurs at the level of physical, mental, and behavioral characteristics. The names-constituents of the cycles are represented as subjects of living nature with a body that allows them to move, perform manipulations, make sounds, etc. (день глаза смыкает; лады весны перебирает апрель воздушными руками). The constituents of cycles, as subjects of living nature, are characterized by various physiological processes and states (неспешный день не проливает пота; дышал ноябрь осенним хладом), they experience emotions and have certain character traits (спокойный вечер; утро миролюбиво; день жесток), go through life cycle stages from birth to death (декабрь рождался; день умирал). Also, cyclical periods of time are conceptualized as discrete entities that can be subject to quantitative and qualitative changes (местная золотая осень уже слиняла под косым дождиком), as a substance (уплывало лето мимо), as a light source (угасает май; померк декабрьский день).

Extended abstract:

Time, as a fundamental dimension of human experience, has long been a focus of linguistic research. In recent decades, scholars have increasingly explored how temporal experience is conceptualized across different linguacultures. This study investigates the ways in which native Russian speakers conceptualize cyclical time periods, which form the basis of timekeeping systems. The analysis centers on metaphorical representations of temporal concepts, expressed through lexical groups—or cycles—of period names connected by semantic relations of sequence and recurrence. Specifically, the study examines the cycles of the day (*утро, день, вечер, ночь*), the week (*понедельник, вторник, среда, четверг, пятница, суббота, воскресенье*), the seasons (*весна, лето, осень, зима*), and the months of the year (*январь, февраль, март, апрель, май, июнь, июль, август, сентябрь, октябрь, ноябрь, декабрь*). Through syntagmatic analysis, the study reveals how basic conceptual metaphors of time—such as ‘time is a subject,’ ‘time is an object,’ and ‘time is space’—are realized in the Russian language.

One of the key findings is the prominence of anthropomorphic metaphors, where cyclical time periods are likened to living beings. This metaphor allows time to be understood in terms of human life experience, encompassing physical, mental, and behavioral characteristics. For example, time periods are depicted as subjects of nature with bodies capable of movement, manipulation, and sound production (*день глаза смыкает; лады весны перебирает апрель воздушными руками*). They are also characterized by physiological processes and states (*неспешный день не проливает пота; дышал ноябрь осенним хладом*), undergo life cycle stages from birth to death (*декабрь рождался; день умирал*), and exhibit emotions and personality traits (*спокойный вечер; утро миролюбиво; день жесток*). Furthermore, cyclical time periods are portrayed as socially active beings that interact with each other and their environment, transforming it in the process (*весна в окно стучится; с порталов март смывает хлопья сажи*). The anthropomorphic metaphor thus provides a rich framework for expressing not only temporal coordinates and dynamics but also events associated with specific time periods and their subjective evaluation.

The study also highlights the productivity of spatial metaphors in conceptualizing cyclical time periods. In Russian linguaculture, time is often imagined as a “life space” through which individuals move (E. S. Yakovleva). Cyclical time periods are conceptualized as segments of a path, with individuals transitioning from one period to another (*так и осень закончилась, и зима началась*). Time periods can also be envisioned as bounded spaces, such as rooms or containers, with events occurring within them as their contents (*То лето было грозами полно, жарой и духотою небывалой*). This spatial conceptualization emphasizes the containment and progression of time.

In addition to anthropomorphic and spatial metaphors, cyclical time periods are conceptualized as objects of inanimate nature. They are depicted as discrete entities or substances that move through space, undergo quantitative and qualitative changes, and thus convey the dynamics of time (*шел на убыль апрельский вечер; уплывало лето мимо*). Another notable metaphor is ‘a time period is a light source/fire,’ where changes in the intensity of light or flame symbolize the passage of time (*шел на убыль апрельский вечер; уплывало лето мимо*). When emphasizing the prioritization of activities during a specific period, time is conceptualized as a resource at one’s disposal (*суббота и воскресенье отданы зрителям; воскресенье потратил на высокое окучивание картофеля за двором*).

The study concludes that the use of multiple source domains—such as subject, object, and space—to conceptualize cyclical time periods enables the expression of diverse types of temporal information. These metaphorical models allow speakers to convey not only the sequence and recurrence of time but also the events, emotions, and subjective evaluations associated with specific periods. By examining these conceptualizations, the research sheds light on the intricate ways in which the Russian language encodes and communicates temporal experience, contributing to a deeper understanding of the interplay between language, culture, and cognition.