Metaphor as a cognitive mechanism and domain of understanding in the context of professional communication in the field of architecture

Karpovskaya Natalia Valerievna ORCID: 0000-0001-9862-3692 PhD in Philology Associate Professor at the Department of Foreign Languages, Translation and Intercultural Communication of the INED, SFedU; Head of the International Institute of Interdisciplinary Education and Ibero-American Studies, SFedU (Rostov-on-Don, Russia). Scopus Author ID: 57211663641. ORCID: 0000-0001-9862-3692 344006, Russia, Rostov region, Rostov-on-Don, Bolshaya Sadovaya St., zd 105/42 nkarpovskaya@sfedu.ru

Roi-Ignatenko Anna Vladimirovna Lecturer; International Institute of Interdisciplinary Education and Ibero-American Studies; Southern Federal University 344006, Russia, Rostov region, Rostov-on-Don, Bolshaya Sadovaya St., zd 105/42 royignatenko@sfedu.ru

Introduction

The intensive development of science and technology, the expansion of international professional contacts, as well as the need to form the professional communicative competence of a modern specialist have largely led to the growing interest of researchers in studying special languages and identifying communication features in various fields of human activity. The works of Russian and foreign authors reflect the issues of professional communication in the field of mining, the specifics of medical, pedagogical, political, scientific and other types of discourse. ^{[2, 5, 6, 14, 29, 31, 40, 41, 47]}.

The scientists also focused on the problems of professional communication in the field of architecture, which, being polycode, involves not only the verbal level of communication between communicants. Thus, H. Sains Avia identifies 3 types of professional architectural language: the natural language corresponding to oral and written expression (el lenguaje natural); the graphic language representing drawings and graphic plans (el lenguaje gráfico); the language of architecture – constructed objects (el lenguaje arquitectónico) ^{[45, p. 17]}. In addition, in the understanding of many researchers, in particular, I. E. Zaitseva, F. L. Kositskaya, N. G. Kuznetsova, O. N. Stepicheva and others, architectural discourse should be classified as "hybrid discourses", since it is a complex discursive education with inclusions from different scientific fields: medicine, biology, philosophy, linguistics, history, etc. ^{[16, 18]}.

When considering issues related to special languages and professional discourse, an important role is given to the study of their terminological apparatus ^{[8, 21, 36]}, which is explained by the importance of the term as the ultimate expression of special thought and the main semantic information unit of professional communication ^{[8, p. 45; 36, p. 12]}, which determines the effectiveness and efficiency of communication.

In order to identify the specifics of architectural terminology, the authors actively turn to the comparative analysis of terms in different languages, the definition of their functions and the method of education, attempts are being made to lexicographic modeling and establish translational correspondences ^{[1, 9, 22, etc.]} Within the framework of this work, scientific research in the field of metaphorization and architectural metaphor is of particular interest, allowing us to approach the processes of nomination and professional communication from the perspective of the cognitive-communicative paradigm ^{[7, 37, 48, etc.]}.

Metaphorization in the light of scientific knowledge

Touching upon the problem of metaphorization, it is worth emphasizing that the origins of interest in its study lie in ancient rhetoric and are closely related to the name of Aristotle ^[30], who coined the term "metaphor" to denote a "figurative word", meaning by it "an unusual name transferred from genus to species, or from species to genus, or from species to species, or by analogy" ^{[3, p. 669]}. Discussing the use of "figurative words" in speech, Aristotle points to the ability of metaphor to "talk about the real, combining the impossible" ^{[3, pp. 670-671]}, which, according to J. Lakoff and M. Johnson, testifies to the metaphor's desire to "penetrate into the essence of things" ^{[20, p. 213]}.

In her work "The dynamic concept of metaphor: from Aristotle to modern cognitive linguistics", L. V. Balashova draws attention to the fact that metaphorization in the ancient philosopher is included in the system of cognitive processes, since the reinterpretation of the meaning and transfer of the name "of one object to another on the basis of similarity, similarity" is associated with "logical operations, i.e.E. with cognitive activity" ^{[4, p. 170]}. According to G. N. Sklarevskaya, thanks to Aristotle, metaphor began to be perceived as an integral part of language, necessary for communicative, nominative and cognitive purposes ^{[26, p. 6]}.

However, despite its cognitive nature, for a long period the attitude towards the use of metaphor in the language of science has been very negative, primarily due to ambiguity, inaccuracy and possible discrepancies in its interpretation. The realization of the nature of metaphor, its fundamentality, universality, and the role it plays in human cognitive activity occurred only in the second half of the twentieth century, which S. S. Gusev explains as "the need to deeply analyze the role of natural languages in intellectual processes" ^{[10, p. 549]}.

Among those who first turned to metaphor in the context of scientific knowledge, as a rule, the American analytical philosopher, the author of the interactive concept of metaphor, M. Black, is singled out, according to which two ideas interact in a metaphorical judgment, leading to the appearance of certain associations and the formation of a new meaning. A metaphor selects, identifies, and organizes some associations, suppressing others, and serves as a filter that separates scientific knowledge from everyday analogies. The mechanism of metaphorization, according to M. Black, consists in the interaction of the main subject, the "focus" of the metaphor (focus), i.e., the word used in a figurative sense, and the auxiliary subject, the "frame" of the metaphor (frame), i.e., words realized in the direct meaning. In the process of interaction between focus and frame, the main function is performed by those associated implications that a word used in a metaphorical sense and its broad semantics introduce into the judgment of an auxiliary "subject" ^[34].

Metaphorization, according to V. N. Telia, is accompanied by "the incorporation of knowledge about an already known and named object into a new concept", leaving "traces in the metaphorical meaning, which, in turn, "weaves" into the picture of the world expressed by language" ^{[28, p. 136]}. At the same time, due to the fact that the cognitive processes of metaphorization are based on operations for processing knowledge structures, "metaphors are essentially phenomena that provide understanding" ^{[20, p. 208]}. P. Ubeda Mansilla, in this regard, notes that metaphor, being "a habitual and everyday phenomenon in thinking and language", "represents something much more than just a poetic resource. From the point of view of cognitive linguistics, this is a powerful cognitive process that makes the exchange of opinions and ideas more effective and efficient" ^{[49, p. 116]}. Consequently, the possibilities of metaphor in creating a holistic picture by combining heterogeneous components contributes to a better understanding of modern scientific knowledge and the presentation of new scientific discoveries and achievements.

Metaphor in the Spanish architectural terminology system

Returning to the question of the place of metaphor in Spanish professional communication in the field of architecture, it is advisable to highlight its ability to connect new unknown concepts with familiar phenomena surrounding a person, which determines the perception of metaphor as one of the most important cognitive mechanisms and a necessary thinking tool. According to the principle of metaphorical transfer, such architectural terms appeared in Spanish as: aguja – spire, tambor – drum, oculus, tarjet n – cartouche, cabecera – altar part of the church, arco de herradura – horseshoe arch, arco lobulado – lobed arch, roset n – rosette, nave – Nef et al.

V.M. Leychik notes the dual nature of the term, understanding by it "a complex multi-layered formation in which the natural language substrate and the logical superstrate form the lower and upper layers, respectively, and the core is the terminological essence" ^{[21, p. 21]}. This feature fully applies to Spanish architectural terms, many of which, moreover, are characterized by the presence of several meanings, cf.:

– With LAVE (key), on the one hand, it denotes the central stone of the arch / dovela central de un arco ^{[39, p. 55]}, and on the other, it can denote the central element of the arch / pieza central de una bó veda ^{[39, p. 55]}. In the Russian architectural tradition, this term has the following translation equivalents: keystone, castle, agraf, which are also used to denote an architectural element in both an arch and a vault. ^{[24, p. 12]}. The keystone is installed last, it balances the lateral struts of the sides of the arch and, as it were, "locks" the previously installed wedge-shaped stones.

Thus, both the Spanish term lave and the Russian term lock are logically related to the function that this architectural element performs by closing the structure. However, it is interesting that in the Spanish language picture such a "closure" is associated with a key, and in Russian – with a lock.

ALMA (soul) in a special architectural language means a vertical reinforcement supporting wooden pillars, as well as the central axis of a spiral staircase, which conveys the meaning and general idea of the soul as the center and support of a person's personality ^[38]. In Russian, this meaning is conveyed by the term "axis".

- FLECHA (arrow) in Spanish architectural discourse refers to the height from the base of the arch to its highest point (keystone or spire) ^{[39, p. 87]}. The term is actively used to describe Gothic architecture, which is characterized by a vertical composition symbolizing the pursuit of God. The arrow, in this case, points the way from earth to heaven.

- TAMBOR (drum). This term is defined not only as a percussion instrument, but also as part of a cylindrical building ^[42], as well as a polygonal architectural structure supporting a dome ^{[39, p. 170]}.

The basis of the metaphor, in the case of this term, was the external similarity of a musical instrument and an element of an architectural structure.

With the help of metaphorical transfer, a significant number of multicomponent architectural terms have been formed, among which there are nominations for various types of vaulted structures. The Spanish architectural term b ó veda (arch) refers to the curved overlap of a space or room bounded by walls, beams or pillars ^[42]. As a rule, different architectural styles are characterized by certain types of arches. For example, one of the earliest vaulted structures, the cylindrical cross vault (Spanish: b ó veda por/de arista; arista is an edge, a line of intersection of two planes ^[38]), was widely used in the Roman architecture of Spain.

During the Gothic period, the vaulted structures took on a heavy load and had a complicated shape. The cross-rib or Gothic cross vault in the Spanish-language architectural discourse is called: b ó veda de crucer a, b ó veda nervada, b ó veda de ojiva. At the same time, the secondary nomination of multicomponent terms indicates, on the one hand, the structural component of the arch (cf. with rucer a – a bundle of ribs used to strengthen and decorate the arch ^[38], nervada – rib ^[38]), and on the other – the shape of the architectural element itself (ojiva – pointed ^{[43, p .45]}).

In addition, in Gothic architecture, which is widespread in Spain, there are various variations of the aforementioned cross-rib vault: b ó veda estrellada – star vault, b ó veda de abanico – fan vault, b ó veda sexpartida – six-part vault, etc., the names of which are also formed using metaphor.

On the basis of a metaphorical comparison, the name of the cross vault with decking b ó veda de lunetos appeared, where luneta (diminutive of luna) is a small arched ceiling in the shape of a crescent to illuminate the main vault ^[38].

The sail vault, common in the Renaissance, is an overlap in the form of a sphere, truncated from the sides by the planes of the walls ^{[24, p. 255]}. In Spanish, this type of vault is called b ó veda de ba í da/va í da, b ó veda de vela – sailing vault, b ó veda pa ñ uelo – shawl vault.

In the case when the supports of the vault are located on different levels, such an architectural element is called a creeping vault – b ó veda rampante (rampante – spreading ^[38] or b ó veda por tranquil (tranquility in architecture is a vertical (vertical) line ^[42]). A type of creeping arch covering a spiral staircase is called: b ó veda de caracol (caracol – snail shell, helix, spiral), b ó veda espiral (espiral – spiral), b ó veda helicoidal (helicoidal – helical, spiral) ^{[43, p. 45]}. It is worth noting that there is no translation equivalent for this term in Russian.

Various variations of some types of arches, as well as different names for the nomination of the same vaulted structure, indicate, on the one hand, the diversity of architecture in Spain, and on the other, the cultural and linguistic specifics of the Spanish architectural discourse. As follows from the analysis, most of the architectural terms of the Spanish language, naming the types of arches, have a metaphorical origin based on the external or functional similarity of objects or phenomena that are transferred from common vocabulary to the architectural sphere. It is worth noting that, unlike terms that convey highly specialized information, terms formed by metaphorization are more understandable to a layman. It is no coincidence that L. M. Alekseeva says that "with the help of metaphorization, terminological systems "cling" to the world of reality" ^{[2, p. 10]}.

Metaphorical terms related to other architectural elements are also of great interest, for example: arco ciego – blind arch, arquer a ciega – blind arcade, pside de herradura – horseshoe-shaped apse, etc.

It is noteworthy that many metaphorical terms have their parallels in other languages. These terms are often based on similar prototypes, which is explained both by the interaction of participants in professional communication and their associations, and by the intersection of national scientific worldviews. Cf.: arco de herradura (Spanish) – horseshoe arch (English) – horseshoe arch; arco apuntado (Spanish) – pointed arch (English), but: pointed arch , etc.

Metaphor and semiotics of architecture

In the context of the implementation of metaphor in professional communication in the field of architecture, along with discourse, the "language of architecture" ("architectural language", "artistic language of architecture") is of interest, by which A.V. Ikonnikov understands a system of architectural forms (i.e., constructed objects) that are used "as a means of communication between people in the process of human activity." activities" ^{[13, p. 10]}, the term "el lenguaje arquitectónico" has the same meaning in Spanish, and "the language of architecture" in English. The language of architecture is of interest not only to architects, but also to philosophers, sociologists, semiologists, etc.

In addition to A.V. Ikonnikov, other authors addressed the issues of semiotics of architecture, including: U. Eco, O. I. Yavein, M.N. Nazarova, and others ^{[19, 32, 33]}. The methods of semiotic explanation of art and creativity originate from the ideas of F. de Saussure, who compared the relationship between linguistic units with the relationship of architectural elements to each other – "a linguistic unit ... can be compared to ... a column: on the one hand, the column is in a certain relationship with the architrave it supports – this is the mutual disposition of two units ... resembles a syntagmatic relationship; on the other hand, ... comparison with other orders (Ionic, Corinthian, etc.) ... is an associative relation" ^{[27, p. 156]}.

The comparison of language and architecture is continued in the theory of structuralism: architecture is considered as "a system of signs similar to language, the meaning of which arises in itself, in a system of syntagmatic and paradigmatic shifts" ^{[12, p. 116]}.

M.N. Nazarova, considering the role of an architectural object as a "translator of socially significant information," emphasizes that architectural objects, unlike other artifacts, are the most durable and "preserve the cultural codes of past eras," that is, architectural buildings not only do not lose information, but accumulate it over time. ^{[19, pp. 38-40]}. The author points out that the aesthetic component of architectural objects contributes to their communication in space and time.

At the same time, V.V. Krasnykh notes that various cognitive spaces are "nationally determined and nationally labeled, since the "core" of cognitive spaces is the cognitive base of the national linguistic and cultural community that is native to the bearer/bearers of this cognitive space" ^{[17, p. 45]}.

Speaking about architecture as a means of communication and as a characteristic of an architectural sign, U. Eco emphasized that architecture consists of a set of signs that encourage a certain behavior ^{[32, p. 347]}. In this regard, it is interesting to refer to the Escorial palace-monastery, which belongs to the architectural trend of Herreresco (el herreresco). Being in such a space, a person feels the majesty of royal power and divine power. Metaphors are often used to convey the emotional component when describing it.:

El Escorial es... fruto de la historia

El Escorial es... la octava maravilla ^{[44, c. 21]}.

In the case of the Escorial, the metaphor bordering on mysticism and tragedy is already evident in terms of construction. The monastery is made in the form of a lattice on which Saint Lorenzo was martyred.:

… es .. la planta del edificio en forma de parrilla que se relacionaría con la parrilla en la que fue martirizado San Lorenzo (www.descubrir.com/descubriendo-los-misterios-de-el-escorial/).

Architectural metaphor in artistic discourse

Metaphor permeates all types of architectural language, being actively implemented not only in professional discourse, but also in fiction. Thus, the building often becomes one of the heroes of the work (Notre Dame de Paris, V. Hugo, Catedral del mar, I. Falcones, La Cathédrale, J. K. Huysmans, etc.) and performs, first of all, a social function, which is carried out through metaphor.

The novel "La Cathedral" (in Russian translation "Toledo Cathedral") ^[35], written by the great Spanish writer V. Blasco Ibanez in 1903, belongs to the cycle of social novels, along with "El intr.o.o." ("The Jesuit Fathers", 1904), "La bodega" ("Wine Warehouse", 1905) and "La horda" ("The Wild Horde", 1906). In these works, according to Z. N. Plavskin, the author tries to resolve the contradictions of public life, focusing on the awakening of protest against social injustice at the very bottom of society ^[23].

The novel contains elements of the writer's biography and reflects the historical era of that time, which determined the choice of lexical units when writing the work. It should be noted that the translation of the novel into Russian exists in a single version, the author of the translation is Z. A. Vengerova, 1911.

After the defeat in the war with the United States (1898) and the loss of the last overseas colonies (Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines), Spain lagged behind other Western European states in economic development. The bourgeois-landowner bloc, which ruled Spain with the help of the monarchy, settled in power in the country.

The central image of the novel "La Cathedral" is the cathedral itself - the Cathedral of St. Mary in Toledo. It is no coincidence that both in the title and in the text of the work the word "catedral" is written with a capital letter, like a proper name. Using the metaphorization technique, the author endows the object with the qualities of a living being. Cf.:

1. Despertabaeltemplo. - The temple was waking up.

2. Tembló lamontañadepiedra, transmitiéndose la vibración por naves, galerías y arcadas ... - The stone mass shuddered, and a tremor reverberated throughout the church...

3. No morirás. ... La Catedral te curará."You're not going to die. ...The cathedral will cure you.

4. La iglesia le acogía como una madre vieja y adusta que no sonríe, pero abre los brazos. - The church sheltered him like a stern old mother who does not smile, but nevertheless opens her arms.

The reader gets the impression that the cathedral is a living person, has his own thoughts, feelings, habits. V. Blasco-Ibanez identifies the cathedral with the mother of the protagonist. However, this metaphorical image could not be translated, because in Spanish "la catedral" is a feminine noun, and in Russian "cathedral" is masculine. At the same time, it is rather difficult to use another architectural term (for example, "basilica") in this case, since the names of buildings of temple (church) architecture perform an important religious function.

Interestingly, in the following fragment, the appearance of the territories adjacent to the cathedral is updated with the help of adjectives:

El jardín, insensible y sordo a las tempestades revolucionarias que descargaban sobre la iglesia... - The garden, indifferent and deaf to the storms of revolutions that swept over the cathedral...

Accordingly, the features of a living being in the novel are inherent not only in the cathedral. The entire architectural ensemble appears to the reader as a huge living organism experiencing feelings and emotions. This impression is reinforced by the fact that many individual architectural elements of the cathedral have their own names: "la puerta de la Presentación", "la puerta del Mollete", "la puerta llamada de la Torre", "la puerta de los Escribanos", "la puerta del Perdón", "la puerta del Reloj, llamada también de la Feria", "la puerta de los Leones, o, por otro nombre, de la Alegría"_, "la capilla de Santiago"_, "la inmediata de San Ildefonso"_, "la tumba del cardenal Albornoz", "la puerta de Santa Catalina", "la Campana Gorda". Cf.:

Los pordioseros charlaban sentados en los escalones de la puerta del Mollete. Pasaban por entre ellos los curas ..., entrando apresuradamente en la catedral por la puerta de la Presentación. -The beggars were talking to each other, sitting on the steps of the door del Mollete. Priests were passing by them... and heading into the church through the doors Introduction.

The translation aspect of the problem is not the purpose of our research, however, it can be noted that the use of the Latin alphabet in the translation text does not contribute to the realization of the cognitive and pragmatic potential of the names of the cathedral elements and the achievement of the desired pragmatic effect.

Throughout the novel, the author strongly emphasizes the gloomy, inhospitable, cold image of the cathedral.:

La humedad de la piedra, el frío de tumba que circulaba por toda La Catedral, le penetraba hasta los huesos. - The dampness of the stone, the grave cold that filled the whole cathedral, penetrated it to the bones.

Despite the coldness and inhospitality of La Catedral, like any mother, protects those in need. The cathedral plays a significant role in the life of the people of Toledo, as it is not just a place for prayer, but also a refuge. Despite the fact that we are talking about a time when the Gothic style prevailed in Spain, the church was built much earlier and retained the features of Romanesque architecture, one of the main functions of which was protection:

1. Era un pueblo que vivía sobre la catedral al nivel de los tejados, y al llegar la noche y cerrarse la escalera de la torre quedaba aislado de la ciudad. La tribu semieclesiástica se procreaba y moría en el corazón de Toledo, sin bajar a sus calles, adherida por tradicional instinto aaquellamontañadepiedrablancaycalada, cuyosarcoslaservíanderefugio. "... an entire population lived above the cathedral, level with the roofs, and at night, when the stairs leading to the tower were closed, the entire population was completely cut off from the city, Entire generations were born, lived and died in the very heart of Toledo, without going out into the streets, tied by some instinctive hereditary attraction to this a huge building made of carved white stone, the arches of which served as a shelter for them.

2. Más allá de aquellos muros estaba el mundo.... - Somewhere, beyond these walls, there was peace...

The Cathedral in Toledo is a real structure that has been preserved and is still functioning. In 587, it served as the Christian religious center of the Visigothic kingdom. After the Arab conquest of Spain, the cathedral was converted into a mosque. In 1085, Toledo was recaptured from the Moors, but it was not until 1087 that the mosque was rededicated as a Christian church, with minimal architectural changes. In the 8th century, part of the building was destroyed and its restoration continued until 1493 in the Gothic style under the influence of French architecture. The image of the cathedral and the history of its existence are reproduced by the author of the novel through the metaphorization of architectural elements.

When conveying the feelings of the novel's protagonist, the lonely wanderer Gabriel Luna, V. Blasco Ibanez also refers to the image of the cathedral:

1. Los Luna son antiguos en la catedral como las piedras de sus muros.... - Its Moon is as old as the stones of the wall...

2. Los Luna eran tan antiguos como los cimientos de la iglesia... - The Luna family was as ancient as the foundation of the church.

Through a figurative metaphor, the author's pragmatic attitude is realized, and the cathedral appears to the reader in its various guises: as a defender, as a close relative, and as a temple of faith. An image of a temple is created that is close in spirit to the main character.

It is noteworthy that architects in a professional environment often treat their creations as living beings, in connection with which P. Ubeda Mansilla ^{[49, p. 116]} gives the following examples:

1. El edificio es un ser vivo (Cf: A building is a living being)

2. El edificio es un cuerpo (Cf: A building is a body, an organism)

3. La ciudad es un ser vivo (Cf: The city is a living being).

When considering the issues of professional communication through the prism of the metaphorization process, it is difficult not to agree with E. I. Golovanova that a special language is a certain system within the framework of a common language, indicating the need for people to "lingualize" special information they receive in the course of purposeful activities and reflecting the peculiarities of their perception of objects, connections and relationships. There is also a difference between them and the specifics of the communication system that has developed within the professional society" ^{[8, p. 52]}.

It is logical to assume that this type of communication provides not only for the presence of established norms of behavior and interaction between team members, but also indicates the possession of a certain type of thinking. At the same time, it is fundamentally important to note that the development of the terminological system of special languages is greatly influenced by the worldview and its national and cultural specifics, which, as a rule, is manifested in "terminological phraseological units" ^{[8, p. 140]}, metaphor and metonymy ^{[46, 48]}. Language "through a system of its meanings and their associations paints the conceptual model of the world in national and cultural colors" ^{[25, p. 177]}.

Conclusion

Summing up the above and based on the results of the conducted research, it can be concluded that the metaphor in the Spanish special language of architecture helps to clarify the characteristics of an object by referring to already familiar objects and phenomena of reality, while conveying the peculiarities of culture, history, mentality and worldview of the peoples of Spain.

In addition, metaphor, playing the role of a "bridge of understanding" (puentes de entendimiento), refers to those cognitive tools that are intensively used by architects in their professional activities. The purpose of this language mechanism is seen as facilitating the communication process throughout the architectural environment, increasing its effectiveness through the use of simpler "domains of understanding" (dominios de comprensión) corresponding to more complex concepts ^{[48, p. 115; 37, p. 307]}.

Metaphorization, making a significant contribution to "the realization of the addressee's intention and achieving a certain pragmatic effect" ^{[15, p. 110]}, at the same time actively participates in the process of cognition of the world, the development of new knowledge and their linguistic representation, simplifying understanding and rapprochement between representatives of different scientific fields.

The article is published in the version approved by the reviewers (after receiving a positive review recommending the manuscript for publication) with corrections made by the author (after receiving the editor’s comments, if any).
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