Cultural Concepts in English Aphorisms: Time, Life, Success, Money, Indivdualism and Pragmatism
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/Keywords:
Aphorisms, Cultural Linguistics, Conceptual Metaphor, Individualism, PragmatismAbstract
This paper investigates the representation of cultural concepts in English aphorisms, focusing on TIME, LIFE, SUCCESS, and MONEY, as well as the broader cultural orientations of individualism and pragmatism. Aphorisms, as condensed forms of cultural knowledge, reflect collective beliefs and values embedded in language. Using a qualitative and cognitive-linguistic approach, this study analyzes selected aphorisms to uncover underlying conceptual metaphors and cultural models. The findings demonstrate that English aphorisms emphasize efficiency, productivity, personal responsibility, and practical reasoning. These features reflect the influence of Western socio-economic and philosophical traditions. The research contributes to cultural linguistics by illustrating how language encodes and transmits cultural meaning across generations.
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