Keywords
crime
punishment
English discourse
conceptual metaphor
penal communication
cognitive linguistics
legal discourse
How to Cite
Abstract
This article investigates the metaphorical framing of crime and punishment in English discourse from a cognitive-linguistic and pragmalinguistic perspective. Drawing on conceptual metaphor theory, metaphorical framing theory, literary analysis, and recent legal-philosophical discussions of punishment, the study examines how English conceptualizes crime not merely as an unlawful act but as a beast, disease, war, moral contamination, social disorder, and enemy. Punishment, in turn, is framed as communication, payment, containment, cure, moral balance, and social protection. The analysis demonstrates that metaphorical frames do not simply decorate legal and public language; they organize social reasoning, influence attitudes toward offenders, and shape preferred penal responses.References
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