CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL INTERPRETATIONS OF METAPHORS OF THE CONCEPT OF HONESTY: A COGNITIVE AND LINGUOCULTURAL PERSPECTIVE

Annotasiya

Honesty is one of the central moral values represented across languages and cultures. In linguistic discourse, honesty is rarely expressed through literal description alone; instead, it is frequently conceptualized through metaphorical language that connects abstract ethical principles with concrete human experiences. This article explores the cultural and spiritual interpretations of metaphors related to the concept of honesty from the perspective of cognitive and cultural linguistics. The study analyzes metaphorical patterns such as honesty as light, honesty as cleanliness, honesty as straightness, and honesty as transparency. By examining examples from English literary discourse and general cultural usage, the article demonstrates that metaphorical representations of honesty reflect collective ethical values and moral cognition. The findings suggest that metaphors function not merely as stylistic devices but as cognitive tools that shape the cultural understanding of morality.