A Contrastive Linguistic Study of Physiological, Linguistic and Cultural Contexts of Expressions of Anger across Different Languages in English and Arabic

Authors

  • Abdullah Ibrahim Alsubhi

    Applied College, Taibah University, Madinah 42353, Saudi Arabia

  • Mohamad Ahmad Saleem Khasawneh

    Special Education Department, King Khalid University, Abha 62521, Saudi Arabia

  • Sayed M. Ismail

    Department of English Language and Literature, College of Science and Humanities, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj 16278, Saudi Arabia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i2.8369
Received: 6 December 2024 | Revised: 1 February 2025 | Accepted: 3 February 2025 | Published Online: 24 February 2025

Abstract

This study aims to compare how the metaphor of rage is expressed in Arabic and English, given the paucity of research on this topic in the Arabic language. In other words, the study investigates how Arabs perceive anger and whether Arabic and English expressions of anger are both culturally and physiologically corresponding. Kövecses’ model and the framework developed by Lakoff and Kövecses are the main tools used in the present study. In order to find any parallels or differences in how rage is conceptualized in Arabic and English, it looks at a variety of Arabic terms and expressions related to anger and measure them against the previously outlined model of Lakoff and Kövecses. According to the study, anger expressions in Arabic and English are essentially the same. The cognition of speakers from both Arabic and English cultures has been significantly influenced by the physiological repercussions of anger, thereby reducing cultural disparities among speakers of the other languages. The Arabic language may demonstrate a wider array of expressions of anger than the English language. This work’s originality is found in its comparative study of how the concept of anger is expressed in Classical Arabic and English, with fresh and inventive results.

Keywords:

Anger; Culture; Contrastive Linguistic; Metaphor of Anger; Physiology

References

[1] Kövecses, Z., Palmer, G., Dirven, R., 2002. Language and emotion: The interplay of conceptualisation with physiology and culture. In: Dirven, R., Pörings, R. (Eds.). Metaphor and Metonymy in Comparison and Contrast. Mouton de Gruyter: Berlin, Germany; New York, NY, USA. pp. 133–159.

[2] Nozadi, S.S., Spinrad, T.L., Eisenberg, N., et al., 2013. Prediction of toddlers’ expressive language from maternal sensitivity and prosocial behaviour and expressive language 24 toddlers’ anger expressions: A developmental perspective. Infant Behavior and Development. 36(4), 650–666.

[3] Lakoff, G., 1984. The cognitive model of anger inherent in American English.

[4] Lakoff, G., Kövecses, Z., 1987. Women, Fire, and Dangerous Things: What Categories Reveal about the Mind. University of Chicago Press: Chicago, IL, USA; London, UK.

[5] Pavlenko, A., 2008. Emotion and emotion-laden words in the bilingual lexicon. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition. 11(2), 147–164.

[6] Kulick, D., 1998. Anger, gender, language shift and the politics of revelation in a Papua New Guinea village. In: Schieffelin, B.B., Woolard, K.A., Kroskrity, P.V. (Eds.). Language Ideologies: Practice and Theory. Oxford University Press: New York, NY, USA. pp. 87–102

[7] Kövecses, Z., 1995. Anger: Its Language, Conceptualization, and Physiology in the Light of Cross-cultural Evidence. In: Taylor, J.R., MacLaury, R.E. (Eds.). Language and the Cognitive Construal of the World. Mouton de Gruyter: Berlin, Germany; New York, NY, USA. pp. 181–196.

[8] Lakoff, G., Johnson, M., 1999. Philosophy in the Flesh. Basic Books: New York, NY, USA.

[9] Kövecses, Z., 2014. Metaphor and metonymy in the conceptual system. In: Polzenhagen, F., Kövecses, Z., Vogelbacher, S., et al. (Eds.). Cognitive Explorations into Metaphor and Metonymy. Peter Lang Edition: Frankfurt am Main, Germany. pp. 15–34.

[10] Kövecses, Z., 2010. Cross-cultural Experience of Anger: A Psycholinguistic Analysis. In: Potegal, M., Stemmler, G., Spielberger, C.D. (Eds.). International Handbook of Anger: Constituent and Concomitant Biological, Psychological, and Social Processes. Springer: New York, NY, USA. pp. 157–174.

[11] Geeraerts, D., Grondelaers, S., 1995. Looking back at anger: Cultural traditions and metaphorical patterns. In: Taylor, J., MacLaury, R. (Eds.). Language and the Cognitive Construal of the World. Gruyter: Berlin, Germany. pp. 153–179.

[12] Ogarkova, A., Soriano, C., 2018. Metaphorical and literal profiling in the study of emotions. Metaphor and Symbol. 33(1), 19–35.

[13] Maalej, Z., 2004. Figurative language in anger expressions in Tunisian Arabic: An extended view of embodiment. Metaphor and Symbol. 19(1), 51–75.

[14] Ibn Hanbal, A., 1999. Almusnad. Hadith 1539. Ed. Shuaib Al-arnaout. Al-risala Publishing House: Cairo, Egypt.

[15] Ibn Manzur, M., 1997. Lisan Alarab Arabic Dictionary. Dar Ehyiaa Al-tourath Al-islami: Beirut, Lebanon.

[16] Al-mubard, M., 1997. The Complete in Rhetoric and Literature. Dar Alturmiz. Sunan Alturamzi, Hadith 2191: Cairo, Egypt.

[17] Al-Zamkhashari, G., 1992. The Fundamentals of Rhetorics. Dar Sader: Beirut, Lebanon.

[18] Ibn Sayaduh, A., 2000. Al-Mukhasas Arabic Dictionary. Ihya’a Al-turath Al-arabi Publishing: Beirut, Lebanon.

[19] Al-midani, M., 1992. Collections of Questions. Alsuna Al-muhamdyia Publishing: Cairo, Egypt.

[20] Bagasheva, A., 2017. Cultural Conceptualizations of Mouth, Lips, Tongue and Teeth in Bulgarian and English. In: Sharifain, F. (Ed.). Advances in Cultural Linguistics. Springer Nature: Singapore. pp. 189–221.

[21] Al-tanoukhi, A., 1987. Light after Darkness. Dar Sader: Beirut, Lebanon.

[22] Al-juhari, I., 1984. Al-sahah: Dictionary of Arabic Language. Dar Alilm: Beirut, Lebanon.

[23] Al-asbahani, A., 1996. The Ornaments of Patrons of Allah & the Classes of the Elites. Al-khanji Publishing House: Cairo, Egypt.

[24] Alazhari, A., 1964. The Reformation of Language. Dar Ihya Al-turath Al-Islami: Beirut, Lebanon.

[25] Al-ghazali, A., 1995. The Revival of Religion Sciences. Maktabat Qaryta: Indochina.

[26] Al-tawhidi, A., 1988. Insights and Knowledge. Beirut: Dar Sader: Beirut, Lebanon.

[27] Al-shaibani, A., 1975. The Book of Al-jeem. Al-matab Al-amiryiah: Cairo, Egypt.

[28] Ibn Kutybia, A., 1996. The Springs of Knowledge. Dar Al-kutab Al-masryiah: Cairo, Egypt.

[29] Al-tha’albi, A., 1992. Al-shaqwa wa elitab wa ma waqa lelekhlan wa al-ashab. Dar Alsahaba: Tanta, Egypt.

[30] Ibn Dawood, A., 2009. Sunan Ibn Dawood. Dar elresalah Al-alymiah: Cairo, Egypt.

[31] Ibn Masqqyia, A., 1998. Tahzeeb Al-akhlaq wa Tathir Al-a’arq. Maqtabat Al-thaqafa Al-deenyiah: Cairo, Egypt.

[32] Al-ghazali, A., 2002. Rhetoric and Eloquence. Dar Maqatabat El-helal: Beirut, Lebanon.

[33] Ibn Abd Rabuh, A., 1983. Al-u’aqd Al-farid. Dar Al-qutab: Beirut, Lebanon. p. 325.

[34] Al-jahiz, A., 1995. Messages of Al-jahiz. Dar Maqatabat El-helal: Beirut, Lebanon.

Downloads

How to Cite

Alsubhi, A. I., Khasawneh, M. A. S., & Ismail, S. M. (2025). A Contrastive Linguistic Study of Physiological, Linguistic and Cultural Contexts of Expressions of Anger across Different Languages in English and Arabic. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 7(2), 913–924. https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i2.8369

Issue

Article Type

Review