JoLIE 10:1/2017

 

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METAPHORICAL CONCEPTUALISATIONS OF MONEY IN ENGLISH AND ROMANIAN BUSINESS PRESS

 

 

Teodora Popescu

1 Decembrie 1918 University of Alba Iulia, Romania

 

 

 

Abstract

 

The aim of this paper is to identify conceptualisations of MONEY in British English and Romanian as embodied in business journalese. The research was carried out on two self-made corpora of approximately 60,000 words each, amassed from various business broadsheets that appeared during 2012-2016. The conceptual framework is given by the Conceptual Metaphor Theory, as propounded by Lakoff and Johnson (1980), and carried forward by Kövecses (2005, 2010, 2014a and 2014b). The research methodology is based on different strategies proposed by the Pragglejaz group (who brought forward the Metaphor Identification Procedure), Stefanowitsch (2006), Charteris-Black (2004). The final strategy involved a preliminary overview of the best known proverb in the two languages, then an insight into the semantic fields of the word was acquired, using online tools such as dictionaries, lexical datasets, thesauri, semantic ontology-based software, concordancing, etc. Next, a semi-manual identification of metaphors was performed, followed by clusterisation into cognitive metaphors. The categories identified were compared and differences (in case of metaphor variation) were accounted for (where possible) from the perspective of cultural categories (in particular provided by Hoftsede’s model).

 

Key words: Conceptual metaphor; Cultural categories; Business journalese; Money metaphors; Corpus linguistics.

 

 

References

 

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British corpus

 

A Balkan survivor gets closer to the EU, but his power may be waning. (2013, August 17). The Economist. Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/news/europe/21583677-balkan-survivor-gets-closer-eu-his-power-may-be-waning-leader-pack

 

As Congress. hammers out yet another budget deal, future fiscal problems lurk. (2015, December 5). The Economist. Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21679512-congress-hammers-out-yet-another-budget-deal-future-fiscal-problems-lurk-reflections

 

Brignall, M. (2015, November 8). TalkTalk customer reported data breach as early as 2013. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/nov/08/talktalk-customer-reported-data-breach-as-early-as-2013

 

Business this week. (2015, December 5). The Economist. Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/news/world-week/21679501-business-week

 

Butler, S. (2014, September 29). How Aldi’s price plan shook up Tesco, Morrison’s, Asda and Sainsbury’s. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/sep/29/how-aldi-price-plan-shook-up-tesco-morrisons-asda-sainsburys

 

Central banks are still testing the limits to how low interest rates can go. (2015, November 28). The Economist. Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21679231-central-banks-are-still-testing-limits-how-low-interest-rates-can-go-bankers

 

Debt issuance booms despite a wave of defaults. (2015, November 28). The Economist. Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/news/21679097-debt-issuance-booms-despite-wave-defaults-chinese-bond-market-bubbling

 

Eric Holder’s ideas for locking up fewer Americans are welcome, but do not go far enough. (2013, August 17). The Economist. Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21583680-eric-holders-ideas-locking-up-fewer-americans-are-welcome-do-not-go-far-enough-one

 

Foreigners enthuse over Enrique Peńa Nieto’s reforms. Mexicans are warier. (2014, July 5). The Economist. Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/news/americas/21606269-foreigners-enthuse-over-enrique-pe-nietos-reforms-mexicans-are-warier-power-and?zid=297&ah=3ae0fe266c7447d8a0c7ade5547d62ca

 

Houlder, V. (2015, July 19). Foreign owners of UK residential property stripped of their last remaining tax advantage. The Financial Times. Retrieved from https://www.ft.com/content/cee037b4-2c7e-11e5-8613-e7aedbb7bdb7

 

Marriage, M. (2015, November 29). UK Railpen pension scheme culls hedge funds. The Financial Times. Retrieved from https://www.ft.com/content/eba20504-950a-11e5-8389-7c9ccf83dceb

 

Pension funds and endowments are too optimistic. (2015, November 21). The Economist. Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21678812-pension-funds-and-endowments-are-too-optimistic-many-unhappy-returns.

 

Phillip, I, Macalister, T., Topham,G., & Sweney, Mark. (2015, October 24). The UK’s deals worth billions with China: what do they really mean? The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/oct/24/britains-deals-with-china-billions-what-do-they-mean

 

Social networks. Unfriending mum and dad. (2014, January, 4). The Economist. Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/news/business/21592661-fears-teenagers-are-deserting-facebook-are-overblown-unfriending-mum-and-dad

 

Subways are spreading fast (2013, January 5). The Economist. Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/news/business/21569059-subways-are-spreading-fast-going-underground

 

The bill is cheaper than expected (2015, November 7). The Economist. Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21677646-bill-cheaper-expected-damage

 

Volatility has disappeared from the economy and markets. That could be a problem (24 May 2014). The Economist. Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21602734-volatility-has-disappeared-economy-and-markets-could-be.

 

Warner, J. (2013, February 25). Trillion pound cash mountain to the rescue? It’s unwise to bank on it. The Telegraph. Retrieved from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/jeremy-warner/9893496/Trillion-pound-cash-mountain-to-the-rescue-Its-unwise-to-bank-on-it.html

 

Watkins, Mary (March 1, 2013). European banks benefit from a thaw in sentiment. The Financial Times. Retrieved from https://www.ft.com/content/356dcbae-8191-11e2-ae78-00144feabdc0

 

Wiseman, E. (2013, March 24). Money is my security blanket – and sometimes a mirage. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/money/2013/mar/24/money-is-my-security-blanket

 

Romanian corpus

 

Bodârlău, M. (2014, September 16). A renunțat la o firmă de internet și a pariat 300.000 € pe o fabrică de panouri solare. Ziarul Financiar. Retrieved from http://www.zfcorporate.ro/un-start-up-pe-zi/a-renuntat-la-o-firma-de-internet-si-a-pariat-300-000-pe-o-fabrica-de-panouri-solare-13281889/

 

Bucse, C. (2015, March 26). Cât mai au românii în conturile de pensii și unde sunt plasați banii. Capital. Retrieved from http://www.capital.ro/cat-mai-au-romanii-in-conturile-de-pensii-si-unde-sunt-plasati-banii.html

 

Bucse, C. (2014, October 31). Cum se descurcă bancherii fără «bani de la mama». Capital. Retrieved from http://www.capital.ro/cum-se-descurca-bancherii-fara-bani-de-la-mama.html

 

Cel mai greu job din România: 60% dintre angajati demisionează după un an.(2013, August 2). Business Magazin. Retrieved from http://www.businessmagazin.ro/analize/resurse-umane/cel-mai-greu-job-din-romania-60-dintre-angajati-demisioneaza-dupa-un-an-11196484

 

Cum ne pregătim financiar pentru pensie. (2016, April 28). Săptămâna financiară. Retrieved from http://www.sfin.ro/recomandari/cum-ne-pregatim-financiar-pentru-pensie/

 

David, I. (2015, June 15). IKEA merge pe bulevardul Pallady, unde s-au înfipt deja Dedeman, Auchan, Metro sau Decathlon. Ziarul financiar. Retrieved from http://www.zfcorporate.ro/retail-agrobusiness/ikea-merge-pe-bulevardul-pallady-unde-s-au-infipt-deja-dedeman-auchan-metro-sau-decathlon-14456685/

 

Dobrescu, B. (2015, December 25). Banii nu se țin la saltea! Cele mai profitabile modalităti de economisire. Capital. Retrieved from http://www.capital.ro/banii-nu-se-tin-la-saltea-cele-mai-profitabile-modalitati-de-economisire.html

 

Drăgan, A. (2014, January 19). Economia globală speră să uite de criză și recesiune în acest an. Capital. Retrieved from http://www.capital.ro/economia-globala-spera-sa-uite-de-criza-si-recesiune-in-acest-an.html

 

Gata cu grămezile de bani! Plăţile şi încasările în numerar vor fi limitate. (2015, March 13). Adevărul financiar. Retrieved from http://adevarulfinanciar.ro/articol/gata-cu-gramezile-de-bani-platile-si-incasarile-in-numerar-vor-fi-limitate/

 

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Ilie, I.(2013, February 25). Lux de criză... reduceri de până la 70% în magazinele de pe Victoriei. Capital. Retrieved from http://www.capital.ro/pe-victoriei-luxul-se-vinde-si-la-trei-sferturi-din-pret-178588.html

 

Lumea se pregăteste de criză: cererea de bancnote este în creștere(2015, August 23). Ziarul Financiar. Retrieved from http://www.zfcorporate.ro/banci-asigurari/lumea-se-pregateste-de-criza-cererea-de-bancnote-este-in-crestere-14683417

 

Manu, F. (2015, September 04). Poporul, momit cu televizorul: Iată cum s-au îmbogătit primii capitalisti din foamea de electronice, lăsată de Ceausescu. Adevărul financiar. Retrieved from http://adevarulfinanciar.ro/articol/poporul-momit-cu-televizorul-iata-cum-s-au-imbogatit-primii-capitalisti-din-foamea-de-electronice-lasata-de-ceausescu/

 

Manu, F. (2015, June 08). Shaormizarea României: rețeta câstigătoare a afacerilor fast-food are ingrediente orientale. Adevărul financiar. Retrieved from http://adevarulfinanciar.ro/articol/shaormizarea-romaniei-reteta-castigatoare-a-afacerilor-fast-food-are-ingrediente-orientale/

 

Micu, S. (2013, February 23). Antrenorul personal, o nouă modă printre românii cu bani. Capital. Retrieved from http://www.capital.ro/antrenorul-personal-o-noua-moda-printre-romanii-cu-bani-178641.html

 

Muresan, R. (2015, April 03). Mecanismele comerciale prin care clienții devin dependenți de creditele cu dobânzi uriașe. Business Magazin. Retrieved from http://www.businessmagazin.ro/analize/servicii-financiare/mecanismele-comerciale-prin-care-clientii-devin-dependenti-de-creditele-cu-dobanzi-uriase-14105306

 

Năstase, A. (21 April 2015). Românii din diaspora sunt asteptati să revină acasă la cârma propriilor afaceri. Adevărul financiar. Retrieved from http://adevarulfinanciar.ro/articol/wanted-romani-care-sa-revina-acasa-la-carma-propriilor-afaceri/

 

Nicolae, C. (22 December 2014). Cel mai bun scenariu pesimist în economie: pariurile pierdute în 2014 se reportează pentru 2015. Business Magazin. Retrieved from http://www.businessmagazin.ro/analize/servicii-financiare/cel-mai-bun-scenariu-pesimist-in-economie-pariurile-pierdute-in-2014-se-reporteaza-pentru-2015-13730687

 

Pachetul anti-saracie în viziunea premierului Cioloș. (2016, February 23). Săptămâna financiară. Retrieved from http://www.sfin.ro/actualitate/pachetul-anti-saracie-in-viziunea-premierului-ciolos/

 

Rata sărăciei în România. (2016, March 10). Săptămâna financiară. Retrieved from http://www.sfin.ro/recomandari/rata-saraciei-in-romania/

 

State, D. (2014, October 18). Mierea nu mai îndulcește profiturile apicultorilor. Capital. Retrieved from http://www.capital.ro/mierea-nu-mai-indulceste-profiturile-apicultorilor.html

 

Teoria reducerii la absurd – sau de ce nu scad prețurile cand scad taxele. (2016, February 17). Săptămâna financiară. Retrieved from http://www.sfin.ro/recomandari/teoria-reducerii-la-absurd-sau-de-ce-nu-scad-preturile-cand-scad-taxele/

 

Zaharia, D. (2014, October 06). România condamnată la subdezvoltare: consum pe datorie, investiții abandonate. Capital. Retrieved from http://www.capital.ro/romania-condamnata-la-subdezvoltare-consum-pe-datorie-investitii-abandonate.html

 

Zaharia, D. (2015, August 24). Dezvoltarea, subminată de lupta pentru voturi. Capital. Retrieved from http://www.capital.ro/luni-dezvoltarea-subminata-de-lupta-pentru-voturi.html

 

 

How to cite this article: Popescu, T. (2017). Metaphorical conceptualisations of money in Romanian and British business press. Journal of Linguistic and Intercultural Education – JoLIE, 10(1), 153-174. DOI: https://doi.org/10.29302/jolie.2017.10.1.10

 

 

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