This article focuses on the metaphorical phrases as an attribute of poitical communication; it represents results of the content analysis of metaphoric material in the Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Addresses to the Federal Assembly in 2012–2015 aimed at identifying the frequency of use of metaphorical phrases in political speech of the Head of State and determining the dominant types of metaphors reflecting the actual problems of the Russian society and values. The ranking of the observable linguistic units, based on the metaphorical transfer of the word meanings, aimed for identifying the current methods of language simulation of situations, events interpretations. Special attention is paid to the correlation of the metaphorical expressions with the dominant in system of values specific for the Russian society, as well as with the population demands, and the features of the political culture. Within the study of metaphor, the analysis of the ways of influencing the mass addressee consciousness was performed.

metaphor, types of metaphor, metaphorical phrase, political communication, political culture, communicative strategy

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