Formation of the metaphorical competence

The article deals with the metaphorical competence as one of the main issues of modern linguodidactics, the subject being regarded from the communicative and cognitive perspectives. The authors consider the background of the formation of the metaphorical competence concept and modern views on this concept. The research is based on the assumption that human cognition is quite metaphorical. Taking this into consideration, the authors believe that training in professional activity should be conducted by means of the metaphorical competence, which is defined as a universal ability to provide integrity of speech communication and speech activity. The concept of the metaphorical competence is determined by professional activity, which is linked with the increasing dependence of cognition on a person's activity and their value system and ambitions. The authors build the structure of the metaphorical competence, describe its content and differentiate it from other types of competences. It has been shown that the metaphorical competence can be viewed as a complex system of levels, which imply application of various methods.