Lexical-semantic variation of the German youth language (exemplified by metaphor)

The article studies the lexical-semantic variation of the modern German youth language, fixed in lexicographic sources of different years, in particular, in a series of PONS dictionaries. The frequency and creativity of using metaphors by the young people shows, on the one hand, their interest in enriching, refreshing native language, on the other hand, aspiration to assert themselves in the group, because metaphors perfectly shows the level of language proficiency. One more interesting moment in this context of metaphor use is desire of youngsters for making their own language incomprehensible to adults by creation of unexpectable associative transpositions. The examples from PONS dictionaries (2001, 2008, 2009) touch upon the spheres of human life that are interesting and relevant for young people: appearance, attractiveness, hobbies, school, relationship with the opposite sex, parents / adults, etc. Metaphor in these examples acts as the most important and productive means of lexical-semantic variation of the German youth language, it performs functions of self-assertion, creation of personal space, appraising attitude to the surrounding reality.