Metaphor as a language instrument for shaping an enemy image in women’s political discourse in Argentina

The aim of the study was to analyze the specific features of the use of metaphor as an element of political discourse designed to shape the image of an enemy in the speeches of female politicians in Argentina, namely Eva Peron, Isabel Peron, and Cristina Kirchner. The key tasks of the study were to determine the similarities and differences between the created images of the opposition, as well as to analyze the tactics and strategies of political discourse implemented when using the metaphors. The corpus of material was selected using a continuous sampling method; the methods of quantitative and qualitative analysis of the research results were also used, including semantic, stylistic, and comparative methods. The result of the study is a representation of the source domains of the metaphor: “animal world”, “religion”, “organism (disease)” and “sports (football)”. The purpose of their use is the dehumanization and depersonification of the enemy’s image, the sacralization of the struggle, and a positive presentation of struggling political leaders, as well as the creation of images that are understandable and accessible to the audience. The study of metaphor as an instrument for shaping the image of an enemy allows us to reveal the manipulative techniques used by political leaders to attract audience support.