Metaphors in plant naming in Azerbaijani Turkish: A linguistic and semiotic analysis

The fact that the Turks spread over a wide geography in history enabled them to contact with different cultures and societies in different geographies. The cultural diversity that emerged as a result of this contact brought along a rich plant culture. Variety of plant names specific to geographical location and climatic conditions is also a part of this cultural structure. The diversity of plants caused Turks to create a metaphorical system unique to them. In this study, the role of metaphors and movement style in the system of naming beings were tried to be shown. For this purpose, plant names that can be put forward in a metaphorical context in Azerbaijani Turkish were examined, and these examples were also evaluated within the semiotics system. The mentioned plant naming is limited within the framework of the metaphor-naming relationship, which is the main theme of the study. In the examination part of the thesis, Lakoff-Johnson's conceptual metaphor classification was taken as basis. Metaphoric references were analyzed according to the "target area" and "source area" relationship. The studies made within the framework of semiotics were made based on the triangle of meaning of Ogden and Richards. Based on the identified metaphors, it has been observed that there is a systematic relationship between Azerbaijani cultural structure and plant names, proverbs and legends based on beliefs, experiences and mythological elements. Based on the concepts seen in the source area, it is seen how daily life and needs form a cognitive resource. Conceptual transfer in the metaphorical system is provided by image schemas through personal and social experiences that constitute cognitive resources. Although plant names based on legends are used with the same name in another culture with intercultural interaction, they may vary with the influence of the local culture. The name of the plant may remain the same, although the elements such as the event and hero in the legend have changed. In the metaphorical system, concepts and the elements that make up the concept field are also indicators. Conceptual transfer is basically an interpretation between signs. The indicative values that concepts carry are the product of society's perceptions and experiences at the cognitive level. Indicators and conceptual equivalents that stand out in plant names are a tool for explaining metaphorical relationships.