Metaphoric representations of british, american and romanian identities in diplomatic discourses

Argument / 7

1. Introduction / 9

2. Theoretical Background  / 13
2.1. Cultural and Sociological Theories Applied to Discourse / 13
         2.1.1.   Imperialism / 15
         2.1.2.   British Imperialism / 16
         2.1.3.   American Imperialism / 20
         2.1.4.   Pride / 24

3. An Overview of the Basic Linguistic Concepts and Terminology / 26
3.1. Discourse Analysis / 26
3.2. Turning Points in the History of Metaphor / 27
3.3. Cognitive Semantics / 29
         3.3.1.   Conceptual Metaphor Theory / 31
         3.3.2.   Blending Theory / 34

4. The Rhetoric of British Imperialism Encompassed in the Interviews Given by Former British Ambassadors / 36
4.1. Towards the Character and Stylistic Expression of a Nation / 36
4.2. British Pride, Shame and Responsibility Mirrored in the Discourse of British Foreign Officials / 37
4.3. Arrogance of the Superior – the Feature of a Fearless Nation / 47

5. Recurrent Symbolic Instances in the Language of the Interviews  / 55
5.1. The Foreign Office – Metaphorical Mappings / 55
         5.1.1.   Building a Career within the Foreign Office / 66
         5.1.2.   The Embassy and Its Employees / 70
5.2. Business Interest, a Persistent Trace of British Imperialism / 81
5.3. Other Sources of Imperial Behaviour / 94
5.4. The Monarchy / 98
5.5. The British Frustration – The European Union / 104
5.6. The British as Opposed to Other Nations / 110
         5.6.1.   Mappings of a Perfect Relationship – The British-American Pair / 110
         5.6.2.   Romanian Instances and Their Metaphorical Mappings in the Discourse of the Interviews / 113
         5.6.3.   British Relations with the Former Communist Countries – Fighting Against Communism / 126 

6. Conceptualising the American Portrait  / 131
6.1. The Americans’ Self Portrait / 131
6.2. American Ambassadors Recurrent Ideas in Conceptual Metaphors / 134
         6.2.1.   The American Foreign Service / 139
         6.2.2.   The American Embassy / 147
         6.2.3.   Business Mappings in American Ambassadors’ Interviews / 153
         6.2.4.   American International Relations / 157
                     6.2.4.1. American – Russian Relations / 157
                     6.2.4.2. American – Romanian Relations and Eastern European Identities / 161
                     6.2.4.2.1.    A Dark History of Romania / 161
                     6.2.4.2.2.    Mapping the Russian Influence in Romania / 172
                     6.2.4.2.3.    Food Metaphors in Romanian Foreign Affairs / 177
                     6.2.4.2.4.    Journey Metaphors in Constructing Romanian Identity / 179
                     6.2.4.2.5.    Romania’s Advertising Campaign in Conceptual Metaphors / 182

7. Summary of Findings  / 187

8. Conclusions / 191

Bibliography / 195

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