Metaphorical Framing of Natural Disasters in Media Discourse

Against the backdrop of intensifying climate-related threats and the growing recurrence of natural disasters, media discourse has emerged as a key site where public perceptions of risk, patterns of social mobilization, and models of collective response are actively constructed. Within this communicative space, metaphor functions not merely as a stylistic device but as a fundamental cognitive and discursive mechanism, through which meaning is organized, interpretation is guided, and culturally embedded patterns of understanding are activated. The study of metaphorical framing thus offers a productive analytical lens for examining the dynamics of crisis communication, environmental rhetoric, and processes of collective sense-making. The present study is devoted to the identification and systematic analysis of metaphorical frames in English-language media discourse devoted to natural disasters. The empirical basis of the research is a balanced corpus of texts published by English-speaking media between 2023 and 2024, focusing on two recurrent types of natural hazards — wildfires and floods, which makes it possible to conduct a symmetrical comparison of British and American media environments. The theoretical framework of the study draws on an integrative approach that combines Conceptual Metaphor Theory, Frame Semantics, Critical Discourse Analysis, and the principles of Critical Metaphor Analysis. Methodologically, the research relies on corpus-based techniques, including frequency analysis, collocational profiling, and contextual examination implemented through the AntConc software, in conjunction with the MIPVU protocol for systematic metaphor identification. The reliability of the analytical procedure is ensured by corpus symmetry and inter-annotator validation. As a methodological contribution, the study introduces the notion of a frame index, understood as a quantitative indicator of metaphorical intensity, thereby extending the analytical toolkit of cognitive-discursive research. The study aims to determine the dominant patterns of metaphorical framing employed in media representations of natural disasters, to explicate their cognitive and discursive functions, and to trace their variation across different media platforms and types of catastrophic events. The findings advance current approaches in cognitive linguistics and media discourse analysis and have practical implications for the development of environmental communication strategies, media literacy, and editorial practices in the coverage of climate-related risks.