A cognitive analysis of animal imagery in digital discourse: a case study of Bengali tweets

Abstract As explored in relevant literature, both ecolinguistics and cognitive linguistics emphasize metaphors as conceptual devices to frame the reality around us. Animal metaphor forms an interesting domain comprehend human-animal relationship at interface of linguistics. Deriving from this, research questions suitability animalized language through Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) Blending (CBT). Data Twitter has been analyzed understand how animals on social media impacts human mind establishing speciesism among Bengali speakers. Hence, supplement with ecological perspective, a mixed-method approach employed using three studies: (1) general public opinion animal metaphor; (2) present operations imaginative (3) check reflection attitude real-time practices. The findings highlight harmful frames that can trigger mental spaces users – excluding qua animals. Additionally, also empirically verifies use is one significant factors behind speciesist attitudes seeks sensitize humans towards hateful nature tweets.