Cognitive Models of Concepts Transformation in Some German Sports Terms Borrowed from English

Abstract

The article examines the linguistic aspects of the process of borrowing terms from the English language into the sports sphere of the German language from the perspective of a cognitive approach. It analyses the features of cognitive interaction of the conceptual systems of professional spheres. The paper describes transformation models of cognitive structures into the recipient language in the process of terminological borrowing on the material of sports Anglicisms of the German language. The study shows that loanwords most often convey a conceptual structure in the recipient language, which is generated on the basis of already existing mental structures in the source language. Various cognitive models of the transformation of the “alien” concept are defined: preserving the original structure of the prototype concept; developing new conceptual features in the recipient language; narrowing the conceptual structure of the concept prototype. The research contributes to the problem of the representation of knowledge in a term, the identification of linguistic and cognitive mechanisms of knowledge representation through borrowed linguistic units. The results can be used in the courses on cognitive linguistics, lexicology, in research practice and lexicographical descriptions, as well as in teaching practical language skills in professional sports. Keywords: Borrowing, terms, sports terminology, cognitive terminology, professional knowledge.