EDITOR'S FOREWORD

Abstract

Editor’s Foreword

The articles in this issue of the Online Journal of Humanities (2017)  in total) examine the relationships among language structure, cognition, and discourse, highlighting how language influences learning, interpretation, and political communication.

The study by G. Kuparadze investigates the challenges of articulation faced by learners of English and Georgian, emphasising that speakers of smaller nations are increasingly required to learn multiple languages. Because Georgian and English differ significantly in phonemic structure, learners often struggle with specific consonant sounds, especially when articulatory habits from their first language interfere with new phonological patterns. Drawing on linguistic, psychological, and pedagogical insights discussed in the paper, the importance of comparative phonemic analysis in helping learners recognise subtle distinctions, adjust tongue placement, and develop more accurate pronunciation through systematic practice is emphasised.

The paper by Mariam Keburia focuses on political discourse, analysing President Giorgi Margvelashvili’s 2017 parliamentary speech regarding Georgia’s EU integration. As is known, Critical Discourse Analysis reveals how linguistic choices frame ideological commitments and influence public attitudes. Although the discussed speech employs compelling rhetoric to support a pro-European narrative, the author argues that it lacks concrete strategies, clear priorities, and defined mechanisms for assessing progress. As argued in the paper, this gap between persuasive language and practical policy details weakens the speech’s discursive effectiveness, illustrating how political figures may project strong stances while offering limited actionable guidance.

The article by Tata Vekhvadze investigates metaphor comprehension through the lens of embodied cognition, arguing that understanding metaphors involves imaginative simulation shaped by bodily experience. Using image schemas and examples such as “grief as a journey,” the study demonstrates how individuals interpret abstract concepts through reenacted sensory-motor patterns influenced by culture and personal experience. This perspective highlights that metaphor interpretation is not solely an intellectual endeavour but is deeply rooted in the embodied mind.

Together, the papers published in this issue of the Online Journal of Humanities reveal how language functions across learning, politics, and cognition, demonstrating its power to shape perception, meaning, and communicative effectiveness.

Manana Rusieshvili-Cartledge

The Editor-in-Chief of the Online Journal of Humanities ETAGTSU

 Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University