Cultural Conceptualization of mental pain in Hungarian Proverbs

The main objective of this chapter is to outline the cultural schema of mental pain with particular regard to Hungarian proverbs and sayings. The significant areas of investigation are the core elements of the cultural schema of mental pain, including the cultural metaphors related to mental pain and some proverbs with deep-rooted Hungarian cultural components. The data for the research relies on various printed collections and online books, encyclopedias, and dictionaries. Based on the analysis, mental pain is a general concept that embraces different kinds of physical and non-physical perceptions, feelings, and experiences. The conceptualization of mental pain in the selected proverbs and sayings is described in terms of a Hungarian cultural schema where specific metaphors connected to everyday life are utilized. Results show that Hungarian proverbs and sayings on mental pain mainly represent a negative cultural schema related to cultural conceptualizations, including metaphors (mental pain is a consumer, soul is fuel, mental pain is a price (for earlier joy), mental pain is a punishment, romantic love is an agony) and proposition schemas which reflect evaluative attitudes of Hungarians (mental pain has to be endured and joy and mental pain are inseparable). However, some positive conceptualizations of mental pain are also connected, as time is a healer, suffering is transformation, and providence is a guide (through mental pain), which draws on life as a journey metaphor.