A epidemia de HIV/AIDS no Brasil: um estudo semântico cognitivo sócio-histórico-cultural da conceptualização da morte no século XX.

Abstract

This thesis aimed to study death conceptualizations in texts from literary and health Fields published in context of Brazil HIV/AIDS epidemic, exploring how cognitive, social, historical, and cultural aspects are bounded to the signification process. The ideas and discussions were based on the theoretical assumptions of Cognitive Linguistics, more specifically, of Socio-Historical-Cultural Cognitive Semantics, with the following theoretical islands addressed in this study: the Theory of Prototypes, the Theory of Idealized Cognitive Models, the Theory of Conceptual Metaphor, the Multilevel View of Metaphor, the Theory of Conceptual Metonymy; theoretical discussions were linked to studies by Lakoff and Johnson (1980), Lakoff (1987), Johnson (1991), Almeida (2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2015), Almeida and Santana (2019), Almeida and Santos (2019) ), Santana (2019), Lakoff and Turner (1989), Radden and Kövecses (1999), Duque (2020, 2018), Kövecses (2020, 2017, 2010, 2009, 2005), Leal (2020), Silva (2021), Cuenca and Hilferty (1999), Barcelona (2007), Paiva (2011, 2010), Sperandio (2014, 2015, 2020), and others. In addition, we have established interdisciplinary dialogues with studies of Philosophy (SONTAG, 1989; LUPER, 2010), History (ARIÈS, 2017/1977), Anthropology (BECKER, 2020/1973) and Sociology (KELLEHEAR, 2013). This research has a qualitative approach of a descriptive, explanatory and interpretative, bibliographic, and documental nature, based on the paradigm of introspection. The study corpus consisted of tales and medical scientific papers, published between the years 1980 to 2000, based on the Fractal Theory (MANDELBROT, 1982; PAIVA, 2011, 2010) and the Theoretical Saturation Technique (FLAQUETTO et al., 2018; FONTAELLA, 2011; SANTANA, 2019). The results were organized based on the found Matrix Domains and the Conceptual metaphors identified in the material studied, for example: DEATH IS A LIVING ORGANISM and DEATH IS WAR; these metaphors present, in their structural levels, Image Schemes (PART/WHOLE, FORCE, VERTICALITY, etc.), Matrix Domains (LIVING ORGANISM, WAR), Frames (FACE, CONFRONT, ATTACK/DEFENSE STRATEGIES, ENCOUNTER, etc.) and Different Mental Spaces (REFLECTION, CONTACT, REPORT, etc.) that are activated in the elaboration of the cognitive content. Also, we identify a close relationship between Metaphors and Conceptual Metonyms, enabling the mapping of different forms of conceptualization of death.