Research on the conceptual fields "intelligence" and "stupidity" in English linguistic culture and their influence on intercultural communication

the article is dedicated to exploring the conceptual fields of "intelligence" and "stupidity" in English linguistic culture and their impact on intercultural communication. The relevance of the study is determined by the importance of considering culturally specific concepts when communicating between representatives of different linguistic cultures. The aim of the research is to identify the key components of the concepts "intelligence" and "stupidity" in the English language and determine their role in intercultural interaction. The study employed methods of conceptual analysis, associative experiments, and contextual analysis using materials from various types of discourse. The empirical basis consisted of survey data from 350 English native speakers and 500 usage contexts of the key lexemes. It was established that in English linguoculture, the concepts of "intelligence" and "stupidity" are closely tied to notions of efficiency, pragmatism, and social success. Significant discrepancies were identified between English and Russian conceptual fields, which may complicate intercultural communication. The results hold theoretical significance for cognitive linguistics and linguocultural studies, as well as practical value for optimizing cross-cultural interactions. Future perspectives involve studying the dynamics of these concepts in the context of globalization.

concept, mind, stupidity, the English language, linguistic culture, intercultural communication, discourse