Medical Terminology as a Source of Metaphors in Modern German Printed Media

Abstract

In this article we consider some peculiar features
of medical professional lexical system, which is a source of
metaphors in texts of modern German printed media. Having
designated such phenomena as professional lexical system,
term, metaphor and having analyzed a number of examples
from texts of German newspapers, we draw to the following
conclusion: medical terms used not in medical contexts gain
a marked metaphorical meaning retaining their terminological
features, but they often refer to ways of solving social, economic
and political problems.