Abstract
This article examines the metaphorical concept of «UNITY» in media materials during and after the January 2022 events in Kazakhstan so called «Bloody January». According to J. Lakoff and M. Johnson, the essence of a conceptual metaphor consists of the transfer of one linguistic unit by means of a completely different unit, that our everyday conceptual system, within the framework of which we think, is metaphorical in nature. In this regard, the metaphor allows us to emphasize extremely important aspects of the functioning and representation of the concept «UNITY» in its connection with other concepts. Through linguistic and cognitive analysis, we scrutinize the metaphors employed to depict unity, shedding light on their role in shaping discourse and public perception during this critical period. The results of the study allow us to conclude that the process of actualization and metaphorization is the basis for the functioning of key representatives of the concept «UNITY», and also carries mechanisms that allow the formation of new phraseological units in language and culture. Using critical discourse analysis, the article examines examples of metaphorical understanding of «UNITY» as a linguistic phenomenon. Keywords: discursive actualization, metaphorization of unity, multidimensionality, concept actualization, verbalization of discourse, linguocognitive analysis, critical discourse analysis.