Abstract
This study explores the representation of the conceptual metaphor HUMAN IS ANIMAL in Russian and German media discourse. Zoomorphic metaphors highlight perceived human traits by projecting qualities associated with various animals, thus intensifying emotional and evaluative meanings. This study combines cognitive linguistics and elements of critical discourse analysis to examine how animal metaphors are used to frame human characteristics, social identities and ideological stances, serving as powerful cognitive and rhetorical devices. It utilizes two parallel corpora of journalistic and political media texts in Russian and German, collected over the past decade. Findings indicate both commonalities and divergences between Russian and German cultures as expressed by means of conceptual metaphor: Russian media favor metaphors involving domestic animals and insects, reflecting cultural narratives of loyalty and industriousness, whereas German media predominantly employ wild and aquatic animal metaphors, evoking notions of freedom, strength and adaptability. Wild animal metaphors, including predators and artiodactyls, feature prominently in both corpora but vary in specific exemplars and connotations. The study underscores the role of metaphor in mediating political persuasion and shaping cultural representations, demonstrating the intricate interplay of universality and cultural specificity in metaphorical conceptualizations of humans within media discourse.