Linguosensory and cognitive modeling in somatically encoded proverbs: a contrastive study of differently structured languages

Background. The body, as a universal mediator of cultural experience, plays a key role in the formation of linguistic and social norms. Proverbs and sayings encapsulate a linguistic community’s collective wisdom and cultural models, where bodily metaphors act as carriers of cultural meanings. However, comparative studies of embodiment in the paremias of Russian, English, and Japanese linguocultures remain scarce, despite their significance for understanding cultural specificity and intercultural dialogue. This study addresses this gap by offering a cross‑cultural analysis of body‑part vocabulary as a system of cultural codes. Purpose. The research aims to identify and compare bodily metaphors in Russian, English, and Japanese paremias, as well as to determine their role in representing key cultural values. The objective is to construct a “somatic cartography”, i.e., a model linking body parts to cultural concepts across the three linguocultures. Materials and methods. The study is based on a corpus of 150 paremias for each language, selected from authoritative lexicographic sources (The Large Dictionary of Russian Proverbs, Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs, Kotowaza of Japanese Proverbs). The following methods were applied: semantic analysis to classify body‑part vocabulary; cultural hermeneutics to interpret metaphors within the context of traditions; and concept mapping to visualize the connections between bodily images and cultural meanings. Results. Russian paremias emphasize the “heart” as a symbol of emotionality, the “head” for rationality, and “hands” for the value of labor. English paremias frequently use the “eye” to convey moral judgments, the “heart” for family values, and the “back” as a metaphor for betrayal, reflecting individualism. Japanese paremias highlight the “abdomen” 「腹」 (hara) as the center of emotional restraint, the “eyes” 「目」 (me) for social perception, and the “hands” 「手」 (te) for interaction, which correlates with ideas of harmony and collectivism. A universal pattern was the use of the “heart” as a symbol of emotions; however, culture‑specific concepts demonstrate unique models of emotionality. The results of the study can be applied in language teaching, intercultural communication, and translation studies to overcome semantic lacunae. The proposed “somatic cartography” model serves as a tool for analyzing cultural codes in anthropology and ethnolinguistics.