The present study explores the structure and semantic characteristics of the linguistic and cultural field "facial expressions–mimics". The research focuses on how facial expressions are verbalized through lexical units, phraseological constructions, and idiomatic expressions that encode nonverbal emotional signals. The analysis reveals that facial expressions serve as a culturally conditioned channel of communication, reflecting both universal human emotions and language-specific conceptualizations. By examining the lexical semantics and cognitive metaphors underlying expressions such as raise an eyebrow, give someone the evil eye, and grit one’s teeth, the study demonstrates how speakers linguistically represent emotions like surprise, anger, fear, and confusion. Special attention is paid to the interaction between verbal and nonverbal modes of communication and to the role of the face as a culturally salient domain in English-speaking contexts. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the interrelation between language, culture, and emotion, and offer implications for cross-cultural communication and language teaching.

Linguistic and cultural field, nonverbal communication, phraseology

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