On the conceptual basis of English adjectives denoting mental characteristics of human beings

Abstract
The paper focuses on the ways an abstract quality - mental characteristics of human beings - is conceptualized in English. These are revealed through the etymological analysis of words and are presented diachronically, starting from Old English. In particular, it is shown that mental qualities are interpreted by means of the following major conceptual metaphors: LIGHT, DARKNESS, MOTION, CONTAINER, ACQUISITION, and some minor. All the identified conceptual metaphors belong to the category of archetypal human concepts.

Keywords: conceptualization, conceptual metaphor, word etymology.