The linguistic image of an angel – a good spirit – in the lyrics of contemporary secular Polish songs (released in the period from 1985 to 2012)

Joanna Ścibek, BiałystokThe article is devoted to the linguistic image of an angel – a good spirit – depicted in the lyrics of contemporary secular Polish songs. The analyzed research material included 70 lyrics of songs released in the period from 1985 to 2012. The songs represent different music styles: from pop and folk music to blues and sung poetry to hip-hop, various genres of rock and so-called gothic metal. The analysis of the linguistic image of those supernatural beings involved the following categories: 1) appearance, 2) location, 3) features, 4) functions, 5) emotions and behavior. Special attention was paid to the figure of a guardian angel and its unusual variant – a winged protector who no longer fulfill their duties, as well as ‘humanized’ angels, resembling humans in their physical and behavioral characteristics. It was stated that the figure of an angel in the analyzed lyrics is characterized by extensive functionality. The linguistic portrait of that spiritual being is an interesting combination of concepts present in the collective consciousness (to some extent originating in the Bible and angelic iconography) and individual ideas developed by the songwriters.joanna-scibek@wp.pl1315717