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112PHILOLOGICAL SICENCES
FUNCTIONING OF SOMATIC PHRASEOLOGICAL UNITS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Batunova I.
PhD in Pedagogy, Associate professor Department of Foreign Languages for Engineering Science School
of Philology and Language Communication Siberian Federal University, Krasnoyarsk, Russian
Abstract
Considering the problem of language and culture through the prism of their interaction, cultural linguistics often selects language units that have acquired a symbolic, standard, figurative-metaphorical meaning in culture and which generalize the results of the activity of human consciousness. In this article, the author analyzes the functioning of somatic phraseological units and their role in the English language.
Keywords: somatic phraseological units, the English language, problem of language, figurative-metaphorical meanings
Somatic phraseological units arise as a result of figurative interpretation of phrases that name various actions and states that involve parts of the human body.
Nowadays, some conclusions regarding somatic vocabulary and phraseology have already become axiomatic: somatic vocabulary and phraseology - the most ancient layer of nominative language units; somatic vocabulary and phraseology - keepers of relic forms, features and functioning of language units; somatic vocabulary and phraseology are the most reliable source of knowledge of history, ethnography, psychology of native speakers [2, p. 262].
To analyze the features, we selected somatic phraseological units with the most frequently encountered components, like: hand; head; neck; heart; mouth; tongue; foot; leg; eye; ears; face; nose. The imagery of most somatic phraseology is determined by the nature of the functions of body parts and internal organs, called somatic components. However, due to the peculiarities of the linguistic picture of the world of each of the languages under consideration, some inconsistencies in the connotation of individual components can be identified.
So, for example, in English the considered phraseological units with a hand component. The hand is directly involved not only in external, but also in a person's own (introspective) activity. The hand helps a person to perform many functions. The hand is in constant contact with the external environment. The hand is the main tool that provides kinesthetic and tactile feedback, plays a huge role in the formation of a sensory image of the external world and, therefore, gives a person most of the information [1]. The following groups can be distinguished:
1. Activity: try your hand at.
2. Labor, labor force: to join hands together.
3. Characteristics of a person: a safe pair of hands; to give a hand.
4. Possibility and lack thereof: hands are tied (control); get out of hand.
Despite the generality of topics, some features can be distinguished. For example, in the English language there are many phraseological units with the meaning of possession, belonging:
to take something in hand / lay hands on; to hold well in hand.
It is also noteworthy that in English, there are phraseological units with a somatic component that differentiate the left and right hand, for example: not to let one's left hand what one's right hand does - do not allow the left hand to do what the right hand does.
The most extensively represented in the phraseology of the language is somatism head. They form different meanings in the context depending on those common universal meanings that are characteristic of this somatism in almost all languages. The following semantic groups can be distinguished:
1. Internal emotional state: head over heels in love.
2. The process of thinking: the diversity of such phraseological units is associated with allegorical ideas about the head as a physical container of thoughts and ideas. a clear head; to break one's head; to stuff smb's head.
Somatic phraseological units with a somatism component neck in the language, based on the vulnerability of this part of the body, contain the concept of risk to life in semantics: get it in the neck; put one's neck on the line.
The lexeme heart occupies a special place among the frequency somatisms. Scientists refer to the thoughts of prof. A. S. Chikobava about that. "The heart is the center of thought processes, sources of feelings, a determinant of temperament and character, as well as an absorber of organic feelings: in a word, it is imputed to perform the functions of the brain, heart, stomach and, partially, the peripheral nervous system " [3, p. 28]. Somatism heart is aimed at figurative transmission of feelings, emotions, experiences and often alternates with the concept of "soul " in the framework of structural synonymy: at the bottom of one's heart; with all one's heart; make somebody's heart bleed; to eat one's heart out; to have heart of gold / big / soft / kind heart; to open one's heart to somebody.
Each phraseological unit has its own meaning. In all these examples, the "heart" somatism acts as a semantic and structure-forming center of a phraseological unit.
In these somatic phraseological units, both the most positive assessment of a person is given, her philanthropy, kindness, honesty and responsiveness are
emphasized, as well as negative qualities and emotions. The noun heart acts as the semantic and structure-forming center of the phraseological unit. This is a key abstract noun around which whole paradigms of words are grouped in their associated meaning [4, p. 3].
Almost all phraseological units of the compared languages with the components "mouth", "tongue" are connected by their semantics with general concepts: speaking - silence. Human silence is associated with figurative representations of the inaction of the speech organ.
the word is on the tip of my tongue; to give mouth; to have lost one's tongue.
Also, the lexeme mouth is often used in the meaning of an indicator of material stability: to live from hand to mouth; a hand-to-mouth existence.
In English the lower limb is divided into two zones and two words are used to denote them, respectively: leg - the upper part of the leg; foot - lower part, stop. The lexico-semantic potential of this concept as forming a somatic component is also largely determined by the functions of this part of the body. The leg symbolizes movement, speed [5]. In the language, in established expressions, the legs are often opposed to the head and the mental principle associated with it in a person, as an acting and mechanical organ is opposed to a rational one: little wit in the head makes much work for the feet; to think on one's feet.
Also, this somatism reflects the meaning of stability or instability (literally and figuratively) and self-confidence: to feel / find one's feet; to cut the ground from under one's feet.
As mentioned above, the differentiation of the limbs into right and left is characteristic of English somatic phraseological units. Both the "hand" component and the "foot" component are supplemented with the semantics of the words "right / left" and somatic phraseological units acquire an additional connotation: to have two leftfeet; to get up with one's left foot; to get or start off on the right foot.
The semantics of phraseological units with the "eye" component in the compared languages is associated with the topic of visual perception. Through sight, a person acquires the bulk of his knowledge about reality, which is reflected in the partial juxtaposition of the semantic structure of the word "see" in different languages, which signals such concepts as "understand", "represent": to be all eyes; to open somebody's eyes to smth; to run one's eye over something.
Eyes are also important expressers of emotions and feelings, therefore, there is a large number of phraseological units with this component, reflecting a change in a person's emotional state: one's eyes flash fire; the envy /green / evil eye - evil eye; to cry one's eyes out - cry out eyes. The imagery and meaning of the majority of somatic phraseological units with the "eaf' component are also determined by the nature of the physiological function of the corresponding organ: to close one's ears to something; to be all ears.
In English, somatic phraseological units with this component are associated with a secret, a desire to find it out: to keep one's ears open; walls have ears.
In English, ears are also a symbol of something extreme (this is due to their marked location, both on the head and vertically: this part of the body is located above all others): to be over head and ears in love; to be up to one's ears in trouble.
The semantics of the somatic component "face" is associated with the status, dignity of a person: slap in the face; to save face. It can also be noted that in the English language the face reflects the emotional state: to have face like thunder; to put on a brave face.
The nose is a relatively small organ and the only one that protrudes on the face. Somatic phraseological units with this component often have the meaning of proximity, as well as obtaining information: see no further than the end of one's nose; nose to tail.
There are phraseological units in the language, denoting a negative assessment of a person currying favor with others: brown nose - sneaky.
There are also equivalent phraseological units, in the semantics of which aggressive action against another person is reflected: to give somebody a bloody nose. In the analyzed language, somatic phraseological units with a semantic field " superiority" are widely represented: to look down one's nose at somebody; to look down with one's nose in the air; toffee-nosed; thumb one's nose at someone or something.
The opposite picture is observed with respect to somatic phraseological units that have the lexeme "finger". English phraseological units with this component are more active. Here are some examples: to have afinger in the pie; to twist around one's finger; to have sticky fingers.
Thus, the nature of the functions of body parts and organs, called somatic components, determines the imagery of most somatic phraseology. However, due to the peculiarities of the linguistic picture of the world of the language under consideration, some discrepancies in the connotations of individual components were identified. Phraseological activity of many English somatic lexemes is similar to the corresponding Russian lexemes.
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