Bridging the gap: zoonyms as part of phraseological units and technical terms (correlations in images)

Abstract

The present paper delves into the repertoire of zoomorphic images reflected in the phraseological fund of the English language and the ways they are represented in the technical experiences of the nation. Prototypical symbols, concepts and images embodied in phraseological units containing zoonymic component are embedded in the consciousness of a particular nation. Phraseology exhibits the individual, specific, even “national” nature of a language and is deeply rooted into its history and culture. Phraseological units tend to reveal the whole palette of national features in the language world picture. Phraseological units as well as technical terms with zoonymic components are often of a metaphorical character; zoonymic terms are integrated into specific technical vocabularies. The comparative and cognitive analysis of phraseological units and technical terms with zoonymic components provides insights into the complex mechanism of national conceptualization, figurative productivity of technical language, explains misunderstanding and facilitates cross-cultural communication introducing language learners to a foreign culture, mentality, and peculiarities of language world picture vs. technical world picture.

Keywords

• зоонимы
• фразеология
• техническая картина мира
• технические термины
• сравнительный и когнитивный анализ
• zoonyms
• phraseology
• technical world picture
• technical terms
• comparative and cognitive analysis