Selected Aspects of Zoosemy: The Conceptual Dimension Origin/social Status at Work

Abstract

The present paper discusses the problem of zoosemy, understood as one of the mechanisms of semantic change whereby animal names are em- ployed to designate human characteristics. In accordance with the main tenets of cognitive linguistics, it is postulated that the workings of zoosemy in Eng- lish may be accounted for by reference to seven conceptual dimensions/spheres, i.e. profession/social function, behaviour/character, origin/social status, phys- ical characteristics/appearance, morality, sexuality, contempt/opprobrium of which one, i.e. the conceptual dimension origin/social status, is investigated here in detail. The lexical material in focus comprises lexemes used not only in various periods of historical development of English, but also lexical units selected from other languages both Indo-European (Spanish, Italian, French, Polish, Russian, Slovak, German) and non-Indo-European (Chinese, Hungarian). The final part of the article presents observations and conclusions drawn from the analysis of the relevant lexical material.

Keywords

• zoosemia, metáfora conceptual, campo conceptual, procedencia/ posición social, lengua inglesa, animales domesticados