SEMANTIC FEATURES AND LEXICAL CONSTRUCTIONS OF ARABIC PHRASEOLOGICAL UNITS CONTAINING ANIMAL NAMES

Akbar Akmaldjanovich Kazakbayev

Authors

Akbar Akmaldjanovich Kazakbayev Author

Abstract

This study examines the semantic properties and lexical constructions of Arabic phraseological units containing animal names (zoonymic phraseologisms). These units constitute one of the richest layers of language, reflecting national-cultural characteristics, ecological realities, and historical experience. Drawing on the theoretical frameworks of Vinogradov (1977), Kunin (1984), Telia (1996), Maslova (2001), Lakoff and Johnson (1980), and Wierzbicka (1992), the research explores the figurative nature, metaphorical foundations, and connotative meanings of zoonymic phraseological units, as well as their role in representing human behavior, social relations, and moral values. The study also analyzes the primary lexical-syntactic models of such units, including comparative constructions (afʿal al-tafdīl), simile structures (tashbīh), genitive constructions (idāfa), verbal phrases, and proverbs. The findings demonstrate that zoonymic phraseology in Arabic encodes cultural knowledge and cognitive models, functioning as a key component of expressive and evaluative discourse.

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