Idioms with Animal Components in Azerbaijani and French: A Semantic and Cultural Typology

Abstract

This study provides a comparative typological analysis of colloquial idioms containing animal components (zoo-phraseologisms) in Azerbaijani and French. Focusing on semantic, structural, and cultural dimensions, it examines 40–60 idioms (20–30 per language) gathered from dictionaries, corpora, and previous studies. A descriptive, contrastive methodology was employed: idiomatic phrases were identified, translated, and analyzed for literal vs. figurative meaning, syntactic structure, and cultural connotation. Key theoretical frameworks include phraseological typology, conceptual metaphor theory, and cultural linguistics (e.g. Lakoff & Johnson’s metaphor-as-concept, Kövecses 2010). Findings reveal that both languages richly employ animal imagery to express human traits (e.g. courage, cunning, laziness), but they differ in specific motifs and constructions. For example, French avoir un cœur de lion (“to have a lion’s heart” – be brave) parallels universal metaphors of strength, while French être comme chien et chat (“to be like dog and cat” – not getting along) corresponds to Azerbaijani itlə pişik kimi yola getmək. Structural comparisons show differences (e.g. French un paon vs. Azerbaijani tovuzquşu ‘peacock’ – a compound noun) and semantic ones (e.g. pigs and cows bear negative connotations in French, whereas in Azerbaijani these animals are culturally neutral or absent). Both languages anthropomorphize animals to encode traits such as cunning (rusé comme un renard vs. its Azerbaijani counterpart) or cowardice (avoir la chair de poule “to have goosebumps”). Tables categorize idioms by structure (fixed phrase, simile, etc.), semantic field (e.g. bravery, slyness), and underlying metaphors. French idioms often derive from Old World heraldry and fables, whereas Azerbaijani idioms reflect Turkic folklore and Islamic culture (e.g. a “camel” motif in dövəsi ölmüş ərəb). Conceptual metaphor theory explains many parallels (e.g. BRAVERY IS LION), while cultural-linguistic theory accounts for divergences based on ethnocultural worldview. This typological comparison highlights both universal cognitive mappings and culture-specific expressions, offering insights into how Azerbaijani and French speakers conceptualize human qualities through animal imagery. The analysis contributes to comparative phraseology and cultural linguistics by mapping motif correspondences and unique traits across the two languages.