Structural Description of Phraseological Units with Component ‘Animalʼ in English Language

Abstract

Phraseological units with component “animal” are widely used in the English language. The image of animal helps to create the picture of moral qualities of a man. Zoosemiya of the English language is rich and varied. The images of domestic and wild animals, birds, and insects are widely used in phraseological units. The aim of the article is to give structural classification of phraseological units with component ‘animal’. Phraseological units are divided into 2 groups: those having communicative function and not. The given classification is based on the structural classification of phraseological units with component “animal”. The group of verbal phraseological units is prevalent. The majority of verbal phraseological units refer to a man, characterizing his appearance and moral qualities. In this research phraseological units with negative evaluation are predominated over positive ones. The specific feature of nominal phraseological units with component ‘animal’ in the English language is a great number of prepositional combinations in their structures. Paremiological units with the structure of complex sentences present compound, complex and conjunctionless sentences. The most common type for the English language are paremiological units with the structure of complex sentences. Among the English proverbs, used as complex sentences, complex sentences with subordinate clauses of condition, time, place, and also with attributive and concessive subordinate clauses were mainly found.