Tempting fate phraseology as a superstitious schematic concept: a comparative study
Izabela Dixon
Докладчик
доцент
Koszalin University of Technology, Poland
Koszalin University of Technology, Poland
Harald Ulland
Докладчик
профессор
Bergen University
Bergen University
Ключевые слова, аннотация
Superstitious
beliefs, lexicalised, schematic superstitious concepts, comparative paremiology/phraseology.
Тезисы
Many
superstitious beliefs have become lexicalised over time and still enjoy wide
circulation within and across linguistic cultures. This paper sets out to
explain a culture specific schematic superstitious concept that has lexicalised
in many European languages. The concept in question is that of fate but the
investigation focuses on verbal manifestations of the tempting fate schema
(Dixon 2015). In addition to the orientational left/right schema (get up on
the right/wrong side of bed), within the tempting fate schematic concept several
sub-groups of paroemias and formulaic expressions can be distinguished. The
superstitious language in the study includes taboo exclamations (God damn
it!), blessings and curses (give one's blessing to do someone something,
To the devil with you!), oaths/vows (Cross my heart and hope to die,
Over my dead body!), and warnings. An example of a superstitious proverb
that can be classified as tempting fate is the warning: Nie wywołuj wilka z
lasu/Nie budź licha kiedy śpi (PL), Не буди лихо, когда спит тихо
(RU), Let sleeping dogs lie (GB) and Vekk ikke en sovende hund (NO).
The study covers a range of fixed phraseological units and proverbial phrases
in two Slavic languages, Polish and Russian, as well as two Germanic languages,
English and Norwegian. The research will detail both linguistic and conceptual
equivalence regarding this superstitious concept and approaching it from
linguistic and cultural perspectives.