English Proverbs with Numerical Components: Structural-Semantic Analysis
https://doi.org/10.18384/2310-712X-2022-4-6-17
Abstract
Aim. To study the English proverbs with numerical component from the viewpoint of their syntactic structure and semantics and to compare them with their Russian equivalents.
Methodology. The research data were selected from the major dictionaries of English proverbs using the method of continuous sampling. As a result of structural-semantic analysis the proverbs were classified into separate groups. Statistical analysis was performed to specify the numerical components and syntactic structures most frequently used in the English proverbs. Comparative analysis made it possible to compare the English proverbs with quantitative components to their Russian analogues.
Results. It has been established that the most frequently used numerals are the simple numerals one, two and three, the prevalent stylistic device is antithesis. The differences in the use of numerical components in the English and Russian proverbs have been revealed.
Research implications. The results obtained enlarge the existing knowledge about the English proverbs with quantitative components and may be used for practical studies of English at different levels. Scientific novelty consists in classifying the English proverbs on the basis of a number of parameters and determining the most frequently used numerals and syntactic structures.
About the Author
T. E. Alexeeva
Academy of the FPS of Russia
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Tatyana E. Alexeeva, Cand. Sci. (Education), Assoc. Prof., Department of Foreign Languages
ulitsa Sennaya 1, Ryazan 390000
References
1. Alexeeva T. E., Fedoseeva L. N. [Stylistic devices and expressive means in English proverbs]. In: Izvestiya Voronezhskogo gosudarstvennogo pedagogicheskogo universiteta [Izvestia Voronezh State Pedagogical University], 2020, no. 2 (287), pp. 159–163.
2. Boktayeva V. L. [Common in the reflection of the concepts "mind" and "stupidity" in proverbs and sayings in English and Russian]. In: Strategii razvitiya sovremennoy nauki. Ch. III [Strategies for the development of modern science. P. III]. Moscow, Pero Publ., 2020, pp. 142–144.
3. Veretyagin N. Yu., Veretyagin M. Yu. Otrazheniye osobennostey natsionalʹnogo mentaliteta v russkikh i angliyskikh poslovitsakh [Reflection of the features of the national mentality in Russian and English proverbs]. Taganrog, Southern Federal University Publ., 2012. 215 p.
4. Voloshin Yu. K. [Magical number seven]. In: Aktualʹnyye problemy filologii i pedagogicheskoy lingvistiki [Current issues in Philology and Pedagogical Linguistics], 2016, no. 3 (23), pp. 49–53.
5. Gordeyeva N. V., Dyatlova A. K. [The concept of “wealth and poverty” in the proverbs of the Germanic languages (on the example of English and German languages)]. In: Tendentsii razvitiya nauki i obrazovaniya [Trends in the development of science and education], 2021, no. 72-5, pp. 58–60. DOI: 10.18411/lj-04-2021-188.
6. Emelyanova Ya. B. [The role and place of proverbs in teaching foreign languages to translators]. In: Nauchno-pedagogicheskoye obozreniye [Pedagogical review], 2016, no. 4 (14), pp. 80–86.
7. Ivanova Ye. V. Poslovichnyye kartiny mira (na materialakh angliyskikh i russskikh poslovits) [Proverbial pictures of the world (based on English and Russian proverbs)]. St. Petersburg, Faculty of Philology of St. Petersburg State University Publ., 2002. 153 p.
8. Ignatenko K. V., Kuimova K. V. [On the issue of translating proverbs and sayings with digits and numbers (on the example of Russian and English languages)]. In: Molodoy uchenyy [Young scientist], 2015, no. 10 (90), pp. 1396–1398.
9. Kornitskaya A. B. [Semantic organization of English proverbs and sayings with quantitative component]. In: Vestnik Moskovskogo gosudarstvennogo lingvisticheskogo universiteta [Vestnik of Moscow State Linguistic University], 2009, no. 549, pp. 133–145.
10. Kuznetsova S. V., Razumova M. V. [Symbolism of numerals in English folklore]. In: Na peresechenii yazykov i kulʹtur. Aktualʹnyye voprosy gumanitarnogo znaniya [At the intersection of languages and cultures. Topical issues of humanitarian knowledge], 2020, no. 3 (18), pp. 163–167.
11. Lesneva O. A. [Proverb’s and advertising images: on paremias in a discourse of advertising]. In: Uchenyye zapiski Novgorodskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta (elektronnyy nauchnyy zhurnal) [Memoirs of NovSU (electronic scientific journal)], 2016, no. 1 (5). Available at: https://portal.novsu.ru/univer/ press/eNotes1/i.1086055/?id=1215464 (accessed: 01.12.2021).
12. Mayka I. R. [The use of proverbs and sayings in teaching English]. In: Nauchno-metodicheskiy elektronnyy zhurnal «Kontsept» [Scientific and methodological electronic journal “Koncept”], 2013, vol. 3. Available at: http://e-koncept.ru/2013/53040.htm (accessed: 01.12.2021).
13. Malyugina A. V. [Perception of law in the Russian and English cultures (by the material of the proverbs with the component “law”)]. In: Filologicheskiye nauki. Voprosy teorii i praktiki [Philology. Theory & Practice], 2017, no. 4-2 (70), pp. 128–130.
14. Moiseyeva I. Yu., Chudina Ye. V. [Pragmatical functions of proverbs and sayings]. In: Vestnik Orenburgskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta [Vestnik of the Orenburg State University], 2004, no. 11 (36), pp. 170–172.
15. Mustafina A. R. [Structures of syntactic compression in English proverbs]. In: Vestnik Bashkirskogo universiteta [Bulletin of Bashkir University], 2009, vol. 14, no. 3, pp. 801–805.
16. Orlova T. G. [Lexical-semantic analysis of English and Russian phraseological units (proverbs) expressing attitude to labor, work, and business]. In: Filologicheskiye nauki. Voprosy teorii i praktiki [Philology. Theory & Practice], 2012, no. 3 (14), pp. 69–72.
17. Sidorkova G. D. Pragmatika paremiy: poslovitsy i pogovorki kak rechevyye deystviya [Pragmatics of Paremias: Proverbs and Sayings as Speech Actions]. Krasnodar, Krasnodar State University Publ., 1999. 134 p.
18. Stashkova M. A. Funkcionirovanie poslovic i antiposlovic s gendernym komponentom v sovremennom anglijskom yazyke: dis. ... kand. filol. nauk [The functioning of proverbs and anti-proverbs with a gender component in modern English: Cand. thesis in Philological Sciences]. Moscow, 2015. 231 p.
19. Zhang Jie, Zhang Hongying. [Numerals in proverbs and sayings in Russian, English and Chinese]. Novosibirsk, OOO «SibAK» Publ., 2021. 82 p.
20. Shevchenko V. V. Simvolika i znacheniya chislovyh komponentov v anglijskih frazeologicheskih edinicah: avtoref. dis. ... kand. filol. nauk [Symbolism and meanings of numerical components in English phraseological units: abstract of Cand. thesis in Philological Sciences]. Moscow, 2001. 16 p.
21. Yakovleva S. L., Toktarova V. I. [The concept of knowledge in the paroemiological fund of American English]. In: Sovremennyye problemy nauki i obrazovaniya (setevoye izdaniye) [Modern problems of science and education (Digital scientific journal)], 2015, no. 2–1. Available at: https://science-education.ru/ru/article/view?id=20874 (accessed: 01.12.2021).
22. Mieder W. Proverbs are never out of season: Popular wisdom in the modern age. New York, Oxford University Press, 1993. 304 p.
23. Lau K. J., Tokofsky P., Winick S. D., eds. What Goes Around Comes Around: The Circulation of Proverbs in Contemporary Life. Logan, Utah, Utah State University Press, 2004. 198 p.
Review
Views:
1067
Email this article 
