Images linguistiques du monde a travers des sequences figees

Abstract

Monika Sułkowska analyzed, on the lexical level, the problem of a Iinguistic image of the world, by comparing phraseological units denoting body parts in French, Italian and Polish. She came to the conclusion that although in these languages the linguistic images of the world and metaphorical rneanings of expressions are similar, there are sorne differences between their metaphorical representations. One can often encounter expressions that difTer on the aspect of an employed body part e.g. French avoir la tête sur les épaules and Polish mieé glowf na karku. Most of the differences in the organization of such idiomatic expressions are connected with the names of upper limbs (arm, shoulder, hand, palm), lower limbs (leg, foot) and names like nape or armpit. The opposition appears usually between French and Italian on one side, and Polish on the other. The observed differences in representation can he explained by the semic analysis and by the prototypical cognitive structures.