Semantics of english animal proverbs from the perspective of cultural linguistics

Novikova Olga

The article analyses the semantics of English animal proverbs from the perspective of cultural linguistics. The research was based on 246 animal proverbs from modern phraseological dictionaries and proverb dictionaries. The article deals with expressive means that demonstrate the originality of the creative nature of the language thinking of English-speaking peoples. The most productive core of animal components is considered in the analysed proverbs. The national and cultural specificity of the language picture of the world of the English-speaking people is determined by the content of certain concepts that exist in the English-speaking language mentality. The author emphasizes the importance for English language learners to study the analyzed proverbs for the formation of linguistic and cultural competence.

Keywords:cultural linguistics, language picture of the world, animal proverbs, expressive means, imagery.