This paper consists of two major parts, a theoretical framework and a contrastive analysis of idioms of death in the English and German language. The first part deals with the linguistic definition of the term “idiom”, including possibilities for their classification. The second section of the first part is going to present the concept of euphemism followed by a brief explanation and categorization of metaphors and the attempt of giving possible reasons for the maintaining taboo of death in western culture. The purpose of the second part of this paper is to analyze and compare a number of English and German idioms of death contrastively, in order to identify lexical and semantic similarities, including the investigation of the origin of certain expressions. Subsequently, a short closing reflection will end up this paper.
As death plays a significant role not only in western society but in communities all around the globe, idioms related to death became an important tool in human communication. But what is the actual purpose of using paraphrases in order to relate to death in an utterance? Why do idioms of death have a cultural importance and how is an idiom actually defined? Do certain idioms of death have the same semantic meaning in other languages?
Human communication has created a great number of idioms and figures of speech which range throughout every section of the daily life and appear in every situation possible. As this phenomenon indeed shows its importance, linguists have created the field of phraseology to investigate such expressions. Based on language contact and historical events, many idioms have synonyms and equivalent counterparts in several languages. Learning the specific idioms related to a certain culture helps to get to know more about the history, ethics and social values of a certain community.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Definition and Importance of Idioms
2.1 Classifications of Idioms
3. Euphemism and Taboo
4. Metaphors
5. Reasons for the Tabooing of Death
6. Analysis of idioms of Death in English and German
7. Closing Reflection
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines the linguistic, cultural, and psychological functions of death-related idioms in English and German, aiming to identify semantic and lexical parallels through a contrastive analysis.
- Theoretical definitions and classifications of idioms
- The role of euphemisms in managing death-related taboos
- Metaphorical categorization and meaning construction
- Psychological motives behind the suppression of death-related discourse
- Contrastive examination of specific English and German death idioms
Excerpt from the Book
6. Analysis of idioms of Death in English and German
As illustrated in the preceding paragraphs, idioms of death are metaphors as well as euphemisms or dysphemisms. The purpose of the following analysis is to compare some English and German idioms of death contrastively, in order to identify lexical and semantic similarities under the investigation of etymology of those expressions.
A common English idiom related to death is to dig one’s one grave as in the Example: Gerry keeps drinking alcohol excessively. He is digging his own grave. The German language provides the semantically absolutely equivalent expression sich sein eigenens Grab schaufeln which can be used exactly in the same context as the English one. Both expressions basically mean to harm oneself resulting in a serious problem, failure or downfall in the future. However, the German verb schaufeln is not a perfect translation for the English lexeme dig. If translating literally, to dig one’s own grave means sich sein eigenes Grab graben. Probably, to avoid the alliteration Grab graben the phrase Grab schaufeln established in the German language. An analog translation for sich sein eigenes Grab schaufeln is to shovel one’s own grave, which is semantically appropriate but not frequently used in the English language.
Exploring the origin of bite the dust and kick the bucket shows that both idioms derive from a certain way of dying. Bite the dust for instance has its roots in the military. “It once pertained especially to death on the battlefield, where one literally bit the dust in a fall from a horse when wounded. Today it applies not only to actual death but to figurative death that is caused by failure or ruin” (Hayakawa in Anders 1995: 51).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents the relevance of idioms in human communication and outlines the paper's dual structure consisting of a theoretical framework and a contrastive analysis.
2. Definition and Importance of Idioms: Defines idioms from a linguistic perspective and discusses their social importance as figurative tools for expressing complex emotions.
2.1 Classifications of Idioms: Explores various academic taxonomies for categorizing idiomatic structures, including semantic and morphological approaches.
3. Euphemism and Taboo: Investigates the function of euphemisms as a social strategy to manage unpleasant or taboo topics such as death.
4. Metaphors: Analyzes the metaphorical nature of language and provides a typology for understanding how metaphors are decoded based on real-world and cultural knowledge.
5. Reasons for the Tabooing of Death: Discusses the psychological and cultural triggers that lead to the avoidance of death-related language, including fear and religious anxiety.
6. Analysis of idioms of Death in English and German: Performs a direct contrastive comparison of selected idioms, investigating their etymology and semantic equivalents in both languages.
7. Closing Reflection: Synthesizes the findings, attributing observed linguistic similarities to historical language contact and shared West Germanic heritage.
Keywords
Idioms, Phraseology, Euphemism, Taboo, Metaphor, Contrastive Linguistics, Death, Semantics, Lexicology, Cultural Context, Language Contact, Etymology, Cognitive Mechanisms, Figurative Language, Lexical Borrowing
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The work explores how idioms related to death function within English and German, focusing on why these expressions are used and how they compare across both languages.
What are the core thematic fields covered?
The paper covers the definition of idioms, the concept of euphemism in relation to taboos, the role of metaphors in communication, and the psychology behind the avoidance of death-related discourse.
What is the research goal?
The goal is to conduct a contrastive analysis to identify lexical and semantic similarities and to trace the origins of specific idioms used to express death.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The paper utilizes a contrastive linguistic methodology, combining theoretical definitions with a descriptive analysis of idiomatic etymology and usage patterns.
What content is addressed in the main part?
The main part is divided into a theoretical framework covering phraseology, euphemism, and metaphor, and an analytical section examining specific idiomatic examples in English and German.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Idioms, Euphemism, Taboo, Contrastive Linguistics, Metaphor, and Cultural Context.
Why are euphemisms like "passing away" used instead of direct language?
They serve as a social and psychological mechanism to gloss over tragic incidents, reduce anxiety, and handle the emotional weight associated with death.
How does the author explain the difference between "kick the bucket" and its German counterparts?
The author notes that while "kick the bucket" has unique, potentially animal-related historical origins, German uses expressions like "den Löffel abgeben," which rely on different cultural metaphors related to domestic life.
What role does the Bible play in the evolution of these idioms?
The Bible is cited as a source for specific idioms like "give up the ghost" (den Geist aufgeben), which has influenced both English and German phrasing.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Alexander Zerfas (Autor:in), 2014, Death Idioms in the English and German language, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/372224
