The figurative idioms of English, German and Kazakh in contrast

Abstract

This article discusses the figurative phraseological units, namely the idioms of English, German and Kazakh languages in comparative aspect. It appeals to the phraseology of imagery due to the fact that the imagery - a defining component of semantic derivation and semantics of phraseological units in particular. The main goal is to make a contribution to the theory of phraseology, based on the tradition of comparative phraseology. After determining the subject and object of the research, a brief review of domestic and foreign publications in the field of comparative phraseology the article describes the results of practical analysis of idioms in three languages. The main features of the analyzed units are multi-component structure, stability, idiomaticity that distinguishes them from other expressions. They can be interpreted in two different conceptual levels: in the literal sense, which is the basis of the inner form of a linguistic unit and in a figurative sense. The role of a semantic element between the two levels assumes shaped component values (image component) (Dobrovol’skij, 2009). Phraseological images are of cultural significance and informative, revealing a particular fragment of culture. For example, in the base of the inner form of  English idioms “ to show one's true colour” (figurative  “to show one's real face”, to show who you are”), of German idiom “ins Fettnapfchen treten  (literary “stepping on a pot of lard”; figurative meaning  “to step on smb's toes”); of Kazakh idioms “er tokymyn bauyryna aldy” (literary “hug the saddle”; figurative “to be angry” ); shabyna shok tusti( literary “hot coal got to the groin”; figurative “to be nervous”) lay some prototypical situations. In the analysis are used  the method of field simulation. The study aims to identify and develop a model describing visual images as elements of the cognitive system. They are variably implemented in the content of figurative means of German, English and Kazakh. Keywords: imagery; visuality; imagery means; imagery structure