A Comparative Study on Metaphorical Concepts of Animals in Thai and German Idioms

Abstract

Abstract

            This paper focuses on a comparative study of conceptual metaphors about “animals” in Thai and German idioms with three objectives: to identify types of animals that appear in both Thai and German idioms; to analyze the conceptual meanings of each animal; and to compare the similarities and differences of conceptual metaphors from the meaning of animals in idioms from both languages. The results showed that there were 481 idioms with 27 types of animals found in both languages. The conceptual metaphor analysis of these idioms revealed 14 types of conceptual meanings: “negative human character”, “action/expression”, “condition”, “object”, “interpersonal relationship”, “positive abstract meaning”, “person”, “specific attribute”, “gender”, “habit”, “negative abstract meaning”, “quantity”, "time”, and “positive human character”. The results of the comparison of similarities and differences revealed that, in the case of animals that reflect the same conception in both languages, the reflection of their characteristics is clearly evident without the need for interpretation. Therefore, animals used in idioms and their conceptual meanings are perceived as they are in the nature, while the differences were due to the specific concepts of native-speaking societies. These concepts are influenced by beliefs, cultures, lifestyles, as well as influences from famous local literatures.