VII Международная студенческая научная конференция Студенческий научный форум - 2015

Metaphorical rethinking prototypes of phraseological unit, especially variables phrases are one of the most important sources of enrichment phraseology of any language, including English. Metaphorical phraseologies based on different kinds of similarities such as real and imagined, and may represent only persons only nonperson and those and others. Nevertheless the vast majority of FU has anthropocentric character that is refers to a person or to connected with him. These turns are usually estimated. That may be negative and positive. But there is also lack of evaluation.

Designation of persons

1) Negative evaluation

The similarity of age: Babes and Suckling, a dog in the manger, a round peg in a square hole (or a square peg in a round hole), a snake in the grass.

Revolutions with a negative evaluation are more than positive. Some of them apply only to women, men or children: a fine lady (it is ironic), a lounge lizard, Peck's Bad Boy, a weak sister.

2) Positive evaluation

The similarity of power: a tower of strength, a big gun.

Some FU with a positive assessment applies only to women or to men: the fair sex, girl Friday, a golden girl, a golden boy, the lord of creation, man Friday.

3) The lack of evaluation

The similarity of the situation: back-room boys.

FU denoting the person may contain the names of their own personal: John Hancock, Tommy Atkins and etc.

Designation nonperson

1. Negative evaluation

The similarity of taste: a bitter pill to swallow, gall and wormwood; the similarity of action: a stab in the back, the last straw.

1. Positive evaluation

The similarity of action: a break in the clouds; the similarity based on the property to be of vital importance: the breath of one's nostrils.

1. The lack of evaluation

The similarity of the movement: ducks and drakes, fox and hounds.

Some PE can concern both to persons, and not persons, for example, of a dead duck-1) the washed-up the person - 2) idea, a subject, etc. which aren't of any value anymore; and feather in smb.'s cap - pride subject (about someone or about something. Expression arose in connection with old custom of Indians to carry so many feathers in a headdress, how many it is killed enemies), etc.

PE given above contains a negative, positive assessment or are without valuation. Negative or positive estimates in turns with a live internal form are usually closely connected with the negative or positive images embodied in data of PE and based on literal values of their components. Even without knowing value of PE a snake in the grass, a stab in the back, a break in the clouds, a diamond of the first water, etc., it is possible to judge character the estimates expressed by these turns.

Some completely rethought PE, mainly literary or publicistic origin, contain elements both negative, and positive estimates: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - the person in whom that kind beginning, angry (wins in stories of RL. Stephenson "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" virtuous hero doctor Jekyll periodically turns into vicious Mr. Hyde); ups and downs - good luck and failure,

take-off and falling.

Many metaphorical turns have such character, owing to what these or those concepts expressed by them are designated is veiled, not directly, in the softening form. Similar especially there is a lot of turns among PE designating death or a devil. Death: great (or last) enemy - "great (or the last) the enemy"; last great change, one's (or the) last sleep, never-ending sleep - an eternal rest; a leap in the dark - "a jump in uncertainty" (the last words of English the philosopher T. Hobbes (1588 - 1679) were: I am about to take my last voyage, great leap in the dark). Devil: Evil One-evil spirit; father of lies (библ.) - father of lie; Old Harry (Nick, Poker or Scratch) (old adversary, boy, enemy or gentleman), old gooseberry-enemy of the human race; prince of darkness – the Prince of Darkness; evil (or wicked) Spirit-evil ghost.

Instead of tuberculosis it is possible to tell the white scourge - "a white scourge".

Thieves pickpockets are called playfully by the light-fingered gentry - "experts of no to others pockets", and hired soldiers, mercenaries - soldiers of fortune.

Often metaphors have hyperbolic character, for example, of a bull in a china shop ←слон in the crockery to bench; bull of Bashan (библ.) - person with a thunderous voice; truba Jericho (letters. "vasanskiya bull"), etc. (see §34).

Very often similarity is based on various properties of subjects, animals, insects, etc., considered as their main sign. Property to be rigid: a hard or tough nut to crack - tough nut, too hard; the instruction on approach of the end: a nail in one's coffin-something accelerating the death, death someone, is similar to death that designates the beginning and the end: alpha and omega of smth. - Alpha and Omega, beginning and end; the irritating character something: a flea in one's ear – irritating answer, sharp remarks; a red rag to a bull - as a red rag for a bull (i.e. that brings in rage, rage); a thorn in one's flesh - a source of constant irritation, troubles; ← eyesore, etc.

Besides the simple metaphors reflecting collective vision of the world transparent on the image, as similarity of situation, flavoring feelings, colors etc is their cornerstone., among substantive PE many difficult, more subjective metaphors which cornerstone are meet the most various, and sometimes and difficult definable types of similarity: a bee in one's bonnet - whim; obsession, mania, point of insanity, "hang-up"; a pill to cure an earthquake - "all the same, that a pill from an earthquake", a pathetic half measure; and rope of sand - the deceptive durability, illusion; a storm in a tea-cup - a storm in a teacup, etc. The unreal situation is the cornerstone of all these turns.

Metaphorical character of similar turns resulted from complete reconsideration words entering them, based on the associations arising in connection with an unreal image.