English proverbs and sayings with a component “pets and other animals” and their Russian equivalents

English proverbs and sayings with a component "pets and other animals" and their Russian equivalents.

The choice of the theme forour research is explained:

1) by the reality of materials allowing the participants to realize what the topic of the research is;

2) by personal interests of the participants in the material of our research.

From the scientific point of view the relevance of this work consists in searching and the attempt of the analysis of common general language phenomena in the Russian and English languages.

From the social point of view the relevance of this work consists in studying of foreign-language culture by means of proverbs and sayings and drawing national cultures together on the basis of the revealed general traditions.

The personal importance of the work is directed on increasing the level of own language competence by means of language of proverbs and sayings. The correct usage of proverbs and sayings gives speeches a unique originality and special expressiveness

The purpose of the research:

• To reveal semantic correspondence between English and Russian proverbs and sayings.

The tasks of the research:

• to compare the Russian and English proverbs, sayings;

• to analyze the figurativeness connected with various animals in English proverbs and to compare it to images of animals in Russian;

• to carry out the quantitative analysis of frequency of a mention of names of different animals in English proverbs and their Russian equivalent.

• The object of my research is proverbs and sayings with a component pets and other animals in the Russian and English languages, their similarities and distinctions.

The choice of English proverbs as an object of the research is caused by the fact that English is one of the richest languages in idioms, proverbs and sayings which are constantly used in literature, newspapers, movies, on TV and on the radio and in everyday communication.

The choice of Russian proverbs and sayings as an object of the research is caused by the fact that studying a foreign-language culture becomes possible only on the basis of the created cultural background of the native language.

• The research hypothesis: if we study distinctive and common features of proverbs and sayings in the Russian and English languages, it will help us to understand better language realities, and the national character of native speakers.

According to the Explanatory dictionary of Russian by Dmitri Ushakov: A proverb is a short figurative finished saying, usually rhythmic by form with instructive sense.

A saying is a trope in speech for emotional and expressional estimates.

The functions of proverbs and sayings:

• to warn people

e.g. Curiosity killed the cat.

• to laugh or to make comments on appearance and traits of character

e.g. The bird can be seen by its flight.

• to give advice or to teach wisdom

e.g. Let the sleeping dog lie.

and so on.

English proverbs and sayings which are translated equally into Russian, when the English option completely corresponds to the Russian one:

• Love me, love my dog. - Любишь меня, люби и мою собаку.

• A black hen lays a white egg. - От черной курочки, да белое яичко. От черной коровы, да белое молочко. Черна корова да бело молоко.

English proverbs and sayings which are partially translated into Russian, when the English option differs from the Russian one a little:

• A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.-Лучше птица в руках, чем две в кустах.- Лучше синица в руках, чем журавль в небе.

• A bird may be known by its song.-Птица узнаётся по её песне. - Видна птица по полёту. Видно сокола по полету.

English proverbs and sayings which completely differ from the translation into Russian, when the English option doesn't correspond to the Russian one:

• A cat may look at a king - Кошка может смотреть на короля.

• Лаптем щи хлебать.

The classification of English proverbs and sayings by the way of translating into Russian:

• English proverbs and sayings which are translated equally into Russian, when the English option completely corresponds to the Russian one.

• English proverbs and sayings which are partially translated into Russian, when the English option differs from the Russian one a little.

• English proverbs and sayings which completely differ from the translation into Russian, when the English option doesn't correspond to the Russian one.

Look at the comparative table.

Some of proverbs and sayings have the literal translation:

He died a dog's death. - Собаке собачья смерть.

Love me, love my dog. - Любишь кататься, люби и саночки возить.

An old horse make straight furrow. - Старый конь борозды не портит.

Some of proverbs and sayings have the partial translation:

Birds of a feather! - Рыбак рыбака видит из далека.

Like cow, like calf. - Каков поп, таков и приход.

Some of proverbs and sayings have the unmatched translation:

Let sleeping dogs lie. - Не буди лихо, пока оно тихо.

Every dog has his day. - Будет и на нашей улице праздник.

The frequency of usage the images of pets and other animals in English proverbs and sayings:

Most of all (about 24%) the image of a dog and (about 23%) the image of a cat are used in proverbs and sayings.

Then about 15% the image of a horse.

About 11% the image of a bird and a sheep.

About 9% the image of a cow.

And about 7% the image of a donkey.

The most popular Russian proverbs with the images of pets and other animals:

Most of all the proverbs with the image of a fish are used, about 27 %.

Then the proverbs with the image of a donkey, about 21%.

The proverbs with the image of a hare, about 17%.

And the proverbs with the image of a wolf, about 12%.

The conclusion.

As a result of this very work we could come to some conclusions:

• The images of pets and other animals in English and Russian bear different emotional meaning, positive and negative as well.

• The basis of the most proverbs and sayings is directly connected with features of habits, appearance and behavior of the pets and animals, noticed by people and attributed to the person as they reflect different bright characteristics of this or that representative of fauna easily connected with these or those qualities of a person. In the majority of proverbs and sayings only the horse has a positive image in two considered languages and it is one of the uniting signs.

• Images of a sheep, a goat, a donkey ( or an ass ), a rabbit and a wolf in most cases bare negative meaning as people represent in them such qualities as stupidity, humility, curiosity, complacency, obstinacy, cowardice or slyness.

• As for the images of dogs and cats, for two considered languages, they can bare either positive or negative meanings.

• According to the ways of translating proverbs and sayings from one language into another one they can be divided into three large groups:

• English proverbs and sayings which are translated equally into Russian, when the English option completely corresponds to the Russian one.

• English proverbs and sayings which are partially translated into Russian, when the English option differs from the Russian one a little.

• English proverbs and sayings which completely differ from the translation into Russian, when the English option doesn't correspond to the Russian one.

The main sources of information:

1. Аникин В.П. - Русские пословицы и поговорки - М., 1998.

2. Даль В.И. 1000 русских пословиц и поговорок -классик, М.: РИПОЛ, 2010

3. Кузьмин С.С. , Шадрин Н.Л - Русско- английский словарь пословиц и поговорок- М., «Русский язык», 1978.

4. Соломоник Т.Г.- Другими словами…Словарь английских идиом-СПб.: «Алга-Фонд»,1994

5. Стефанович Г.А. и др.- Английский язык в пословицах и поговорках: Сб. упражнений для учащихся 8-10 кл. сред. шк.-М.: Просвещение, 1987

6. usefulenglish.ru/idioms/idioms-proverbs-with-proper-names

7. usefulenglish.ru/idioms/russian-and-english-proverbs

Приложение.

English proverbs and sayings:

• He who would catch fish must not mind getting wet. A cat in gloves catches no mice.

• God sends a cursed cow short horns.

• A cursed cow has short horns.

• A wicked cow has short horns.

• God doesn't give horns to a cow that butts.

• Oh wicked cow that wants to gore.

• An old horse is never good

• Any fish is good if it is on the hook

• All cats are grey at night.

• You needn't be afraid of a barking dog, but you should be afraid of a silent dog.

• Beware of a quite dog and still water.

• A sparrow in the hand is better than a cock on the roof.

• A bird may be known by its flight.

• Take the bull by the horns.

• You cannot pull a fish out of a pond without labour.

• One would like to eat fish, but would not like to get into the water.

• God does not give to cow that butts.

• A wolf won't eat wolf.

• You do not need a whip to urge on an obedient horse.

• Chickens are counted in autumn.

• Do not make an elephant out of a fly.

• You do not swap horses while crossing the ford.

• Eggs cannot teach a hen.

• A cat has nine lives.

• A dog is wiser than a woman; it does not bark at its master.

• A hen is heavy when carried far.

• A monkey never thinks her baby's ugly.

• As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.

• As mad as a March hare.

• As proud as a peacock.

• Beware of a silent dog and still water.

• Do not blame God for having created the tiger, but thank him for not having given it wings.

• Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

• It is the good horse that draws its own cart.

• It is the quiet pigs that eat the meal.

Russian proverbs and sayings:

• Без труда не вынешь и рыбку из пруда.

• Бить собаку, ругая курицу.

• Была бы свинка, будет и щетинка.

• Быть бычку на верёвочке.

• В холод кошка мышей не ловит.

• Видит волк козу - забыл и грозу.

• Волк для овец плохой пастух.

• Волк коню не товарищ.

• Волка на собак в помощь не зови.

• Волка ноги кормят.

• Волка пожалей - искусает ещё злей.

• Волков бояться - в лес не ходить.

• Воробьи гомонят - гнёзда завивают.

• Ворона хоть и за море летала, а всё белой не стала.

• Всяк сверчок знай свой шесток.

• Всякая мышь боится кошки.

• Говорят, что кур доят.

• Горе одного только рака красит.

• Дай курице грядку - изроет весь огород.

• Жаловалась овца волку на плохое житьё.

• Журавль летит высоко, видит далеко.

• За гриву не удержался - за хвост не удержишься.

• За комаром с топором, за мухой с обухом.

• Заговелась лиса - загоняй гусей.

• Заяц от лисы, а лягушка от зайца улепётывает.

• Знай, сверчок, свой шесток.

• И волки сыты, и овцы целы.

• И лягушка может утонуть.

• Из пушки по воробьям не бьют.

• Кабы куст не был мил, соловей гнезда б не вил.

• Каждая курица свой насест хвалит.

• Каждая птица своё гнездо защищает.

• Каждый кулик в своём болоте велик.

• Каждый кулик своё болото хвалит.

• Когда влюбишься, и мартышка покажется красивой; когда не любишь, и от лотоса отвернёшься.

• Когда кошка уходит, мыши выходят размяться.

• Конь бежит - земля дрожит.

• Корова черна, да молоко у неё бело.

• Корову палкой бить - молока не пить.

• Кошка только на мышей и храбра.

• Куда конь с копытом, туда и рак с клешнёй.

• Кулик да гагара - два сапога пара.

• Кусают и комары до поры.

• Либо корму жалеть, либо лошадь.

• Либо сена клок, либо вилы в бок.

• Ловит волк, ловят и волка.

• Лошадь - подарок, и ложка - подарок.

• Лучше маленькая рыбка, чем большой таракан.

• Любовь зла - полюбишь и козла.

• Маленькая собачка - до старости щенок.

• Мартышка и без хвоста всё равно мартышка.

• Мастер из печёного яйца цыплёнка вытащит.

• Метил в ворону - попал в корову.

• Можно и с козлом поладить, коль по шёрстке погладить.

• Молоко у коровы на языке.

• На ловца и зверь бежит.

• На насесте своём петух всех сильней.

• На обед пичужке довольно и мушки.

• На свалке своей петух всех главней.

• На свинью хоть хомут надень, всё конём не будет.

• На целое яйцо мухи не садятся.

• На чужой сторонушке рад своей воронушке.

• Не велик сверчок, а громко поёт.

• Не велика птица - синица, да умница.

• Не всё коту Масленица.

• Не всякая собака кусает, которая лает.

• Не гони коня кнутом, а гони коня овсом.

• Не за то волка бьют, что он сер, а за то, что он овец съел.

• Не первую зиму волку зимовать.

• Не робей, воробей.

• Не убьёшь змею - она ужалит.

• Не учи козу: сама с воза стащит.

• Одна ласточка весны не делает.

• От ворон отстал и к новым не пристал.

• Отольются волку овечьи слёзки.

• По воробьям из пушки не стреляют.

• Пой лучше хорошо щеглом, чем худо соловьем.

• Посади свинью за стол - она и ноги на стол.

• Прямо только вороны летают.

• Птичка невеличка, да коготок остёр.

• Рыба с головы гниёт.

• С волками жить - по-волчьи выть.

• С деньгами - дракон, без денег - червяк.

• С паршивой овцы хоть шерсти клок.

• Свинья грязи найдёт.

• Сказал бы словечко, да волк недалечко.

• Скотину водить - не разиня рот ходить.

• Собака на сене - сама не ест и другим не даёт.

• Собака не знает о достатке своего хозяина.

• Соловья баснями не кормят.

• Сорока на хвосте принесла.

• Старая собака понапрасну не лает.

• Стая шакалов может искусать тигра.

• Тигр хоть и лют, а своих тигрят не съест.

• Тощая собака - позор для хозяина.

• У гусыни усов не ищи - не сыщешь.

• Хорош заяц белый, а охотник смелый.

• Хорошая лошадь, но ест жухлую траву.

• Хороший кузнец и лягушку подкуёт.

• Через силу и конь не скачет.

• Чует волк, где добыча.

• Чует кошка, чьё мясо съела.

• Чья бы корова мычала, а твоя бы молчала.

• Без труда не вытащишь и рыбку из пруда

• Был конь, да изъездился

• Бодливой корове Бог рог не даёт

• Бог не выдаст, свинья не съест