Walking like a porcupine, talking like a raven
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Olga Lovick
Abstract
This paper investigates the cultural grounding of animal idioms describing human behavior in Upper Tanana Athabascan. Semantically, we can identify two types of idioms. Type I idioms are grounded in observations of real-life animals. They are iconic in that they are based on, and evoke, rich images. Type II idioms are grounded in mythology. Certain animals are cultural symbols, representing a particular trait. Type II idioms are thus symbolic. Comparison with other Alaskan Athabascan languages demonstrates that such idioms are common, but also that they are extremely endangered since they are part of the colloquial, rather than formal, language.
Abstract
This paper investigates the cultural grounding of animal idioms describing human behavior in Upper Tanana Athabascan. Semantically, we can identify two types of idioms. Type I idioms are grounded in observations of real-life animals. They are iconic in that they are based on, and evoke, rich images. Type II idioms are grounded in mythology. Certain animals are cultural symbols, representing a particular trait. Type II idioms are thus symbolic. Comparison with other Alaskan Athabascan languages demonstrates that such idioms are common, but also that they are extremely endangered since they are part of the colloquial, rather than formal, language.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Prologue 1
- Endangered metaphors 15
- “Our language is very literal” 21
- “My heart falls out” 77
- Walking like a porcupine, talking like a raven 103
- Are Nahuatl riddles endangered conceptualizations? 123
- Bodily-based conceptual metaphors in Ashéninka Perené myths and folk stories 145
- The use of a conceptual metaphor in the Siroi language of Papua New Guinea 161
- Kewa figures of speech 185
- Metaphors in Dimasa and Rabha – A comparative study 205
- Numbers that Chumburung people count on 221
- The importance of unveiling conceptual metaphors in a minority language 253
- Antlers as a metaphor of pride 275
- Metaphors of the Finnish Roma in Finnish and Romani 293
- “Bhio’ tu dìreach ga ithe, bha e cho math = You would just eat it, it was so good” 315
- Metaphors of an endangered Low Saxon basis dialect – exemplified by idioms of STUPIDITY and DEATH 339
- Index of conceptual metaphors/metonymies 359
- Name index 361
- Subject index 365
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Prologue 1
- Endangered metaphors 15
- “Our language is very literal” 21
- “My heart falls out” 77
- Walking like a porcupine, talking like a raven 103
- Are Nahuatl riddles endangered conceptualizations? 123
- Bodily-based conceptual metaphors in Ashéninka Perené myths and folk stories 145
- The use of a conceptual metaphor in the Siroi language of Papua New Guinea 161
- Kewa figures of speech 185
- Metaphors in Dimasa and Rabha – A comparative study 205
- Numbers that Chumburung people count on 221
- The importance of unveiling conceptual metaphors in a minority language 253
- Antlers as a metaphor of pride 275
- Metaphors of the Finnish Roma in Finnish and Romani 293
- “Bhio’ tu dìreach ga ithe, bha e cho math = You would just eat it, it was so good” 315
- Metaphors of an endangered Low Saxon basis dialect – exemplified by idioms of STUPIDITY and DEATH 339
- Index of conceptual metaphors/metonymies 359
- Name index 361
- Subject index 365
