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THE CULTURAL REPRESENTATION OF FAMILY IN ENGLISH
PHRASEOLOGY
Yusufova Zebo Abduhamidovna
PhD student of SamSIFL
Annotation:
This article explores how English family values are reflected in the
phraseological worldview of the English language. Using a linguocultural approach,
the study analyzes phraseological units that emdiv the cultural concept of “family”
within English society. Particular attention is paid to the portrayal of marital
relationships, the role of women in family structures, and the traditional values such
as stability, conservatism, and emotional restraint. The research demonstrates that
phraseology not only reflects the reality of social life but also serves as a means of
preserving and transmitting cultural norms and family traditions from generation to
generation.
Keywords:
Phraseological unit, linguistic worldview, family values, English
culture, marital relations, gender roles, emotional restraint, lifestyle.
This study examines the spiritual and cultural worldview of the English people
as reflected in the English linguistic picture of the world, which serves as a rich
source of knowledge emdiving the cultural heritage of the nation.
Language can serve as a valuable source of information about a people’s culture,
psychology, and worldview. Through the lens of language, one can observe the
specific features of national character, behavioral stereotypes, ethical and moral
standards, among other cultural indicators. This perspective allows scholars to treat
language as a key to understanding complex phenomena such as consciousness,
thinking, personality, society, and culture — as emphasized in the works of scholars
like Yu. D. Apresyan, N. D. Arutyunova, Yu. S. Stepanov, W. von Humboldt, E.
Sapir, and others.
This study seeks to construct a portrait of the modern English person through the
lens of cultural and family values as reflected in English phraseology.
In the book Phraseology: Theory, Analysis and Applications, the authors (V.
Telia, N. Bragina, E. Oparina, and I. Sandomirskaya) argue: “Phraseology can be
considered as a testing ground for the anthropocentric paradigm in linguistics, and its
central thesis is that a linguistic worldview is determined by the thinking and culture
of a particular speech community” [Telia, Bragina, Oparina, Sandomirskaya, 1998, p.
56]. It is precisely this correlation that explains why language is not only a reflection
of reality but also a means of transmitting the cultural and national norms and
traditions of its speakers from one generation to the next. The English soul is said to
International scientific journal
“Interpretation and researches”
Volume 1 issue 13 (59) | ISSN: 2181-4163 | Impact Factor: 8.2
60
be hidden behind seven locks. It is difficult to call the eyes of an Englishman a mirror
of the soul—often, they reveal nothing. His speech is concise and filled with irony, in
which a deeper, often concealed meaning is embedded.
The English are extremely meticulous in their choices—whether of clothing,
profession, or family. Everything in their life is neatly organized and structured.
Every event is expected to unfold according to a particular, pre-planned scenario.
The English often describe their long historical development through simple yet
meaningful phraseological realities:
The Dark Ages
– the Middle Ages
The Golden Ages
– the golden age, a period of flourishing
The Age of Reason
– the era of rationalism
The Augustan Age
– the golden era of literature and arts [Anglo-Russian
Phraseological Dictionary, 1984, p. 33].
We begin our analysis by focusing on the English family and the relationships
between its members. The family is widely recognized as the fundamental social unit
shaping an individual’s worldview and linguistic picture of the world.
English families tend to be inwardly reserved, with each member zealously
guarding their privacy. Suppressing emotional expressions, especially towards
children, is often considered an essential aspect of upbringing. Paradoxically, parents
may show great tenderness towards pets, openly kissing and hugging them in public,
while showing little overt affection toward their children. Such public displays of
affection for children are often viewed as a weakness and are culturally discouraged.
Some phraseological expressions that capture this emotional restraint and
expected behavior include:
1.
Keep a level head
— to remain calm and composed even in stressful
situations,
2.
Mind one’s manners
— to behave politely and respectfully in social
contexts,
3.
Pull one’s weight
— to fulfill one’s responsibilities or do one’s fair
share of work [Green, 2002, p.33].
Emotional closeness within English families is typically carefully avoided. In
fact, psychological barriers between family members can sometimes be greater than
those between the family and society at large. The high value placed on independence
and self-reliance in English families often results in emotional isolation, sometimes
culminating in loneliness. Marital relationships in England tend to be quite reserved:
husbands and wives rarely interfere in each other’s affairs. Just like feelings of
attachment, emotions such as shame, resentment, and anger are often concealed
behind the spouses’ calm smiles. Loud arguments and public quarrels are generally
uncommon in English families. By ignoring such conflicts, disagreements are usually
International scientific journal
“Interpretation and researches”
Volume 1 issue 13 (59) | ISSN: 2181-4163 | Impact Factor: 8.2
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stopped at an early stage, preventing them from escalating into something more
serious.
According to surveys conducted by British newspapers (The Daily Mail, The
Sun, The Times), most English men believe that a wife’s primary role is to be a good
homemaker. They tend to reject qualities such as foolishness, wastefulness,
quarrelsomeness, and cunning in their spouses [Stack, 1985].
Some phraseological sayings reflect cultural attitudes toward women, for
example:
1.
“You don’t know anything about a woman until you meet her in court
[Mailer,1983,p.174].
2.
“I hate women because they always know where things are”
[Thurber,1988,p.62].
3.
"A man can find happiness with any woman, as long as he does not truly love
her" [Wilde,1988,p.179].
Since ancient times, women have been seen as clever and cunning beings; it was
believed that women’s intellectual abilities often surpass those of men. In
phraseology, a woman also symbolizes support and a source of new life
[Mamatov,2011,p.172].
1.
Through her wit and skill, a woman could easily compel a man to marry her:
2.
2.
To make an honest woman (out) of someone
— to marry a woman with a
questionable reputation and legitimize their relationship by marriage.
Women in English society are attributed both many virtues and flaws. The
cleverness of women has inspired numerous proverbs and popular sayings in English
phraseology. Appearance also frequently becomes the subject of new phraseological
expressions. The concept of “femininity” in the English linguistic worldview often
carries a somewhat ironic tone. We will illustrate this phenomenon with examples:
1.
There’s a woman involved
— implying that a woman is the cause or factor
behind something, similar to “look for the woman” [Anglo-Russian Phraseological
Dictionary, 1984, p. 830].
2. A woman of the world
— a worldly-wise or experienced woman.
A woman's age is often considered a very private matter, and discussions about
appearance are also a sensitive topic for many women. Both a woman’s looks and age
have inspired a variety of proverbs and idiomatic expressions:
1.
A man is as old as he feels, and a woman as old as she appears
— a
proverb highlighting that a man’s age is judged by how he feels, while a woman’s
age is judged by her appearance.
2.
Beauty is only skin deep
— a proverb warning that outward beauty can be
deceptive.
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Volume 1 issue 13 (59) | ISSN: 2181-4163 | Impact Factor: 8.2
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3.
A dolly bird
(slang) — a pretty, stylish young woman, often referred to as a
“doll.”
4.
Beauty and the beast
(humorous) — referring to an attractive woman paired
with an unattractive man.
5.
A social butterfly
— a frivolous, superficial socialite or young woman.
English women tend to believe that their husbands often possess qualities such
as untidiness, foolishness, sluggishness, dishonesty, selfishness, and narcissism:
An old woman
(derogatory) – a timid or fussy person (used about a man)
[Anglo-Russian Phraseological Dictionary, 1984,p.830].
My good man
(colloquial) – my dear (a polite, sometimes ironic way a wife
addresses her husband) [Anglo-Russian Phraseological Dictionary, 1984,p.484].
Nevertheless, we consider that for an Englishman, the family is not only a
fortress but also a kind of quiet haven where one can always find support without
feeling obliged, since independence of the English spirit is paramount. The examples
given provide ample food for thought. From them, we conclude that, overall, the
English way of life forms a code of conduct in society that excludes notions such as
permissiveness and excessive openness. Talking about one’s private life is considered
improper among the British, and they tend to avoid such conversations. Likewise,
they avoid talking about salaries and personal income.
The English emphasize a person’s behavior rather than their motives, focusing
on upholding certain social norms:
Actions speak louder than words
– a person is
judged by their deeds [Anglo-Russian Phraseological Dictionary, 1984,p.48].
Thus, English family relationships are characterized simply and concisely.
However, it is possible that behind this simplicity lie quite different motives, which
are often very difficult to uncover. Relationships within an English family cannot be
compared to those in families of other ethnicities. There is a complex set of reasons
for this, which we have tried to explain in our work. Using the phraseological units,
sayings, idioms, and proverbs mentioned above, the image-motivational foundations
of these linguistic units are expressed figuratively. This allows us to observe a vivid
linguistic — in this case, phraseological — picture of the world of the English
language and the English people as a whole.
From the above, it can be concluded that most phraseological units in the
English language have a national specificity. Thus, within the PPW, one can identify
both universal properties and national features, both in expression and content.
References:
1.
Anglo-Russian Phraseological Dictionary. Moscow: Russkiy Yazyk,
1984.
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Volume 1 issue 13 (59) | ISSN: 2181-4163 | Impact Factor: 8.2
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2.
Mamatov, A. E. National-Cultural Semantics of Phraseological Units.
Tashkent, 2011.
3.
Telia, V., Bragina, N., Oparina, E., & Sandomirskaya, I. Phraseology:
Theory, Analysis and Applications. Moscow, 1998.
4.
Ter-Minasova, S. G. Language and Intercultural Communication:
Textbook. Moscow: Slovo, 2000.
5.
Byrne, R. 1,911 Best Things Anydiv Ever Said. New York, 1988.
6.
Cross, J. The Oxford Book of Aphorisms. Oxford, England, 1983.
7.
Green, J. The Cynic’s Lexicon. London, 2002.
8.
Partnow, E. The Quotable Woman. New York, 1978.
9.
Stack, P. The San Francisco Chronicle. October 4, 1985.
