Names of domestic animals in the descriptive idioms

Darbas anglų kalba. Naminiai gyvūnai idiomose. Introductions. The notion of idiom. The main features of idioms. The relationship between idiom words and their figurative referents. The complexity of the idiom meaning. Idiom categories. Names of domestic animals in the descriptive idioms. Idioms containing "dog" as their thematic metaphorical aspect. Idioms containing "cat" as their thematic metaphorical aspect. Idioms containing "pig" as their thematic metaphorical aspect. Idioms containing "cow" as their thematic metaphorical aspect. Idioms containing "horse" as their thematic metaphorical aspect. Idioms containing "sheep" as their thematic metaphorical aspect. Idioms containing "goat" as their thematic metaphorical aspect. Idioms containing "bull" as their thematic metaphorical aspect. Idioms containing "donkey" as their thematic metaphorical aspect. The distribution of thematic metaphorical aspect in animal idioms and their comparative analysis according to their positive and negative implications. Conclusions.

The English language is full of idioms (over 15,000). Native speakers of English use idioms all the time, often without realising that they are doing so. (12) This means that communication with native speakers of English can be quite a confusing experience. Non-native speakers not only attempt to perceive idiom meaning, but also want to be able to use that language creatively. Here again, idiomatic language plays an important role. Consequently, is worth to examine idioms, because idiomatic language is mostly anthropocentric, i.e. it is focused on people, their behaviour, perceptions of their environment, their physical and emotional states, and their interaction with others, thus reflects the mentality of the speakers.
This research paper consists of theoretical part that is concerned with fundamental issues of English idioms and practical part that deals with the analyses of the descriptive animal idioms according to their thematic metaphorical aspect.
The aims of this research paper is to work out the prevailing thematic metaphorical aspects of English animal idioms and to analyze idioms according to their positive and negative connotation.
The method of the research is the critical analysis of linguistic material and the comparative analysis of various dictionaries, such as: Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Cambridge Dictionary of American English, Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary, Cambridge International dictionary of Idioms.
The conclusions presented at the end of the research paper sum up the major points received in the course of the analysis. ...