Semantic meaning of phraseologisms with a numeric component

Abstract

Phraseological units are stable sayings, idiomatic constructions, the meaning of which is not defined literally. They are perceived as a single whole and are used by native speakers in a fixed format. In other words, phraseological unit is a semantically related combination of words, which, unlike similar syntactic structures (phrases or sentences), does not arise in the process of speech in accordance with the general grammatical and semantic patterns of the combination of lexemes, but is reproduced in the form of an established, indivisible, integral structure. These meanings are contextual and above all figurative and figurative. In modern linguistics, several types of classifications of phraseological units are known. One of them is based on the semantic fusion of its components. The purpose of the research is to identify the general regularities and peculiarities of the semantics of phraseological units with numerological components “one”, “two”, “three”, “four”, “five” in different languages. The article presents the semantic differences and similarities of phraseological units with a numerological component in three languages: French, Canadian French, and English. The author of this article seeks to identify all similarities and differences, using material collected from phraseological dictionaries and phraseology manuals of the analyzed languages, comparing the disclosure of individual topics, the frequency of the appearance of numerical components in phraseological units, their types and meanings according to different linguistic images of the world. During the research we used different methods including: cross-sectional study, descriptive study, relational study, comparative study, descriptive and explanatory approaches. The database obtained allows us to conclude that along with phraseological units in which the numerical component retains its original number value, there are also phraseological units in which the meaning of this component is completely or partially dismantled, which is due to the reflection of the history, mythology, religion and superstitions of the people.