Contents introduction chapter phraseological units with names of animals and their distinguishing features

1.2. Phraseological units with names of animals and their distinguishing features in Russian
Phraseological units with names of animals the Russian language are a direct reflection of the ethno-cultural environment in which was formed the lexical Fund of this language. Phraseological units with names of animals, like other figurative-expressive phraseological units give brightness, colorfulness. This is achieved by the fact that they successfully used a variety of media figurative expression: figurative, metaphorical value, comparison, hyperbole, alliteration, etc.
Phraseological units with names of animals express assessment of individuals, assessment of actions and mannerisms of the face, some features of the external appearance of a person get their emotional appraisal in the system of animal metaphors: wet chicken "people absurd and pathetic appearance," the tattered cat "woman of exceptional thinness, extremely emaciated," the elephant in the room – "man is exceptionally clumsy, clumsy", the snake in a corset – "a man with an exceptionally thin, slender". Images of all the above phraseological units with names of animals not only metaphorical, but largely and hyperbolic (actually even the weightless and thin creating still more fully the snake in a corset).
Phraseological units with names of animals of Russian language are inherented in the estimated value, i.e. positive or negative characteristic of a person or object from his steady, constant properties, and not random and temporary.
Thus, the comparison with animals gives a large range of visual effects, creates a whole series of figurative-expressive means, which, unlike individual author's comparisons are not only characterized by the lingua Franca, a certain frequency of use, reproducibility, but not inferior to them in the clarity, expressiveness of the image, in an emotionally-expressive advantages.
We know, for example, that almost any of the names of animal species (domestic animals, wild animals, birds, insects, etc.) can be used as an evaluation characteristic of a person (bear, Fox, donkey, monkey, spider, seal, rooster, etc): "white crow" – "the man abruptly released anything from the people surrounding him, different, not like them" and "the Raven" – "slow, clumsy and scattered man"; "wet hen" – 1. "about a person having poor form", 2. "about spineless, weak man" and "chicken," "the human brain is tiny, narrow horizons, limited interests"; "the lost sheep (lamb)" – "people who have lost the correct way of life" and "sheep" is "about a timid, meek man"; "Buridan donkey" – "a very indecisive person, hesitant in choosing between two equivalent solutions, etc." and "donkey" – "you foolish, stupid, stubborn man."
In the Russian language there are many metaphors with animalistic components. For example, we say "burning" instead of "to burn". Such phraseological unit formed as a result of the use of a portable word combinations and a very numerous and diverse in the Russian language, for example: a bird flying low, dirty trick, the mountain brought forth a mouse, the horse – man wings, a pig in a yarmulke, blue bird, white Raven, free bird, goose gripping a pencil-pusher, crocodile tears, Swan song, backwater, sea wolf, the hornet's nest, an old bird, goat, dog in the manger.
Clearly-shaped base – material-visual representation based on the reflection of a simple tangible object that serves as an animal, they are portrayed in more vivid, clear, colorful form. Visual function is a function of depiction: a metaphorical idiom suits the subject image in bright, beautiful clothes, gives an almost physical perceptibility.
In the Russian language there are also zoomorphic verbs such as to ape – to imitate, to lisit – to cheat. Zoomorphic verbs combine objects "wildlife" and "people". Such verbs belong to the category of the subject of the Slavic verb: to graft is to work hard, without complaint, palinites, up with this aggression, barnyard. Expanding the scope of their action is due to the "source" (the animal subject, as they begin to relate the subject-animals, Ms.: Sabbatai snapped – dogs, tigers, cats snapped; the guys cringed dogs, tigers, cats cringed; halopyrum horse, human, inflation).
Zoomorphic verbs correlate most often with comparative constructions. Between the source speech both zoomorphic and the verb is a linguistic epoch of formation and accumulation of comparative revolutions (compare: as sly as a Fox, the evil dog) and their subsequent "shrinkage" in the syntactic derivatives like "lisice", "canine", etc.
The most active member for verbs is the imperative form (not erses, not petousis, etc.). Russian zoomorphic imperatives are broad system of imperative-stimulating forms and structures, standing out in her special emotionally expressive colouring. Zoomorphic verbs Express the most negative actions and therefore in need of certain prohibitions: do not petousis, not begemotikas, not obezyannike. Positive forms of timeratio quite rare, which undoubtedly makes them more expressive evaluation. Functional interaction of timeratio with other expressive and neutral elements create a unique flavor of modern Russian speech.
In the Russian language there are many lexical items, used solely in the phraseology of that language. They are the source of fables I. A. Krylov. To Krylov's fables were created by M. V. Lomonosov, A. P. Sumarokov, V. A. Zhukovsky. But Krylov was destined to raise the fable genre to unprecedented heights. Proverbs, sayings, fairy-tale elements enabled the fabulist deeper, all-round to show the national character of the Russian people, his diligence, wisdom. Moreover, Krylov's fables heroes not be confused with characters from the works of, say, Aesop or La Fontaine. "Animals do it too think and act in Russian: pranks between an audible antics and rituals of production in Russia... the Word is everywhere it smells of Rus and Rus ...in the best fables of Krylov's no bears, no foxes, though these animals, think and act in them, but there are people, even Russian people" [Belinsky].
Added to this is: animals in Krylov's fables not just represent the people, they (most importantly!) are native qualities of certain social groups. So, Lions, Bears, Foxes, Wolves – are endowed with traits of the dominant classes; Bees, Sheep – representatives of the working people.
In Krylov's fables the dog – guard of the good, which is opposed to the wolf lover easy money: "the Day the flock under my protection, and at night I guard the house" ("Dog and Horse"). The dog – faithful friend of man: "...And the man: to the shame of us not every like the loyalty of a dog". But you can meet such expressions as: dog tail, dog's life, dog-tired, none (each) dog, i.e., in Russian culture there is a twofold interpretation of this image.
Pigs in the fables – uncivilized ignorant, pig – critic, the censor: "But how can criticism of a Sow not to call, which is that neither will be to disassemble, has the gift to see the thin one". I. A. Krylov awards her the epithet "pig pig" which "in Sora, in the dung rolled around in the slop on the ears, full swam" ("the Pig in the yard landlord").