FOX ZOONYMIC COMPONENTS IN GREEK PAREMIOLOGY AND THEIR ENGLISH TRANSLATION EQUIVALENTS

The purpose of the research is to analyse of phraseological units with zoonymic components in the Greek language and to identify the particular reason why foxes are so apparent in Greek folklore and oral tradition. To accomplish these goals, the following tasks were set: to specify the reasons why such proverbs and adages appear in Greek folklore; to determine their purpose; to distinguish the equivalent in the English language. The outlined tasks required the use of methods such as analysis and discussion on particular zoonymic components, comparative linguistic analysis in the English and Greek languages.

Throughout Greek paremiology animals take on human properties and anthropomorphic characteristics that outstrip them from their natural ones. They become symbols or incarnations of deities. They acquire moral status, while becoming protagonists of fairy tales and stories. They speak and give valuable life lessons. The faithful dog, the wise owl, the fiendish snake and the wild wolf are practically immortalised in Greek folklore, as they became archetypes and symbols of particular qualities, morals and ways of being.

But why choose specifically the fox? Even during the ancient Greek times, the fox was considered cunning. The resourceful and insidious animal recognises that it is unable to overpower an apex predator, and, respectively, people. Thus, it resorts to tricks and slyness. In various myths and fables the fox’s cunning swells are far beyond the animal’s natural tactics (Αραβαντινός Π., 1996: 183).

Keywords: proverb, zoonym component, paremiology, Greek language, English language