Animal metaphors and similes in ancient Near Eastern wisdom literature
Why are people sometimes compared with animals? Both are living beings with certain common characteristics. The distinctive feature which makes the metaphor and simile sensible in a certain context has to be determined. It is human relations with animals in daily life which yield such figures of spe...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
2007
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| In: |
Journal for semitics
Year: 2007, Volume: 16, Issue: 3, Pages: 701-750 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | Why are people sometimes compared with animals? Both are living beings with certain common characteristics. The distinctive feature which makes the metaphor and simile sensible in a certain context has to be determined. It is human relations with animals in daily life which yield such figures of speech. First, definitions of the concept "wisdom literature" and of the terms "metaphor" and "simile" will be provided and then the actual sources for this study, namely a number of Sumerian, Akkadian, Hebrew and Aramaic proverbs in which animals feature, will be discussed. This will be followed by an analysis of these proverbs with regard to the distinctive feature of each animal used for the comparison in a specific context and the point of comparison considered. In conclusion, the application of the animal metaphors and similes in the different spheres of everyday life will be dealt with as far as the sources allow us to do so. |
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| Contains: | Enthalten in: Journal for semitics
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| Persistent identifiers: | HDL: 10520/EJC101069 |
