Semantic derogation in animal metaphor: a contrastive-cognitive analysis of two male/female examples in English and Spanish

• Published in: Journal of pragmatics 2003-05, Vol.35 (5), p.771-797
• Main Authors: Fontecha, Almudena Fernández, Jiménez Catalán, Rosa Marı&#x0301, a
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal Metaphor; Cognitive analysis; Contrastive analysis; Dictionary based analysis; Gender representation; Semantic derogation; Sexist language
• ISSN: 0378-2166; 1879-1387
• DOI: 10.1016/S0378-2166(02)00127-3

In this paper we present a contrastive cognitive analysis of metaphorical usages of the word pairs fox/vixen and bull/cow, together with their Spanish counterparts zorro/zorra and toro/vaca. We have four specific aims. Firstly, we wish to find out whether these examples of Animal Metaphor are equally conceptualized in English and Spanish. Secondly, we investigate whether the two paired examples within each language are used in semantic derogation, understood as the use of a word to convey negative connotations and stereotypes, here interpreted specifically with respect to the two sexes. Thirdly, if there is indeed semantic derogation, we wish to ascertain whether it applies equally to male and female terms. Finally, we would like to know whether the same degree and kind of semantic derogation is observed in the two languages, on the bases of the examples analyzed. Our analysis shows that first, the words in these particular animal pairs are indeed metaphorically applied to persons in both English and Spanish, though we noted subtle but remarkable differences between the two languages; second, some kind of semantic derogation appears in both languages; third, overall it is observed that the main metaphorical meanings of the female terms connote worse qualities than those connoted by the metaphors of the male terms; and fourth, there are differences in the degree and kind of semantic derogation found in the two languages.