Scholarly record
BIBLICAL PHRASEOLOGY IN GERMAN, ENGLISH, AND MACEDONIAN: A COMPARATIVE LINGUISTIC AND CULTURAL ANALYSIS
Abstract
This paper explores the profound and enduring influence of the Bible in the development of modern phraseology in the German, English, and Macedonian languages. As one of the most translated and influential texts in human history, the Bible has shaped not only religious and moral thought but also the idiomatic and metaphorical structures of European languages. Through comparative linguistic and cultural analysis, the study identifies and interprets biblical idioms and phraseological units that remain present in contemporary speech. The methodological framework of the paper includes both corpus-based and student-centered approaches. Students of German and English participated by gathering material from specialized phraseological dictionaries, as well as directly from the New Testament in German, English and Macedonian. Afterwards, they translated the selected idioms into Macedonian, their mother tongue, in order to establish semantic parallels and culturally appropriate equivalents. All examples in German, English, and Macedonian appear in the same form as in the corresponding editions of the Holy Bible in each of the three languages. This process resulted in a structured list of approximately 50 idiomatic expressions in German, aligned with their English and Macedonian counterparts, which served as the basis for further comparative analysis. Here is an example from the analysis: Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth | German: Auge um Auge, Zahn um Zahn | Macedonian: ??? ?? ???, ??? ?? ??? that serves as a symbol of justice and retribution. The research demonstrates that, although modern speakers may not always recognize their religious origins, these expressions retain their symbolic depth and cultural significance. The paper confirms that the Bible continues to serve as a living source of language, rich in symbolism and historical weight.
Publication Impact Profile
Publication details
References14
BURGER, H. (2003). Phraseologie: Eine Einführung am Beispiel des Deutschen. Berlin: Erich Schmidt.
BURGER, H. (2015). Phraseologie: Eine Einführung am Beispiel des Deutschen. Berlin: Erich Schmidt.
DIE BIBEL. Neues Testament mit Psalmen und Sprüchen. Textüberarbeitung nach der Übersetzung Dr. Martin Luthers (1912). Luther-Übersetzung. Luther-heute, 2022.
DIMITROVSKI, T. & ŠIRILOV, T. (2003–2009). Frazeološkiot recnik na makedonskiot jazik. Skopje: Ogledalo. Original: ???????????, ?. & ???????, ?. (2003–2009). ????????????? ?????? ?? ???????????? ?????. ??????: ????????.
DUDEN (2002). Redewendungen: Wörterbuch der deutschen Idiomatik. Mannheim: Dudenverlag.
FIDANCEVA, I. (2006). Somatskite frazemi svrzani so poimot „glava“ vo germanskiot i nivniot prevod na makedonski jazik (magisterski trud). Skopje: Filološki fakultet „Blaže Koneski“. Original: ?????????, ?. (2006). ?????????? ??????? ??????? ?? ?????? „?????“ ?? ??????????? ? ??????? ?????? ?? ?????????? ????? (??????????? ????). ??????: ????????? ???????? „????? ???????“.
FRIEDRICH, W. (1976). Moderne Deutsche Idiomatik. München: Hueber Verlag.
HOLY BIBLE (2011). Zondervan. Biblica US, Inc.
NOVIOT ZAVET (1899–2000). Dinamicen prevod. Meg?unarodno združenie „Gideoni“. Original: ?????? ????? (1899–2000). ????????? ??????. ??????????? ????????? „???????“.
PALM, C. (1997). Phraseologie. Eine Einführung. Tübingen: Narr.
RÖHRICH, L. (1991–1992). Das große Lexikon der sprichwörtlichen Redensarten, Bd. 1–3. Freiburg/Basel/Wien: Herder.
SIMOSKA, S. (2016). Biblijata kako nepresušen izvor na frazeologizmi: germansko-makedonski paraleli. Vo: Zbornik na trudovi od meg?unarodnata naucna konferencija „Zborot zbor otvora“. Skopje: Filološki fakultet „Blaže Koneski“, 263–273. Original: ???????, ?. (2016). ????????? ???? ?????????? ????? ?? ?????????????: ?????????-?????????? ????????. ??: ??????? ?? ??????? ?? ????????????? ?????? ???????????? „?????? ???? ??????“. ??????: ????????? ???????? „????? ???????“, 263–273.
VELKOVSKA, S. (2002). Beleški za makedonskata frazeologija. Skopje: Institut za makedonski jazik „Krste Misirkov“, Jazikot naš denešen, Kniga 8. Original: ?????????, ?. (2002). ??????? ?? ???????????? ????????????. ??????: ???????? ?? ?????????? ????? „????? ????????“, ??????? ??? ???????, ????? 8.
VELKOVSKA, S. (2008). Makedonskata frazeologija so mal frazeološki recnik. Skopje: Avtorsko izdanie. Original: ?????????, ?. (2008). ???????????? ???????????? ?? ??? ??????????? ??????. ??????: ???????? ???????.
View or Download full articleAccess options
SWS access login
Login as SWS Scientific CommitteeLogin as SWS Scientific PartnerLogin as SWS AuthorAuthors and approved SWS contributors will read and export their own linked papers after identity matching by SWS profile, email and SGEM GlobalID.
For librarian assistance: [email protected]
Purchase Instant Access
- Article can be downloaded after successful payment.
- Article may be used according to SWS library access terms.
- Article cannot be redistributed.
