The names of the fox participate in the expression of several notions, among which cunning and cowardice dominate. The figures inspired by the idea of ??cunning are numerous and syntactically diverse, while the metaphorical realizations of the cowardice trait are typologically less rich. The field of cunning exerts a strong attraction on morphological creations as well as on lexicalized terms, relevant to other notional fields. The remotivations provide a further demonstration of the dominant position of the cunning trait in the names of the fox, which has sometimes gone so far as to mislead lexicographers. It is finally a proof that metaphorical language is governed by a few simple principles, closely linked to our perception of the world. - [Abstract]

Language: French

Locators: DOI: 10.1075/rein.18.05lib