Animal Idiomatic Expressions: A Contrastive Study between Arabic and English

This study examines idiomatic expressions involving animals in English and Arabic. As a native Arabic speaker and an English university instructor, the researcher observed that both languages utilize animals in idiomatic contexts to convey specific connotations or messages that differ from the literal meaning of the expressions. The researcher identified these animal-related idioms in both languages and organized them into tables to highlight similarities and differences through a comparative approach. The findings revealed three key points: First, certain animal idioms are used in both languages to express the same indicative meaning; second, some English idioms have counterparts in Arabic that convey the same meaning but involve different animals; and third, some English animal idioms have no equivalents in Arabic. The study concludes that understanding the cultural context of idiomatic expressions fosters native-like linguistic competence. It contributes to cross-cultural understanding by systematically identifying, comparing, and categorizing animal idioms in Arabic and English, emphasizing their cultural significance and practical implications for language learners, translators, and educators.