Modifications of idioms in Croatian and German language of fashion Cover Image

Modifikacija frazema u hrvatskom i njemačkom jeziku mode
Modifications of idioms in Croatian and German language of fashion

Author(s): Anita Pavić Pintarić
Subject(s): Language and Literature Studies
Published by: Filozofski fakultet, Sveučilište Josipa Jurja Strossmayera, Osijek
Keywords: modification of idioms; language of fashion; Croatian; German

Summary/Abstract: This paper investigates modification techniques and the use of modified idioms in Croatian and German anguage of fashion. Fashion journalists present fashion trends not only with photos but also with effective idiomatic expressions. The language use in Croatian and Ger-man magazines shows many similarities as well as a number of equivalent modified idioms. Proverbs and catch phrases are mostly modified and used in titles in order to draw readers’ at-tention. They are used quite often in the media so we can remember them faster and recognize them easily. Two modification techniques are present in the corpus: formal with semantic modification (achieved first and foremost with lexical substitution) and semantic without formal modification (achieved with photos). A short survey among Croatian and German fe-male readers of magazines shows that they recognize modified proverbs and names of popular films and songs. We can thus conclude that journalists successfully apply idiomatic modifica-tions in the language of fashion.

  • Issue Year: X/2009
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 59-72
  • Page Count: 14
  • Language: Croatian