CULTURAL IDENTITY AND HERITAGE IN MEDICAL AND ANATOMICAL MWU – A MATTER OF IDIOMATICITY OR FIGURATIVENESS? A COMPARATIVE APPROACH
CULTURAL IDENTITY AND HERITAGE IN MEDICAL AND ANATOMICAL MWU – A MATTER OF IDIOMATICITY OR FIGURATIVENESS? A COMPARATIVE APPROACH

Summary/Abstract: Since idioms are hard to define and many idiomatic expressions rarely enter the category of idioms proper as recently defined by Bauer and Grant (2004), many multi-word units (MWU) may seem hard to render in target languages, either by means of another similar word unit or by means of explanatory translation devices. This research paper will investigate if figurative idioms derived from specific experiential domains (in our case medicine and anatomy) can be motivated by reference to their literal usage in their original contexts. Such expressions may be idioms proper or figurative expressions and the aim of this work is to define both their nature according to the strict rules established by Laurie and Grant but also to prove that their metaphorical/figurative meaning is derived from old medical habits which are instances of cultural heritage and identity, sometimes still in use nowadays in certain branches of medicine such as rheumatology or psychiatry.

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