ETHNOSTEREOTYPIC COMPONENT AS A REASON FOR PHRASEMES ORIGIN IN ENGLISH

Abstract

Relationships between representatives of different ethnic groups can be displayed in a language through phraseological units with nationalities nominations.  There are some phraseological units with the “French” component in English. Such phraseological units have certain connotations that are based on the historically conditioned attitude of native English speakers to the French. The source of this attitude can be traced in historical events, such as clashes between Great Britain and France in both political and economic spheres. These clashes led to the formation of some ethnostereotypes, which formed the basis of the analyzed phraseological units. The aim of this study is to identify the reasons for the initial motivation of such phraseological units, based on the stereotypical ideas of the British about the French. This goal contributes to a deeper understanding not only of the semantics of an important layer of the English phraseological fund, but also of the native English speakers’ worldview.