Idiomatic equivalents in terms of metaphoric transfer

Abstract

The article presents a hermeneutic approach to idiomatic equivalents in terms of metaphoric transfer. Metaphor is viewed by the authors in its broad sense that can be applied to any use of words in an indirect meaning. Hence, an idiom is understood as a verbalized metaphor that reflects both the universal and specific features of a given language. Idiomatic equivalence that traditionally refers to the linguistic properties of the idiom is presented in the article as hermeneutic equivalence based on the thinking activity approach. Within the framework of such approach the idiomatic equivalence highlights the transfer from one culture to another way of thinking and thinking activity organization.