Potencjalna lakunarność jednostek leksykalnych i frazeologicznych w badaniach kontrastywnych (na przykładzie wyrazów i idiomów z komponentem ‘kiwi’ w nowozelandzkiej odmianie języka angielskiego oraz w polszczyźnie)

Abstract

The paper aims to determine whether it is possible to indicate lexical and phraseological units which are likely to be non-equivalent in a cross-linguistic and cross-cultural perspective. The approach adopted is focussed on words which are culture-bound as the base for derivatives and fixed expressions. It is assumed that such units have high lacunarity potential. In order to analyse it, the New Zealand English words derived from the noun kiwi and idioms containing the word are discussed. The bird called kiwi is indigenous to New Zealand and has much eco-significance, which is reflected in language. The lexical and phraseological items for the analysis excerpted from various lexicographic sources are analysed with a view to determining how many of them have non-equivalents in the Polish language. Moreover, Polish systematic equivalents of the New Zealand words and phrases are proposed and discussed.