Cultural-Bound Meaning of Animal Names in Arabic

Abstract

The current study investigates the cultural-bound meaning of animal names in Arabic. The study aims at finding out the different meanings of these words fulfilled and how different cultures play a crucial role in altering these meanings. The study analyzed ten animal names qualitatively by providing the various meanings of Arabic literature: Quran, dictionaries, idioms, and proverbs. The study found out that these names have conveyed different meanings based on the culture and context by which they occur. It proves that each name has a denotative meaning that fixed and another connotative meaning that reflects the speakers' culture. The study also reveals that factors like appearances, behavior, intelligence, and characteristics usually trigger individuals to name humans after animal names. Moreover, the gender of the animal name is another factor that can alter the meaning completely.