Of the immortality of the crab and the seven lives of the cat: towards a characterization of Cuban zoomorphic phraseology

Abstract

The work focuses on presenting and illustrating the main characteristics of Cuban zoomorphic phraseology, which is composed of expressions that use the name, a quality, or an action typical of an animal to refer to human characteristics, behaviors, or conduct. To do this, it relies on the systematization of the subject carried out in various studies between 2019 and 2024, as well as the analysis of a database compiled from the collection and processing of 639 current zoomorphic phraseological units in Cuba. The results from previous studies on specific aspects, along with the analysis of the information gathered in the database, have allowed for generalizations to be established and distinctive features to be observed regarding the form, meaning, and usage of these zoomorphic units in Cuban Spanish. Therefore, even though this topic had received little attention in the country's linguistics, the research undertaken now allows for the integration of partial and scattered results into a general characterization of Cuban zoomorphic phraseology.