ABOUT SIMILES WITH TERTIUM COMPARATIONIS SMART/STUPID IN BULGARIAN (IN COMPARISON WITH MODERN GREEK)

Abstract

The present study researches similes, in which the antonym pair smart, clever/stupid plays the role of tertium comparationis. The study adopts a comparative approach, focusing on Bulgarian as the source language and seeking equivalent units in Modern Greek. Stable comparisons are built using the X as Y construction, and often the right side of the comparative constructions is polycomponent. Such units express primarily a pejorative evaluative attitude, which is anthropocentrically oriented – a significant predominance of excerpted comparisons with the component stupid is noted. There are fewer comparative constructions that include the quality of smart/clever as the tertium comparationis. Similes are interesting and significant from both a linguistic and a folkpsychological perspective.