'Brood' en 'botter': figuurlike taalgebruik in Afrikaans en die motiveringsteorie

Abstract

A certain type of multiword lexical item, namely a non-compositional string of words or idiom, is examined in this article. The motivation theory is used in an attempt to provide an explanation for those cases where the language user is able to make sense of an expression on the basis of the meanings of individual words in such an expression or idiom. A small group of idioms was examined, namely idioms in which the words butter or bread or both appear. From the results the following can be deduced: those idioms which are clearly well-known are recognised without a problem. The string of words is probably stored with its figurative meaning in the mental lexicon. Language users furthermore demonstrate a definite consciousness of the link between literal and figurative meanings of certain individual words in the idioms. It is not clear to which extent other motivational links (like encyclopaedic knowledge) contribute to the decoding of idioms that are less well-known or not known at all. For the moment the most that can be concluded is that the highest degree of motivation in this particular group of idioms can be discerned in those idioms which are also best known.