A złote jabłko stało się jabłkiem niezgody - o kulturowym i leksykograficznym wymiarze dwóch mitologizmów z komponentem nazywającym owoc

Abstract

In the phraseological stock of Polish there can be found language units which conceal a cultural symbolism of mythological provenance – symbolism that speakers are perhaps sometimes unaware of. In this group tere are two phraseological expressions containing a fruit name (apple) that seem to be genetically related to Greek mythology: the złote jabłko [golden apple] and the jabłko niezgody [apple of discord]. The article presents the etymology of the ‘apple’ lexeme, broadly outlines the symbolism of apple and apple tree in various cultures and mythologies, and eventually discusses, inter alia, (1) mythological motivation of the units under consideration, (2) semantic and formal status of mythology-based phraseological expressions, (3) lexicographic status of both expressions, and (4) their international character.