The Connotative Meanings of Animal Names in the Algerian Society

Abstract

This study explores the connotative meanings of animal names in the Algerian society. To achieve this objective, a questionnaire containing 20 commonly used animal names in the Algerian society was created to collect data which were analyzed qualitatively. The results show that animal names are frequently used in the Algerian society to connote a variety of meanings based on the context and/or personal thoughts and beliefs of the interlocutors. The findings also show that some animal names are specifically used to describe only males or females, while other animal names are used for both sexes. All in all, the connotative meanings of animal names are related to descriptions of physical appearance, size, and character, and are used to fulfill semantic, pragmatic, and sociolinguistic functions. The use of animal names plays an important role in shaping the Algerian society with its diversities and cultural specificity. Keywords: Animal names; Denotation; Connotation; Semantic function; Pragmatic function; The Algerian society