Phraseologism of "Sidorov goat" has always attracted special attention of philologists and ordinary people, because this expression sounds especially loudly, and its meaning is not understood the first time. People have long studied the origin of this expression, but have not come to a general conclusion. Who is she and what is the meaning of this phraseology?
What are phraseologisms?
Phraseologisms are stable expressions with the same order of words and meaning. Each word taken separately from phraseological unit does not mean the same thing separately. Phraseological expressions are stable in composition, unchangeable. When using them in writing or in speech, a person does not invent them on the go, but extracts them from memory. Expressions took shape over many years, and not over a short period of time.
Why use phraseological units?
Phraseologisms are used to give speech or text more emotionality. These expressions enrich the speech, make it more beautiful, interesting and colorful. Speech without phraseological units can become dry and not at all sounding.
The origin of phraseology
The expression "Sidorova goat" is a phraseologism with a proper name, which is why it attracts special interest and thorough studies of its origin. Linguists have several assumptions about what kind of mysterious animal this is. Some assumptions may sound like a fairy tale or a legend. Well, philologists still have not been able to say exactly where this phraseology came from and when it was first used. That is why people among the people themselves figured out where the phrase “Sidorov goat” came from, who Sidor is and why the goat.
Option one
The most common variant says that this phrase is built on the basis of the figurative meanings of the words "sidor" and "goat". Once upon a time, a sidor was called a rich person or a merchant who was especially angry, greedy and grumpy. This rich man was so angry that he wouldn’t spare the goat if she climbed onto his beds and ate a couple of beds of cabbage. In ancient times, goats were considered very harmful animals, from which there was little use, but many problems and losses. And the truth is, goats very often got to damage the property of rural residents.
The first variant of the origin of the expression is the most popular, but not all philologists consider it to be true.
Second option
The second option says that we were not talking about any goats - there was only one Arabic expression. "Sadar kaza" - this is the name of the judge’s sentence in Arab countries, which everyone was extremely afraid of. This verdict often included heavy beating with a stick. Therefore, it is believed that the "Sidorov goat" is only a distortion of the sentence of a Sharia judge when borrowing from the Arabic language.
People studying the Russian language, the origin of words in it, as well as phraseological units, believe that this expression most likely happened this way.
Third option
It is said that phraseology has another version of origin. This version is more like a children's fairy tale, and it is they who are told in schools to younger students while studying phraseological units. According to legend, there lived a long time a goat owner, whose name was Sidor. He wanted his goat to be the best, well-mannered, not trample the beds and did not steal cabbage from neighbors. However, his goat never obeyed. And when Sidor found out about her atrocities, he beat her with a stick for disobedience. Hence the expression "to tear like a sidor goat."
The meaning of phraseology
If you know the origin of phraseology, you can guess what “Sidorova goat” means. The meaning of phraseology is based on a comparison: when a person is told that they will "tear like a Sidor goat," this means that they will scold him, punish him, or even beat him.
Most often, this phraseological unit can be found in literary works. Writers love to use phraseologisms and other enduring expressions in their biographies, short stories and novels.
What does "Sidorova goat" mean? When a given expression is used in speech or text, associations with something sad appear. But recently, this expression is used not in the literal sense, as before, but in a little distorted. Today, a person who has done wrong or has done something wrong is not punished in the cruel ways that the Sidorov Goat used to get. The meaning of phraseology has changed, and now people are scolded and punished.
Synonyms for phraseologism "to tear like a sidor goat"
An important feature of each phraseologism, which is its main property, is that they always have a synonym, which in a word can convey the whole essence of the expression. Most often, phraseological units have antonyms, but there are exceptions.
Synonyms for phraseologism "to tear like a sidor goat": to beat, scold, beat, punish, slaughter, flog, do catch up, etc.
Among phraseological units a synonym for the expression "Sidorov goat" will be the famous phraseological unit "Kuzkina mother", which also means a threat to humans.
Other animal idioms
Animal phraseologisms are very popular and highly used. In addition to "Sidor goat" distinguish the following idioms:
- Stubborn, like a donkey - that’s how a very stubborn person who doesn’t want to admit that he is wrong or to agree with someone else’s opinion is spoken of.
- He’s lying like a gray gelding - blatantly lying in his eyes without a twinge of conscience,
- Hungry, like a wolf - this is what they say about a person who experiences a strong feeling of hunger.
- Martyshkin labor - useless efforts, unnecessary work, actions that ultimately do not lead to anything good.
- Tricky, like a fox - that's what they say about a cunning person.
- Blind chicken - phraseology about a person with low vision.
- To make an elephant out of a fly - an expression means a great exaggeration that is not true.
- A mosquito will not tarnish the nose - about an ideal product, a thing that is made without flaws.
- Not all cats are Pancake week - there is no such thing that everything is always going well.
- Work like a horse - work hard, tirelessly.
- Crocodile tears - phraseology means insincere tears shed for deception. Fake and feigned regrets.
- Buridanov Donkey is an interesting phraseological unit that was literally created by a French philosopher named Jean Buridan. He argued that if you put two equal arms of hay in front of a hungry donkey, he would starve to death, but would never choose one of them. Since then, the phraseology “buridan donkey” means a person who cannot make a choice between two identical things or possibilities.
- Return to their rams - this is often said in conversations, discussions. Phraseologism means a call to another interlocutor to adhere to the main topic of conversation.
- Turning around like a squirrel in a wheel - a busy person usually "turns around like a squirrel in a wheel", that is, constantly does his own business and chores.
- The scapegoat is a phraseological unit about a person who is blamed for all the mistakes of other people.
- Buy a cat in a poke - phraseology is considered the most popular and highly used. Despite the fact that the expression happened a long time ago, in Russia it is most often used precisely in our days. Phraseologism has an interesting legend of origin, they say that the French wits said so. The expression meant an unsuccessful buyer who acquired something without looking, knowing absolutely nothing about the qualities of his purchase.
"Sidorova goat" is a phraseological unit, built up a long time ago in Russia. But, despite this, in our days it is one of the most highly used.