Poznan regional verbs and idioms connected with man’s physiological functions and physical condition

Anna Piotrowicz

Anna Piotrowicz - Uniwersytet Adama Mickiewicza w Poznaniu

Małgorzata Witaszek-Samborska

Małgorzata Witaszek-Samborska - Uniwersytet Adama Mickiewicza w Poznaniu

Résumé

The authors of the article present the analysis of about 100 Poznan regional lexical items that are verbal in nature and are connected with man’s physiological functions and physical condition, and which are registered in Słownik gwary miejskiej Poznania [Poznan Urban Slang Dictionary] edited by Monika Gruchmanowa and BogdanWalczak. The analysis of semantic categories represented by such verbs and idioms reveals that negatively evaluated functions and conditions (here: weakness, disability, handicap, tiredness, gluttony, etc.) as well as taboo words (such as pregnancy, excretion or intoxication) are much more frequently subject to designation. The above evaluation is combined with the fact that the analyzed lexemes belong to the expressive register of Poznan regionalisms. The anthropocentric character of the lexis quoted in the article and its emotional undertones influence a relatively stable status of these regionalisms in Poznan residents’ spoken language. A formal structure of the lexis belonging to the above thematic group, i.e. the presence of archaisms, dialectisms and germanisms therein, reflects the origin of Poznan regional variety of the Polish language.