The paper conducts a lingua-cultural analysis of figurative speech, focusing on idioms, metaphors, proverbs, and sayings that include the words mother/mom and father/dad in English, Russian, and Hebrew. The aim is to explore the concepts of mother and father in these languages. The study resulted in the compilation of tables and statistical data, covering approximately 205 expressions—100 in English, 65 in Russian, and 40 in Hebrew. The research employs descriptive, interpretive, and conceptual methods, as well as an analysis of dictionary definitions. The article delves into several key areas. It examines the quantitative relationship between expressions related to mothers and fathers, highlighting the unique role of parents, particularly mothers, in an individual's life. The study also explores expressions of unconditional and sometimes uncritical maternal love, alongside criticisms of overprotective maternal care in adulthood. Furthermore, it investigates differences in the portrayal of the mother's primary role across the three linguistic cultures and the interchangeability of gender in expressions. In addition, the paper discusses the use of humor, emotional exclamations, and curses involving the word mother as an intensifier, as well as variations in profanity with this word. The sources of these expressions include folk wisdom, Latin sayings, the Tanakh, the Old Testament, and quotes from literary and public figures. Article visualizations:
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T. Kigel (2024) studied this question.
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