The Image of an Alien in Sub-Standard Zoonyms of the English and Russian Languages

The article presents the results of study of sub-standard lexical units-zoonyms involved in the formation of the image of an alien in English and Russian linguistic cultures. The purpose of this work is to select and analyze sub-standard tokens that form the image of an alien by comparing them with the characteristics (behavior, external similarity, etc.) of representatives of the animal world. The object of the study is one of the author’s lexicographic works — A Dictionary of Sub-standard Vocabulary (Jargon, Argot, Slang) of the Russian and English languages. Zoonyms. The author presents the image model, as well as the classification of sub-standard lexical units-zoonyms associated with this model, presents relativities and differentiations in the perception of the presented image by native speakers of the English and Russian languages. It is proved that sub-standard lexical units-zoonyms are one of the tools for modeling the image of an alien in English and Russian linguistic cultures. The image of an alien, presented by the English and Russian substandard zoonyms, makes it possible to clearly and succinctly express the opposition of the “own — alien” pair, adding to it the inherent sub-standard vocabulary flavor and social orientation.