On the theme: «Phraseology: Reflections and New Perspectives»
Editor: Valérie GauthierFortin
Valérie Gauthier-Fortin
Foreword. Phraseology, Between Language and Culture (p. 17-25)
1. Phraseology, Cultural Anchoring, and Cognition
Daniel Vojtek
«French and Slovak football phraseology: missed equivalences?» (p. 29-63)
Abstract: This study examines the lexical-semantic and translational treatment of a corpus of phraseological units drawn from sports French. The aim is to analyze their semantic transparency, that is, the degree to which the figurative meaning can be deduced from the literal meaning, as well as their equivalence in Slovak. The findings indicate that a small proportion of the expressions exhibit partial or total transparency, with an equally modest percentage of total or partial equivalences in Slovak. The analysis reveals the influence of sports culture and shared metaphors on the formation and translation of idiomatic expressions. This research highlights the challenges and potential strategies for phraseological translation between French and Slovak. Additionally, it revisits and theorizes several fundamental concepts in translation studies, such as functional equivalence, and addresses the cultural and sociolinguistic dimensions of translation. The study underscores the importance of individual phraseological units and metaphors as primary sources of failed equivalence between the languages under examination. In this context, we propose a theoretical framework suggesting that a phraseological unit, when compared to a terminological unit, exhibits significantly more restricted, fixed, and rigid equivalence behaviours: it lacks synonyms, is resistant to modification, and, in its original form, can only be translated via substitution.
Keywords: Phraseology, Football, Equivalence, French, Slovak.
Ketevan Djachy
«The Internationalization of Proverbs and Their Comparative Analysis in Romance Languages and Georgian» (p. 65-88)
Abstract: The proverb is a phraseological unit that takes the form of a sentence. The semantics of proverbs can be defined as a type of phraseological nomination that is realized within the framework of the phraseological communicative type following an allegorical interpretation of the initial semantics. This article concerns the comparative typological study of international proverbs in Romance languages and Georgian. Its objective is to identify the syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic characteristics of proverbs in the compared languages based on linguistic and semiotic modeling, as well as to determine whether they are absolutely or partially internationalized. The corpus (about 300 units) was compiled from the internet, dictionaries, and collections of proverbs from the 20th century, written by French, Italian, Spanish, and Georgian authors. The methodology of this work is descriptive and contrastive. The analysis of each proverb is carried out according to the invariant thematic pairs.
Keyword: Proverb, Internationalization, Comparative Study, Linguistic and Semiotic Modeling, Paremiology.
Driss Rabih et Mourad El Baroudi
«Idiomatic Expressions in Amazigh and Moroccan Arabic: A Contrastive Analysis and the Question of Substrate-Superstrate» (p. 89-114)
Abstract: This article presents a comparative analysis of idiomatic expressions in Amazigh and Moroccan Arabic, with a focus on their phraseological fixation and cultural grounding. Based on a corpus collected in two regions, one Amazigh-speaking and the other Arabic-speaking, it provides evidence of the substrate and superstrate phenomena that shape both languages. The analysis also shows how these phraseological units convey a collective memory and a shared identity, thereby reflecting the dynamics of linguistic and cultural interaction that have marked the two communities over the centuries.
Keywords: Idiomatic Expressions, Phraseological Fixation, Amazigh Substrate, Arabic Superstrate, Collective Memory.
Anissa Zrigue
«Phraseology and Neuro-Linguistic Programming: The Role of Phrasemes in the Cognitive and Discursive Reconfiguration of the Subject» (p. 115-132)
Abstract: This article examines the role of phrasemes in the cognitive and discursive reconfiguration of the subject, particularly within neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) practices. Long considered peripheral lexical units, fixed expressions, proverbs, and discourse routines are now acknowledged as central devices that contribute to cultural anchoring, language learning, and cognitive structuring. NLP employs these stereotyped formulas to influence mental representations, emotions, and behavior, providing an ideal context for exploring the relationship between linguistic fixity and cognitive plasticity. This study offers a phraseological analysis of NLP formulas, highlighting their syntactic stability, illocuto-perlocuto function, and axiological orientation. It shows that phrasemes are not merely frozen structures but linguistic instruments of subjectivation, capable of reshaping discourse and self-perception.
Keywords: Phraseology, Phrasemes, Neuro-Linguistic Programming, Cognition, Subjectivation, Discourse.
Koussay Kajo
«Non-actualization as a problematic dimension of fixedness» (p. 133-161)
Abstract: This article re-examines the notion of actualization, understood as the passage from the potential to the real, through the linguistic and contextual mechanisms that underlie it. It highlights the relative nature of the criterion as the verb may retain a temporal or modal actualization linked to its predicative function.
The study further challenges the application of semantic principles specific to the free component of language to the domain of fixed expressions, as these tend to obscure their specific properties. It proposes to conceive meaning construction in these units as a process of re-re-ferentialization based on an internal logic, thereby revealing implicit predicative relations that are constitutive of the phenomenon. From this perspective, the criterion of non-actualization is reassessed, since its strict interpretation limits the understanding of fixed expressions and tends to neglect their cognitive and discursive dimensions, thus revealing a shortcoming in semiotic analysis.
Keywords: Fixedness, fixed expression, actualization, opacity, Semiotic triangle, Referentialization.
2. Pragmatic Phraseology: Interactions and Contexts of Use
Alexis Ladreyt
«Pragmatic Phraseology: Theoretical Aspects and Phraseographic Processing» (p. 165-214)
Abstract: Phraseology, long regarded as a marginal subfield of lexicography, has progressively established itself over the past fifty years as a fully-fledged research area with its own theoretical and conceptual ecosystem. Its scope has recently broadened toward an interdisciplinary, tool-assisted approach, fostering the emergence of a subdomain – pragmatic phraseology – which investigates prefabricated lexical forms with pragmatic functions, referred to as pragmatic phrasemes (PPh). This paper seeks to initiate a theoretical and methodological discussion of their description and modelling, focusing in particular on frequent PPhs used in everyday interaction to convey the speaker’s affect, termed expressive pragmatic phrasemes. After clarifying key concepts, we outline the phraseographic methodology adopted, and then present a case study of the anger-related expressive pragmatic phraseme Ça me gonfle ! (“it’s driving me crazy!”), which allows us to concretely illustrate the workings of our theoretical and methodological framework. We conclude with a brief synthesis and outlook.
Keyword: Pragmatic phraseology, phraseography, everyday conversation, expressive pragmatic phrasemes.
Haythem Hamdi
«Greetings Formulas: Cultural Units?» (p. 215-237)
Abstract: This article examines greeting formulas in Arabic from a phraseological perspective and situates them alongside their French equivalents to question their status as cultural units. The study is based on a bilingual corpus consisting of the trilogy by the Egyptian novelist Najib Mahfoudh and their French translations by Philippe Vigreux. Using a predicative analysis approach, the study describes these formulas as pragmatemes, defined by the parameters of the speech situation (speaker, interlocutor, their relationship, spatiotemporal context, etc.), and shows how they convey cultural inferences that go beyond the mere act of greeting.
Keywords: Greeting Formulas, Pragmateme, Language Ritual, Cultural Unit, Inference.
Ruyue Deng et Céline Robillard
«Treatment of Pragmatemes in French Language Textbooks Designed for Migrant Learners in France» (p. 239-264)
Abstract: This article examines how pragmatemes are treated in eight French language textbooks designed for migrant learners in France. It proceeds from the assumption that this phraseological unit — characterized by its situational anchoring and pragmatic function – is particularly well suited to teaching contexts that favor a functional and pragmatic approach to language, one in which what is taught should be directly transferable to learners’ everyday lives. The results indicate that although all eight textbooks adopt a functional approach, they fall into two broad categories: those primarily geared toward literacy development and those more focused on communication, with the former featuring fewer pragmatemes than the latter. Furthermore, even in textbooks where pragmatemes appear in significant numbers, they remain confined to a limited set of speech acts and communicative situations and are for the most part presented in a decontextualized way.
Keywords: Pragmateme, Language Pedagogy, Textbook, Migration.
3. Phraseology in Discourse, Media and Literature: Discursive and Cultural Perspectives
Brakissa Sawadogo
«The Words of the Socio-Political and Security Crisis in Burkina Faso» (p. 269-289)
Abstract: Following its accession to the French community in 1958, Burkina Faso gained independence two years later on 5 August 1960. Since that date, several political regimes have succeeded each other in the management of state power. Thus, from 1960 to 2022, the political history of the country was marked by instability largely due to the cyclical return of military coups. The drama that the people of Burkina Faso experience takes shape in language practices, which give the language a spectacular creativity. Indeed, the emergence of neologisms, among others, in the French language, reflections of a society in full crisis, constitutes the framework for the collection of a corpus, object of this analysis, which falls within the scope of sociolexicology. Thus, while focusing on the social, political and linguistic factors that led to the development of terminologies, we propose to identify the processes of creation of these words by taking into account their sociopolitical and sociolinguistic context.
Keywords: Sociolexicology, Socioterminology, Neology, Neologism, Lexicology, Linguistics, Sociolinguistics.
Hélène Georgette Meutou
«Proverbs and Cultural Identity in the Speeches of His Majesty Sokoudjou Chendjou II: An Attempt at Pragmatic Analysis» (p. 291-313)
Abstract: This article explores how sayings contribute to the transmission of values and cultural identities in the speeches of His Majesty Fo’o Sokoudjou Chendjou II, the traditional chief of the village of Bamendjou in western Cameroon. African royal speech, long passed down orally, is at the heart of a cultural heritage deeply rooted in tradition. With the advent of new technologies and the multiple crises that Cameroon is experiencing, this speech is often shared by the chief on his Facebook page. One of the most striking aspects of his posts is the repeated use of sayings, these proverbial expressions that condense popular wisdom and convey cultural values of this geographical area. Relying on Stéphane Viellard’s perspective of paremiology, we will conduct a pragmatic analysis of the proverbs present in the speeches of this traditional leader. Through the principle of implication, we will see how these proverbs serve as a repository of Bamileke values and a tool for regulating social behaviors.
Keywords: Discourse, Cultural Identity, Proverbs, Pragmatics, Oral Tradition.
Cosimo De Giovanni
«Collocational Palimpsest and Discursive Activation in Contemporary Media Discourse: A Discursive Analysis of the Collocation “attiser les tensions”» (p. 315-344)
Abstract: This article offers a discourse-based and phraseological analysis of the figurative collocation attiser les tensions (“to fuel tensions”) in contemporary media discourse, using a specialized corpus of about one million tokens (396 occurrences). Drawing on the collocational palimpsest model, it describes mechanisms of contextual meaning activation. The analysis shows that the expression retains a figurative heritage from attiser le feu (“to stoke the fire”) – notably intensification and propagation – yet this heritage is not automatically activated. Its relevance depends on textual cues and discursive configurations. Across geopolitical, politico-social, and judicial/institutional contexts, different interpretative layers are selectively activated, which can yield a derived evaluative effect rather than an inherent evaluative meaning. The article proposes a dynamic account linking lexical inheritance and discursive activation.
Keywords: Figurative Collocation, Collocational Palimpsest, Textual Cues, Discursive Activation, Media Discourse.
Ma Isabel González-Rey et Aira Rego-Rodríguez
«Space and Movement in Amélie Nothomb’s Ni d’Ève ni d’Adam: A Phraseostylistic Study» (p. 345-378)
Abstract: This article analyses the structuring role of space in Ni d’Ève ni d’Adam, by Amélie Nothomb, through a phraseostylistics approach. Situated within the spatial turn in literary studies, it demonstrates that space does not function merely as a diegetic backdrop, but rather as a central operator in the protagonist’s identity, affective, and corporeal construction. The study focuses in particular on the mountain scenes (Mount Fuji and Mount Kumotori Yama), conceived as liminal spaces where the life drive and the death drive intersect. The results confirm that Nothomb’s poetics is grounded in a dense phraseological fabric in which space, movement, and freedom are inextricably intertwined. Furthermore, comparing this work with Stupeur et tremblements highlights the connecting role played by this fabric in the architecture of these two books.
Keywords: Neither Eve Nor Adam, Phraseostylistics, Phraseological Metaphor, Spatial Turn.
4. Phraseology in the Age of Technology and Artificial Intelligence
Lian Chen
«Can We Speak of Ontophraseology? Toward an Ontological Modeling of Phraseological Units» (p. 381-411)
Abstract: Faced with the explosion of linguistic data and the increasing digital use of lexical resources, traditional descriptions of phraseological units (PUs) are showing their limitations. Despite the current dynamism of research, evidenced by numerous conferences (e.g., AIUP at INALCO 2025, PHRASEOPRAG in Japan) and publications (e.g., Langages no. 225, no. 239), the formal ontological structuring of PUs remains largely underexplored. Classical phraseology has made it possible to describe their essential properties, such as fixedness, idiomaticity (González Rey 2002: 52), and non-compositionality (M. Gross 1982; G. Gross 1996; Mejri 2011), and phraseoculturology (Chen 2022) has highlighted their conceptual and metaphorical grounding, but without offering a formal framework usable in the Semantic Web or Natural Language Processing (NLP).
This study proposes an ontophraseological approach, inspired by ontoterminology (Roche, 2012), conceived as a theoretical framework for the conceptual modeling of PUs. These are considered autonomous linguistic entities, linked to concepts formalized in knowledge graphs (Chen 2025), in order to articulate linguistic description, knowledge engineering, NLP, and artificial intelligence.
Keywords: Ontophraseology, Phraseology, Ontology, Phraseological Units, Conceptual Modeling, Semantic Web, Natural Language Processing.
Souad Benelhadj Djelloul
«Multilingual Conversational Phraseology in Algeria: Pragmatemes and AI Calibration on a Spontaneous Corpus» (p. 413-436)
Abstract: This article examines the emergence of trilingual phraseological units in spontaneous speech, a phenomenon that poses a significant challenge for corpus linguistics and artificial intelligence. Based on a corpus of conversations among Algerian students, we document how language contact (Algerian Arabic / French / English) generates polylexical constructions with stable pragmatic functions. Our research explores the capacity of a hybrid approach, combining AI and human expertise, to map these emerging phrasemes. The analysis demonstrates that these practices follow a logic of code specialization: Algerian Arabic serves as the matrix, French is used for metalanguage and argumentation, while English is employed for technical vocabulary. The study reveals sophisticated pragmatemes, such as bilingual concession. Finally, we discuss the limitations of AI and propose an “expert calibration” protocol as a contribution to computational phraseology. This work positions the analysis of language contact in Algeria as an innovative field for the study of phraseological creativity.
Keywords: Phraseoculturology, Code-Switching, Language Contact, Computational Sociolinguistics, Digital Humanities.
Déogratias Nizonkiza
«At the Intersection of Corpora and Artificial Intelligence: A Critical Review of DDL Approaches to Teaching Collocations in Higher Education» (p. 437-470)
Abstract: The present study examines the recent literature on the teaching of collocations through Data-Driven Learning (DDL) at the tertiary level. It first traces the major stages in the development of corpora as shaped by technological advances, noting the clear evolution from the Brown family of corpora to today’s large-scale mega-corpora and the pedagogical implications of this shift for DDL practices, collocation instruction, and academic writing. Although practical challenges continue to limit the widespread implementation of DDL, recent meta-analyses discussed in this review demonstrate the overall effectiveness of DDL for teaching collocations. Moreover, the emergence of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) introduces new possibilities. Early studies suggest that GenAI tools have the potential to complement rather than replace DDL by fostering an integrated pedagogical approach that strengthens learners’ autonomy and critical thinking. The study concludes by outlining steps aimed at articulating and advancing the convergence between corpora, DDL, and artificial intelligence.
Keywords: Data-Driven Learning (DDL), Collocation, Academic Writing, Corpus, Artificial Intelligence.
Open topic
Sophie Laurence, Chantal Mayer-Crittenden et Natasha Dupuis
«Lexical Characteristics and Language Production in a Franco-Ontarian Minority Context: An Exploratory Comparison between French-English Bilinguals and English monolinguals» (p. 475-510)
Abstract: Oral production in French-English bilingual adults in a minority-language context raises issues for the analysis of lexical diversity. From a picture description task, the productions of 30 bilingual adults were compared with those of 28 English-speaking monolingual adults aged 50 years and older, recruited in Ontario. The transcriptions allowed the analysis of nouns and verbs using type-token ratios. Linear mixed models controlling for age, gender, and education highlight significant differences between the groups for both grammatical classes, although these rely on distinct underlying mechanisms. These differences reflect distinct lexical access profiles linked to the use of two languages. When productions in French and English are combined, bilingual adults show a higher level of lexical diversity than monolingual adults. Occasional code-switching fits within language practices associated with the minority context. A bilingual analysis of language productions appears essential to interpret lexical performance.
Keywords: Lexicon, Bilingualism, Minority-Language Context, Code-Switching, Speech-Language Pathology.
Zakaria Ouallou
«Journalistic Writing, Which Vocabulary? The Case of French-Language Moroccan Editorials L’Opinion and Aujourd’hui le Maroc During the COVID-19 Lockdown» (p. 511-532)
Abstract: Editorials are a major genre in the print media. They express the socio-political orientation of the newspaper. This study examines the editorials of two Moroccan daily newspapers: L’Opinion and Aujourd’hui le Maroc. We analyze the lexical production during the COVID-19 lockdown. The corpus comprises twenty-eight editorials. We use a lexicometric approach via the Python language. The analysis targets co-occurrences and pole words. It identifies the discursive strategies of editorialists. The study compares partisan and independent treatments of the health crisis. The results shed light on the construction of media discourse in times of crisis.
Keywords: Morocco, Lexicometry, Health Crisis, Editorials, Discursive strategies.
Valérie Roy, Samuel Gagné, Sylvie Thibault, Gabrielle Rioux, Rebecca Angele et Claudia Fournier
«Intimate Partner Violence Among LGBTQ+ People: A Study of Victims’ Experiences within Québec’s Services» (p. 533-563)
Abstract: Too many people are still victims of intimate partner violence, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer (LGBTQ+) people. Services for these people are still rare, and, when available, they are really suited to their realities. In order to improve services for LGBTQ+ people, it is suggested to better understand their experiences and the contexts in which they evolve. Drawing on two qualitative Quebec studies, this article analyzes the experiences of LGBTQ+ victims of intimate partner violence in professional services. Three types of obstacles emerge from their experiences: those related to the heteronormative organization of services, those related to the heteronormative conception of intimate partner violence, and those related to the practitioners’ lack of training and attitudes. Some positive experiences are also identified. Findings are discussed from a historical perspective of the construction of the problem of intimate partner violence, the social policies devoted to it and the services offered to the victims. Avenues for research and improved practices are suggested.
Keywords: Intimate Partner Violence, Partner Abuse, LGBTQ+ People, Services, Help-Seeking.
Démonster-Ferdinand Koukam
«Common Cause, Mixed Fortunes: The Thorny Problem of the Management and Reconversion of Auxiliary Units Mobilized in Cameroon during the Decolonization War (1957-1971)» (p. 565-604)
Abstract: This article, through testimonies and documents collected from documentation centers, aims to shed light on the fortunes and misfortunes of auxiliary forces at the end of the war of decolonization in Cameroon. Mobilized to reinforce Franco-Cameroonian troops and combat the insurrection led by the Union of the Peoples of Cameroon (UPC) since 1956, the auxiliaries distinguished themselves on the ground by their “remarkable effectiveness.” These units, whose actions on the military and ideological fronts are presented as decisive in the crushing of the insurrection, experienced varying fortunes after demobilization. While the proposed reintegration programs (integration into the administration, regular forces, vigilance committees, Operation Yabassi-Bafang, the granting of demobilization bonuses, integration and civic certificates, and letters of commendation) facilitated the reintegration of a minority of auxiliaries, the vast majority were abandoned after the war. Some surviving auxiliaries speak of this post-war period with great disillusionment and say they were wronged and abused. Believing they gave everything in this war, including their future, they accuse the Cameroonian authorities of failing to keep their promises and to take measures to demonstrate their appreciation for the sacrifices made and ensure the reintegration of all auxiliaries.
Keywords: Cameroon, War of Decolonization, Auxiliary Units, Sociopolitical Reintegration, UPC.
Alain Finet, Kevin Kristoforidis et Julie Laznicka
«Mapping the Complexity of Financial Decisions: An Evolving Typology Between Reason and Emotion» (p. 605-646)
Abstract: Our research is part of the field of behavioral finance and aims to better understand the diversity of financial behaviors in situations of uncertainty. In the domain of trading, the literature offers several typologies of decision-making styles, but they generally isolate specific dimensions (namely rationality and emotions) at the expense of a comprehensive understanding of behaviors. The objective of this study is to overcome the fragmented nature of these approaches by proposing an integrated typology based on the qualitative analysis of participants’ narratives in a stock market simulation. The initial framework was based on a four-dimensional theoretical model – rationalanalytical, intuitive-emotional, compulsive, and stoic – inspired by work in behavioral finance and decision psychology. Analysis of the interviews highlighted the limitations of this approach. Participants expressed logics shaped by contradictions and oscillations between rationality and emotion. This observation led to the formulation of a hybrid typology with four profiles (frustrated rational, compulsive emotional, stoic hybrid, aspiring rational), then to an enriched typology with six profiles, distinguishing in particular different degrees of rational aspiration. The results demonstrate that financial behavior is a mixture of cognitive and affective aspects. Rationality appears to be a fragile aspiration, subject to emotional influences and adjusted by experience. This contribution renews existing typologies by proposing a more accurate mapping of financial behavior. It highlights the value of qualitative approaches in understanding the subjective dimension of decision-making, moving beyond the traditional opposition between rationality and irrationality.
Keywords: Qualitative Methodology, Semi-Structured Interviews, Stock Markets, Investor Typology, Uncertainty.