Введение

Вряд ли можно себе представить современный дискурс в распространенных мировых языках без библейских выражений, таких, например, как англ. theAlphaandOmega / нем.dasAunddasO / швед.AochO / рус. альфа и омега; theappleofone’seye / derAugapfelimAuge / din ögonsten / зеница ока; Balaam’sass / BileamsEselin / Bileams åsna / валаамская ослица; thecurseofCain / dieVerdammnisvonKain / Kainsvörbannelse / проклятие Каина; aforbiddenfruit / dieverboteneFrucht / förbjudenfrukt / запретный плод и сотни других. Одни из этих выражений нашли свою первоначальную форму в Библии, другие были сформулированы позднее, на основе библейских сюжетов (Федуленкова, 2019: 112). При этом любопытным оказывается такой факт, что большинство библейских фразеологизмов не остаются застывшими образованиями, а со временем приобретают все новые варианты, являющиеся средством развития языка (Федуленкова, 2016: 53; Mieder, 2018: 74-97).

Проблеме вариантности в языке посвящено немало работ, наиболее значительные из которых – это диссертационные исследования по вариантности немецкой фразеологии (Краморенко, 1962) и по вариантности русской фразеологии (Диброва, 1980), глава докторской диссертации по вариантности английской фразеологии (Кунин, 1964: 443–519), труды по вариантности французской и испанской фразеологии (Соколова, 2010: 45–54; Багана, Еркова, 2011). В зарубежной лингвистике проблема вариантности идиом рассматривается от случая к случаю и связывается с когнитивным анализом отдельных фразеологических единиц (Cserép, 2018: 66), с коммуникативной компетентностью говорящих (Ćavar, Vidović-Bolt, 2018: 67), а также с изучением фразеологизмов как индикаторов национальной и культурной идентичности (Cserép, 2009: 27; Gläser, 2009: 86).

Однако вариантность английской фразеологии именно библейского происхождения рассматривалась лишь спорадически, в ряде небольших статей (Koynova, 2017: 15–16; Piirainen, 2016: 29–50). Актуальность данной работы состоит в назревшей необходимости изучения современного состояния вариантности библейской фразеологии, в связи с чем работа нацелена на поиск вариантов фразеологических единиц библейского происхождения в современном английском языке и их квалификацию.

Языковым материалом для исследования послужили англоязычные тексты Старого и Нового Завета Библии (King James Bible, 1769/2017), а также контексты Британского национального корпуса (BNC). Основные методы данного исследования – метод фразеологической идентификации (Кунин, 1996: 38–43), метод анализа дефиниций и метод контекстуального анализа (Комарова, 2018: 564–589).

Исследовательская часть

1. Лексические варианты английских фразеологических единиц библейского происхождения

Подвид 1: Субстантивные варианты английских фразеологических единиц библейского происхождения

В тексте Библии, глава 11, cтих 12, читаем: “And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Juda from the four corners of the earth” (King James Bible, 1769/2017, Isaiah 11:12) (Здесьидалеевыделеномною – Т.Ф.). Следовательно, основным вариантом рассматриваемой ФЕ считаем форму fromthefourcornersoftheearth. Наряду с использованием основного варианта библейской ФЕ (а), с течением времени у данного фразеологизма появляется субстантивный вариант fromthefourcornersoftheworld (б),в котором субстантивный компонент ФЕ-прототипа earth заменяется другим субстантивным компонентом world. См. контекстуальные иллюстрации:

(а) When, in 1987, the British Army sold off their surplus Beaver fleet, a few optimistic Brits submitted tenders in the hopes of getting the odd bargain airshow and fun-flying machine. They got a nasty shock: real bush pilots had been attracted to the UK from the four cornersof the earth to get these well-maintained examples, and the high prices they fetched reflected the great demand that still exists for these superb workhorses. (BNC).

(б) I know what you’ve heard. You’ve heard about this symbol of the brotherhood of man set in welcoming Perugia with its ancient traditions of hospitality, where every year bright-eyed, bushy-tailed youngsters come from the four cornersof the world to study Italian culture and promote peace and international understanding.’ He looked intently at Zen. ‘You’re not from round here, are you?’ Zen shook his head. ‘In that case I can tell you that in my humble opinion this place is the meanest, tightest little arsehole in the entire fucking country. International understanding my bum! Christ, the people in this dump are so small-minded they treat the folk from the village down the hill as a bunch of <…> (BNC).

В отдельных случаях наблюдается контекстуальная нумеративно-адъективная вариация, когда нормативный компонент four подвергается окказиональным изменениям за счет адъективного компонентаfarили all:

(в) With her experience in social service in Britain fresh in her mind the new Territorial Commander took a particular interest in that sphere and was soon rallying support from the farcorners of the earth. There were plans to re-develop headquarters. Phase one would mean moving senior citizens to another part and developing a worship centre, hostel for business women and community centre with day care for children, and a feeding programme for the poor. Phase two would concentrate on headquarters and the development of the building for commercial purposes. (BNC).

(г) Such examples of foreign respect and admiration for the Comrade and his wife were displayed throughout Romania in every museum and library. The National History Museum on the Calea Victoriei in Bucharest had a floor devoted to ‘homage’ to the Comrade and his wife. The salons were filled with honours, medals, awards, degrees from allcorners of the earth, set out in cabinets according to the continent of origin. They were displayed with an almost subversive indifference to the impression made upon the spectator. (BNC).

В современном английском языке более позднего периода появляется еще один субстантивный вариант рассматриваемой БФЕ с компонентом globe, сопровождаемый еще одной лексической вариацией – заменой нумеративного компонента fourадъективным компонентом various, выполняющим идентичную функцию определения в данной синтаксической структуре (д), и с вариацией предлога from/ to(е):

(д)Now I am quite prepared to believe that other countries can offer more obviously spectacular scenery. Indeed, I have seen in encyclopedias and the National Geographic Magazine breathtaking photographs of sights from various corners of the globe; magnificent canyons and waterfalls, raggedly beautiful mountains. It has never, of course, been my privilege to have seen such things at first hand, but I will nevertheless hazard this with some confidence: the English landscape at its finest—such as I saw it this morning—possesses a quality that the landscapes of other nations, however more superficially dramatic, inevitably fail to possess. (BNC).

(е) Lamborghinis, Porsche 911s and the sought-after 1952 Speedsters, and D and E-type Jaguars available. Replicas use the suspension, engines and gearboxes from wrecks. The most popular ‘donor car’ is the Ford Cortina, with Jaguar parts favoured for more powerful vehicles. Kit car replicas arrive as a confusing jigsaw of pieces which have to be bolted together, often in the family garage. Turning out a well-finished car can take 400 hours of painstaking work. Britain’s kit car industry is the largest in the world, with manufacturers exporting toall corners of the globe.’ (BNC).

Контекстуальный анализ делает очевидным факт, что варианты рассматриваемой БФЕ, сохраняя значение и функциональную принадлежность к адвербиальным фразеологическим единицам, не нарушают тождества данной языковой единицы.

Далее развитие данной БФЕ идет в сторону сокращения компонентного состава и превращения адвербиальной фразеологической единицы fromthefourcornersoftheearth в номинативную ФЕ the four corners of the earth (ж):

(ж) It’s another telling of Beauty And The Beast. An innovation has been to introduce four kings, representing the four corners of the earth, who come to woo Epine and win the kingdom she has seized, are entranced by Rose but rejected by her because the North is uncouth, the East too vain, the West too cynical and the South too violent. This gives MacMillan the opportunity in the first act, which is brilliant, to introduce his characters in solos of vivid personality while Rose’s vision of her lost Prince provides a poetic pas de deux. (BNC).

Подвид 2: Препозитивно-субстантивныевариантыанглийскихфразеологическихединицбиблейскогопроисхождения

В этом же разделе Библии, глава 40, cтих 15, читаем: “Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing” (King James Bible, 1769/2017, Isaiah 40:15).

Контекст библейского стиха преподносит оригинальный вариант БФЕ adropofabucketкак двухкомпонентную структуру, включающую два субстантивных компонента, объединяемых предлогом of, и выполняющую номинативную функцию в речи. Судя по данным Британского национального корпуса, библейский вариант данной ФЕ в чистом виде не прижился в английском языке и вместо него права гражданства в языке получили такие его варианты, как препозитивный вариант adropinthebucket (а) с двухэлементной вариацией структуры (inthe) ипрепозитивно-субстантивный вариантadropintheocean (б) с трехэлементной вариацией структуры (intheocean), например:

(a)<…> but the Children Act in total (pause) we are going to spend something like another four hundred thousand in nineteen ninety one, in the new financial year, which is good news. <…> But, forgive me, that just seems like it’s a drop in the bucket. <…> Well it’s a drop in the bucket in one sense, but it’s on top of what we're already doing with our Children’s Services, which are very good quality services now in the County. And it’s a step. The following year that doubles up, and so on and so on. (BNC).

(б) It is sponsored by Crosville Cymru and is one of six in a scheme initiated by the Engineering Council and the Equal Opportunities Commission in 1984. It will show the girls that the image of an engineer as a man in dirty overalls tinkering with engines is completely misleading. One wonders what viewers of BBC2 will make of Pobol y Cwm when it is shown with sub-titles on that channel from January. Though the most successful Welsh language programme on S4C, its daily audience of an average 200,000 (almost half Wales's Welsh-speaking population) is a drop in the ocean compared with what it can attract on BBC2. (BNC).

В современном английском языке оба рассматриваемых субстантивных варианта используются в речи в сопровождении адвербиального интенсификатора just: justadropinthebucket (в) иjustadropintheocean (г):

(в) <…> a special Neighbours video based on Kylie's screen romance with Jason. Neighbours: The Scott and Charlene Love Story, in which Kylie would once more be seen in oilstained overalls as the tomboy mechanic from Ramsay Street, would damage her new sophisticated image, they claimed. Judge Beach disagreed and refused to grant an injunction. He ruled that Kylie, who had refused permission for the video when approached by Grundy, had a weak case because she owed much of her success to Neighbours. And he said that the video was ‘just a drop in the bucket of Neighbours memorabilia’. (BNC).

(г) And we can think of other people like Mother Theresa too, in the face of <…> so much er you know what people have said to her is, you know, don’t you think that er <…> what you’re doing is just a drop in the ocean? You know you’ve got a million people and you’re just looking after a thousand, maybe more. And she has got the courage to look at that million people, which takes courage, and look at the thousand which she is helping and saying, no <…> love is never wasted. You know it’s er it’s <…> it’s a mystery force, and what I do for one in some way affects the million. That takes courage, to actually think in those terms. (BNC).

Второй из этих субстантивных вариантов, будучи наиболее распространенным в современном английском языке, отмечается в использовании с противительным интенсификатором but:

(д) <…> while the Countryside Council for Wales provides additional grant-aid for activities in Wales. But after 23 years of inspiration and support, what has the Campaign really achieved? Well, over the last decade alone over 6,000 project grants have been awarded across the UK and there is an ever-increasing demand for information, currently running at 20,000 requests a year. However, I believe this is but a drop in the ocean compared to the vast number of communities that could play some form of active role, however modest. (BNC).

Сравнение контекстов (a), (б), (в), (г), (д) убеждает в тождественности двух субстантивных вариантов БФЕ a drop in the bucket и a drop in the ocean, каждый из которых употребляется в значении ‘a very small amount that will not have much effect’ (Rundell, 2002: 428). Это же утверждение верно и для окказиональных вариантов с расширением компонентного состава посредством адъективного компонента (important, small, mere, etc.): an important drop in the ocean, a mere drop in the ocean, a small drop in the ocean, etc., о чем свидетельствует их контекстуальное использование. Ср.:

(а)<…> taken off their mothers hands while they’re out at work and given a meal each day. The older ones are given perhaps the only education they’ll ever receive. The project is managed in Bolivia by local officer Juan Vargas, but back home in Oxford it’s the job of the Latin America desk to decide which communities should receive funding. Female speaker: We get a lot more requests for funding than we can fund, <…> we are a drop in the ocean but animportantdrop in the ocean. <…> This region has just suffered a smallpox epidemic, and Serapia works to teach the women about the risks of disease, and to teach them basic health care. (BNC).

(б)<…> buy the stuff. In addition, all that is required is a chemical room-temperature mechanism which involves nothing more complicated than an experiment in a high school science lab. Fusion in a beaker of water at room temperature: cold fusion or ‘test-tube fusion’ as it has become known. The details remain secret until all the patents are sewn up. Teams of security staff police the laboratory, guarding the precious property, protecting what potentially could lead to the greatest fortune ever; the combined wealth of Rockefeller, Vanderbilt and Onassis is a mere drop in the ocean compared to the promise of test-tube fusion. (BNC).

(в) <…> are two rules which apply – one for the South African sportsman, the other for the South African businessman. All the countries we are talking about do an enormous amount of trade with South Africa. <…> Yet we cannot get visas and we are such a smalldrop in the ocean compared with the businessman. No-one ever approaches them and says: “Stop this”. We are the ones who are the front line troops, taking the knocks. We are quite happy to play with any sportsmen from any nation. Where does it stop? Who knows. What more can South Africa do as a country? I can’t talk for other sports but I can stress again that we’ve got the highest ratio of black members of any golf body in the world. (BNC).

Сравнительный анализ контекстов показывает, что окказиональное расширение компонентного состава посредством адъективного компонента important, small, mere—an important drop in the ocean, a small drop in the ocean, a mere drop in the ocean—не нарушает тождества данной БФЕ, сохраняя ее целостность как языковой единицы.

Подвид 3: Адъективные варианты английских фразеологических единиц библейского происхождения

Адъективные варианты – довольно распространенное явление среди английской фразеологии библейского происхождения. Так, в Книге Нового Завета читаем: “He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light” (King James Bible, 1769/2017, John 5:35). В современном английском языке, по данным словарей, подтвержденным контекстами Британского национального корпуса, наряду с истинно библейским вариантом shininglight (а) функционирует и вновь приобретенный вариант с компонентом leading: leadinglight (б). Ср.:

(а) And what happens from district to district, region to region, is sometimes as far apart as John Major and the British people. We know the reason local bargaining is being encouraged, it’s to lower wages and conditions and give rich financial benefits to the few. There is a rule for a central research point but again colleagues, more is needed in the regions. Our union has been, without doubt, the shining light in terms of what we offer to members. And we must continue to improve and better the information that is provided. The easiest way is to channel resources into the regions. (BNC).

(б) Sir Jeffrey, who has acted as unpaid and part-time special adviser to six trade and industry secretaries, yesterday added a seventh to his belt. Nicholas Ridley, the latest incumbent, is retaining his silken skills to advise on ‘industrial and financial affairs’ and the Airbus programme. Of course Mr Ridley already has Katharine Ramsay, his special adviser at both environment and transport. The third member of the team is Michael Simmonds, a leading light in right-wing think tank the Adam Smith Institute. The City continues to treat the Royal Yacht, Britannia, as its own. (BNC).

Квантитативный анализ контекстов «Британского национального корпуса» показывает, что новый вариант данной БФЕ aleadinglightупотребляется в пять раз чаще, чем его библейский оригинал, не нарушая при этом тождества исходной БФЕ.

Подвид 4: Глагольные варианты английских фразеологических единиц библейского происхождения

В Старом Завете фразеологическая единица play the fool встречается в контексте книги Самуэля 1, глава 26, стих 21: “Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and I have erred exceedingly” (King James Bible, 1769/2017, 1 Samuel 26:21). Со временем развивается глагольный вариант данной БФЕ – actthefool (б). Ср.:

(а) He gave me such a look, as if I was being really disgusting. Then I had an inspiration. I acted a little charade. His oriental slave. He likes me to play the fool. The stupidest things I do he calls witty. He has even got in the habit of joining in, stumbling after me (not that I’m very dazzling) like a giraffe. So I got him to let me write another letter. He looked in the envelope again. Then I talked him into going to London, as my plan requires.0 I gave him a ridiculous list of things (most of them I don’t want, but it’ll keep him busy) to buy. (BNC).

(б) <…> so you can see how much I regret my rudeness!’ A comparable version of this is the face made by someone who barges into a room unannounced expecting to speak to a friend, only to find that this friend is engaged in an intimate professional consultation with another colleague. Although a verbal apology would probably fit the bill, the offender may feel constrained to act the fool he expects to be accused of being. Henceanotherwiseunintelligiblegrimace. (BNC).

Вариантность глагольного компонента не лишает данную БФЕ тождества самой себе, но, заметим, что библейский вариант playthefool встречается в современных текстах в три раза чаще.

Анализ контекстов показывает, что глагольный компонент изучаемых БФЕ может подвергаться вариативной замене и в своей причастной форме, как например, в ФЕ deadandburiedиdeadandgone.

В книге «Деяния» обнаруживаем словосочетание dead and buried в следующем контексте: “Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day” (King James Bible, 1769/2017, Acts 2:29). С течением времени данное словосочетание, изменяя референтную отнесенность и получая устойчивость употребления, приобретает статус фразеологической единицы. Примечателен контекст, где обе омонимичные формы использованы в одном предложении и где во втором случае происходит «двойная актуализация» (термин Л. М. Болдыревой, 1967) данной ФЕ:

(а) These charities were originally administered by the Church or trustees appointed by the old vestry meetings, but with the Local Government Act of 1894, they passed into the hands of the new parish councils, or such as still existed, for in 1893, we find the local vicar complaining that most of the charities were dead and buried, and that Thomas Towers promised to give twenty shillings each Christmas Day, very kind of him no doubt, but unfortunately he left no provision for anybody to give it after he was dead, so that in his case he and benefaction are both dead and buried. (BNC).

В современном английском языке находят широкое распространение оба варианта рассматриваемого библеизма, тем не менее, частотность собственно библейского прототипа, по данным BNC, в два раза выше. Ср.:

(б) Pool Winners: Saracens. Bay of Plenty showed the advantage of the special coaching which New Zealanders receive for such events when they romped to victory in the Melrose Sevens tournament, taking the prized trophy overseas for the third year in a row by defeating Kelso 19-12 in the final. # Rugby Union: Mapletoft turns the screw on Harlequins # By Nick Cain # Rugby29pts Harlequins20 RUGBY’S League One ambitions looked dead and buried. (BNC).

(в) <…> or when we don’t get a commission we keep a copy of it with the documents for a reasonable period of time. <…>. Exactly. <…>. That’s divisional enquiry records, that’s just the enquiry form. <…> I’m just thinking you have written proposing you’ve got the file in front of the client, the job is dead and gone and never going to come back, do you have to file that lot away somewhere? (BNC).

Анализ контекстов делает очевидным факт тождественности обеих фразеологических единиц независимо от характера варианта.

2.Морфологические варианты английских фразеологических единиц библейского происхождения

В объеме изучаемого языкового материала морфологические варианты весьма редки и заключаются, в основном, в варьировании формы числа субстантивного компонента. Так, прототип фразеологической единицы indeepwaters встречаем в разделе «Псалмы», глава 69, стих 2: “I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come intodeepwaters, where the floods overflow me” (King James Bible, 1769/2017, Psalms 69:2), где данное словосочетание используется в прямом значении.

В современном английском языке существует два морфологических варианта ФЕ, возникших на основе этого прототипа: indeepwaters (а) иindeepwater (б):

(a) But suppose we don’t know of any particular instances. Suppose we begin with an existential hypothesis, without being able to point to any confirming evidence. <…> We are here already in deep waters, for what needs to be decided is just what sort of existential claims can be significantly made.If the proposition we start out with is simply that men exist – which, we are told, should be more appropriately expressed as (Ex) x is a man – then no doubt sooner or later we shall run into Jones and will be able to proclaim the happy discovery. (BNC).

(б)Suter, whose interests span car parts to haircare products, was heavily in demand after the group more than tripled profits in the first half. The higher profits and improved interim dividend payout lifted it 4p to 184p. The sale by Whitbread of 15 of its hotels boosted the brewing group 11p to 552p. # Shell sails into fare bias row # SHELL forecourts have sailed into a ‘discrimination’ row over ferry crossings. The oil company is in deep water for not taking part in a half-price fare offer – because they say people in Northern Ireland aren’t interested. (BNC).

Оба морфологических варианта рассматриваемой фразеологической единицы indeepwatersиindeepwater, как показывает контекстуальное их использование, употребляются в одном и том же значении ‘in trouble or difficulty’ (Ayto, 2010: 91) и, таким образом, поддерживая структурно-семантический инвариант, сохраняют тождество.

С другой стороны, варьирование адъективного компонента deep/ stormy / murky приводит к появлению вариантов другого уровня – лексических вариантов, не нарушающих семантическое тождество данной ФЕ. Ср.:

(в) <…> get blown to smithereens while she’s in bed with a high-ranking Army Officer, no doubt. Bound to be high-ranking. My Bella’s very exclusive; except when she’s slumming. It gives her an extra edge to things, you see... in bed with the working classes... all those rough, calloused hands and dropped aitches, don’t y’ know?’ Cassie listened in amazement to the languid, aristocratic voice speaking so casually of his acknowledged inferiors. Things seemed to have changed quite a bit since Johnny’s time. She could envisage stormy waters if their relationship were ever able to develop beyond the ‘Hello, Goodbye’ stage. (BNC).

(г) In effect, they argue that the governmental agenda can not be taken as a given. We are challenged to recognise, first, that power is involved in non-decision-making, in inaction, and in non-participation, and, second, that interests are advantaged and disadvantaged by the fact that certain issues are not on the governmental agenda for complicated reasons that take us behind the scenes of the public face of policy-making and into the murkywaters of the constraining role of ideas in society. Pluralists fail to see the inherent “bias” of the state. (BNC).

Очевидно, что в контексте (г) фразеологическая единица murkywatersреализует значение ‘a mysterious or frightening situation’ (Rundell, 2002: 1616), но этот факт появления новой, детализирующей, семы не свидетельствует о нарушении тождества исходной БФЕ, так как семы ‘danger’, ‘mystery’, ‘fright’ относятся к одному тематическому ряду, позволяющему сохранять семантический инвариант данной БФЕ.

3. Cинтаксические варианты английских фразеологических единиц библейского происхождения

Наиболее представленным видом синтаксической вариантности ФЕ библейского происхождения являются такие синтаксические варианты, в которых «глагольно-объектная фразема с притяжательным местоимением или существительным в родительном падеже заменяется глагольно-объектной фраземой с предложно-именным постпозитивным определением» (Kunin, 1972: 183–184), как, например, в ФЕ strengthensomebody’shand / strengthenthehandofsomebody. Исходный вариант данной ФЕ встречается в тексте Библии в синтаксической форме первого вида (а)strengthensomebody’shand: “And Jonathan Saul’s son arose and went to David into the wood, and strengthenedhishand in God”(King James Bible, 1769/2017, 1 Samuel 23:16).

В современном английском языке развивается второй синтаксической вариант (б)strengthenthehandofsomebody, который, сохраняет семантический инвариант рассматриваемой ФЕ—‘give you more power to do sth or act against sb/ sth’ (Warren, 1997: 277)—и, как следствие, удерживает тождество данной языковой единицы. Ср.:

(а)By offering to use their influence with the FMLN, which maintains offices and a radio station in Nicaragua, the Sandinistas may also point to Mr Cristiani that a summit meeting which supported negotiations would strengthen his hand with his own, powerful army commanders. ‘It is a poker game’, one senior western diplomat commented. ‘But Ortega is cleverer than the other and he works harder.’ (BNC).

(б) The Coal-Steel Community survived of course, and in December 1954 Britain became an ‘associate’ member of it. But even in the ECSC Mends-France tried to strengthen the handof member states in the Council of Ministers, against the supranational power of the High Authority. In view of all these problems Jean Monnet decided to quit his position as ECSC President, and in 1955 left to found an ‘Action Committee for the United States of Europe’, a pressure group of leading pro-Europeans.

Наряду с синтаксическим вариантом развиваются также и грамматические варианты БФЕ: вариации категории числа субстантивного компонента (в)strengthenthehands of и вариации категории определенности/ неопределенности субстантивного компонента (г) strengthenhandof. Ср. контексты:

(в) <…> including the authorities which the Dutch had inspired in the ‘outer islands’. The whole conglomerate would be part of a Netherlands – Indonesia Union with Queen Wilhelmina as head (the model of the British Commonwealth is obvious). This compromise was hard to swallow and the final signature was not appended till March 1947. Linggajati enabled the British to leave with a good grace, and the last units were withdrawn by 30 November 1946. They had pleased nobody. Sjahrir complained to President Truman that they had reimposed Dutch rule. The Dutch complained that they had strengthen the hands of the Indonesians: they were presented with a bill by the Dutch for the use of barracks, railroads, and other facilities during their occupation (which was not paid). (BNC).

(г) CONFIDENTIAL SOURCES Journalists have a professional obligation to protect confidential sources of information. # Patten promises to strengthen handof pollution agency. # By Paul Brown Environment Correspondent. # HER Majesty’s Inspectorate of Pollution will receive the necessary resources to police the controls in the forthcoming green bill, the Environment Secretary, Mr Chris Patten, said yesterday. Speaking at an Association of Water Officers conference in London, he said he realised the credibility of the agency rested on the resources at its disposal. Central to the green bill is the introduction of integrated pollution control. (BNC).

Тем не менее, данная ФЕ сохраняет свое тождество, несмотря на появление грамматико-синтаксических вариантов, поскольку последние не влияют на исходное значение языковой единицы (см. дефиницию выше).

4. Комплексные варианты английских фразеологических единиц библейского происхождения

Примером развития ряда более сложных вариантов является БФЕ а thornintheflesh, которая обнаруживается в Книге Нового Завета «2 К Коринфианам», глава 12, стих 7: “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me а thornintheflesh, the messenger <…>” (King James Bible, 1769/2017, 2 Corinthians 12:7). С течением времени эта БФЕ развивает несколько вариантов.

Во-первых, это квантитативный вариант, который появляется за счет расширения компонентного состава ФЕ посредством постпозитивного предложно-именного определения: (а) а thornintheflesh > (б)а thorninthefleshofsomebody, ср.:

(а) <…> my advice to you would be that in the past, before the coffee rooms was run by this particular … person … firm … we had very great difficulty with them and I’m sure John will bear me out on this. <…> the coffee rooms <…> I think at one time were even subsidized by the directors’ own pocket, which just show how balmy some people can be. Erm that was in Sheila’s day. But it never was profitable. Indeed was <…> a thorn in the flesh <…>. (BNC).

(б) Selborne had resigned from Asquith’s government in 1916 and was not offered a post by Lloyd George. From the House of Lords and the National Union he became a thorn in the flesh ofthe party leaders, where in a party government it would have been inconceivable that such a man, at the height of his powers and with powerful connections should be left out. (BNC).

Во-вторых, это синтаксический вариант, который появляется вследствие замены субстантивной ФЕ с предложно-именным постпозитивным определением (а thorninthefleshofsomebody) на субстантивную ФЕ с препозитивным определением, выраженным (в) притяжательным местоимением или (г) существительным в родительном падеже: а thorninthefleshofsomebody > (в), (г) а thorninsomebody’sflesh, ср.:

(в) He smiled cynically. ‘Don’t pretend not to understand. He’s a man and I’m a man, and you are a distractingly beautiful girl. It’s a classic situation. Don’t be stupid!’ Tense with anger at first, she suddenly burst into scornful laughter. ‘Well, yes, perhaps it is a classic situation. One of you tries to lure me with promises of future riches and the other is only interested in what I possess – namely a practice that is a thorn in his flesh. Well, I’m not fooled that easily. I can see right through you both.’ Her mocking laughter stopped suddenly as she saw his face go deathly white. Without another word, he turned and went out of the room. (BNC).

(г)<…> could not say so to Elizabeth. As his mother-in-law had come to know him better, she seemed to have accepted that he was the man for her daughter and even to have become quite fond of him, but he appreciated this new freedom. Elizabeth sighed. ‘Yes it is, my love, but I wonder how long it’ll last? Mother won’t be able to decide who needs her interference most, us or Sarah.’ George laughed. Elizabeth understood, though neither would have put it into words, that her mother was a thorn in George’s flesh. (BNC).

В-третьих, это лексический вариант, который появляется вследствие замены субстантивного компонента fleshна субстантивный компонентside: (а) а thornintheflesh > (д) а thornintheside.Этот лексический вариант сопровождается всеми видами вариантности, свойственными библейскому фразеологизму с компонентом flesh, а именно: расширенной квантитативной вариантностью (д) и синтаксической вариантностью в двух ее подвидах (е) и (ж). Ср.:

(д) <…> pointing out that the public right of way as marked on maps actually crosses part of the base. John Bugg died in January and peace campaigners have now named the path in his memory. She says its a fitting tribute. But this may prove to be one of the final fence cutting protests at Upper Heyford. The base is winding down as part of the defence cuts. By Christmas all the bombers are due to have left. And that could mean the end for the peace camp which dates back eleven years. He says they’ve been athorn inthe side of the authorities. (BNC).

(е) <..> did Michael speak again. ‘Why on earth did you do that, Christina? The man has been athorn inour side since the day he arrived three weeks ago. He’s a professional complainer – I’ve encountered hundreds of them in my time. They deliberately pick fault with everything in order to get a reduction on their bill. I’ve had Banville thoroughly checked out, and I know he’s stayed at two other hotels on the island and done the same thing.’ Michael sank into his chair, scowling. (BNC).

(ж) As one former Scottish team manager put it, ‘Picking a team is easy, getting them to bed is heartbreaking.’ <…> In the great partnerships of Scottish football some names stand out more than others. Tommy Gemmell and Bertie Auld were athorn inJock Stein’s side. Soon after Celtic’s European Cup success he was forced to send them home from a pre-season American tour when their behaviour failed to meet his standards. (BNC).

Кроме того, обновленный лексический вариант а thornintheside привносит в современный английский язык ряд новых вариантов, не свойственных БФЕ с компонентом flesh.Это грамматические варианты ФЕ с вариантностью категории определенности / неопределенности (з) и с морфологической вариантностью (и), выраженной сменой форм категории числа субстантивного компонента. Приведем примеры:

(з) After the game Swindon boss Glenn Hoddle said he was disappointed by his team’s first half performance. ‘You can’t give three goals away like that and expect to win the match,’ he said. # Leeds suffer Thorn in side # Des Kelly # C Palace 1, Leeds Utd 0 # ANDY THORN’S match winner ensured Crystal Palace’s revival continued to gather pace – but it meant a sixth defeat in eight games for Leeds, the crumbling champions. (BNC).

(и) Opposing the application, Anna Blower, for the boy, said he would be very upset if placed so far from home in a strange environment. The boy, subject of national publicity since being described last week by the local police chief ‘a very persistent offender who is a thorn in the sides ofme and my officers’, was led into court handcuffed to a policeman. (BNC).

Итак, комплексная вариантность рассматриваемой БФЕ athorninsomebody’sflesh / side(s) // athornintheflesh / sideofsomebody, включая лексико-морфолого-синтаксические варианты с сопутствующими квантитативными изменениями, не нарушает границы ее тождества, так как сохраняется ее структурно-семантический инвариант ‘a person or thing that causes a lot of problems for someone’ (Rundell, 2002: 1495), что находит свое подтверждение в контекстуальном использовании рассматриваемой БФЕ.

Заключение

На основе метода фразеологической идентификации проанализировано свыше четырехсот фразеологических единиц библейского происхождения, наиболее распространенных в современном английском языке. В результате анализа установлено, что около половины исследуемого объема библейских фразеологизмов подвержены различного вида вариантности.

В поле вариантных библейских фразеологических единиц посредством анализа дефиниций и контекстуального анализа установлены основные виды вариантности английских БФЕ:

а) лексические варианты со своими подвидами (субстантивные варианты, препозитивно-субстантивные варианты, адъективные варианты, глагольные варианты),

б) морфологические варианты,

в) синтаксические варианты,

г) квантитативные варианты,

д) комплексные варианты.

Все виды установленного варьирования изучаемого участка библейской фразеологии происходят в рамках самой БФЕ, не нарушая ее тождества, при сохранении ее структурно-семантического инварианта, то есть в данном случае не происходит образования новых фразеологических единиц.

Перспектива данной работы состоит в изучении вариантности и идентичности библейской фразеологии в таких германских языках, как немецкий и шведский, и в трех славянских языках: русском, белорусском и польском, и проведении заключительного сопоставительного анализа проблемы тождества библейской фразеологии в разнородных языках.