Our First Drink – Milk. A Study of the Word in French and Polish

Abstract

The name of what is usually the first drink in our lives does not seem to be a very original object of interest. However, it belongs to a group of well-known and widely used words, and, therefore, I would like to look at its functioning. I intend to look into its basic general meaning and linguistics behind it, but I also want to explore the meaning of figurative (metaphorical) compositions and phrase expressions connected with the word ‘milk’ in French and in Polish respectively. I will try to outline the meaning of the word ‘milk’ / ‘mleko’ based on both old and contemporary French and Polish dictionaries. I will refer to the link between wine and milk, which is present in French only and visible through some of the expressions. This concrete noun, which can be classified among language universals, does not offer any sophisticated synonymy. However, several metonymic and metaphorical applications deserve attention.