Phraseological Units Containing The Concept of "Tree": Symbolic Value in French Expressions

Abstract

Phraseological units are essential components of language, deeply tied to cultural symbolism and cognitive processes. Among these, the image of the tree stands out as one of the most enduring natural metaphors across civilizations. In the French language, tree-related phraseological units reflect a rich symbolic heritage, drawing from mythology, religion, and folk wisdom to express complex human experiences such as stability, heritage, perception, and emotion. Despite the universality of the tree as a cultural symbol, there is limited scholarly focus on the thematic and cognitive classification of tree-related phraseologisms in the French linguistic context. This study aims to examine the semantic, cultural, and metaphorical dimensions of phraseological units involving the concept of "tree" in French, offering a thematic categorization that enhances our understanding of their symbolic and cognitive significance. The analysis reveals six primary semantic fields—origin and roots, wisdom and stability, perceptual errors, emotional behavior, practicality, and analytical depth—each populated with idiomatic expressions such as avoir des racines, l’arbre qui cache la forêt, and aller à la racine du problème. These expressions encapsulate shared cultural models and abstract thought through concrete natural imagery. By systematically classifying and interpreting French tree-related phraseologisms, the study contributes a detailed linguistic and cognitive mapping of metaphors rooted in nature. The findings support the view that nature-based metaphors, especially those centered on trees, play a fundamental role in shaping conceptual structures in language, and thus offer valuable insights for linguistic, cognitive, and intercultural studies.