Each of us is familiar with the phrase about cats that scratch their hearts. Why do they say that? Phraseologisms and winged expressions most often come from folklore. People use them when talking about their emotions and feelings. Similar phrases are needed in order to decorate our speech. And today we want to tell you about cats and why they scratch our soul.
Where did the expression come from?
It is difficult to find the origins of any phraseological unit, but we will try. It is believed that the phrase “cats scratch their soul” has its roots in the Middle Ages. It was at a time when the church conducted its active propaganda that people used to divide the world into black and white. And the worst of all in this situation was the innocent cats that had a black color. They were considered the companion of the devil and witches.
Of course, over time, this fanatical superstition was forgotten, but people still began to be wary of cats. This pet was and remains too unpredictable. When a cat is bored, she begins to sharpen her claws.
Indeed, it is thanks to this weapon that the night predator has the opportunity to hunt. So people noticed: if a cat sharpens its claws, wait for it to bring trouble now: then it will knock down a jar, then the candlestick will fall down. And so the expression remained in the people. And the sound accompanying cat manicure irritates nerves and soul.
The phrases combined, and the expression “cats scratch my soul” turned out to be familiar to us.
Expression value
We understood the origin of the phrase, now let's think about the meaning hidden in it. If you describe the meaning of the phraseology “cats scratch your soul” in one word, you get “longing”. Of course, you can pick up many other synonyms: sadness, sadness, fear and other feelings associated with not the best human experiences. Most often, the expression “cats scratch their souls” is used when a person cannot decide something or decide something.
But here it does not mean that the student cannot calculate the mathematical equation, it is rather similar to the fear of leaving for another country. There seems to be no reason to worry, but still, the unknown scares, and a person feels causeless excitement and anxiety.
Why do they say that?
Unfortunately, not everything in our life is perfect. Sometimes a person becomes sad. There is an incomprehensible confusion on the soul. I want to do something, but how to fix a situation that has not yet begun? It is in moments of excitement that this phraseological unit is used. It expresses well the state of mind.
Anyway, winged expressions that came from folklore are used to make people better understand each other. It is not always possible to put into words what you feel. How to describe confusion, excitement and sadness at the same time? Phraseologism "cats scratch their souls" copes with this task perfectly. People hear an expression familiar from childhood and can imagine the excitement and anxiety experienced by their opponent.
Why do cats scratch their souls?
Few people noticed how many stable combinations in the Russian language mention the soul. If you think about it, then only one comes to mind, well, a maximum of three. But look at this impressive list:
- lonely soul;
- the soul is not in place;
- pull for the soul;
- exhaust the soul;
- hurt your soul;
- stir up the soul;
- someone else's soul - darkness;
- the soul knows the measure.
It is worth noting that this is only a small part in which our soul suffers. Why exactly her? A person can use the expression “heart pinched” in a figurative sense, but still this is rarely practiced, because many people think that thoughts are material. That is why since ancient times, when a person feels badly morally and not physically, he says that his soul is unhealthy. In this regard, it is not surprising that the mystical animal, according to popular legend, scrapes precisely the soul.
Analogs in other languages
Are there similar expressions in other languages? Surprisingly, no. Although the cat was considered a mystical animal not only in Russia, but throughout Europe, it is not clear why they say this only in our country. It is possible that only the Russians have such a big soul that a cat can climb into.
In England, an incomprehensible excitement is conveyed by the phrase pit in my stomach, which literally means "pit in the stomach." In principle, this is a literal translation, but everyone understands that we are talking about the feeling that occurs in the stomach during a period of intense excitement.
The French convey their sadness with the expression sembler avoir un coeur lourd, which means "hard on the heart." That is, they believe that it is this body that is responsible for all the inner experiences of a person.
Spaniards are very open people, so cats don’t bother their souls. Instead, they use the expression cuando estoy triste, which in translation means "I need someone to speak out."
