Türk ve Leh dillerinde ve atasözlerinde kedi ve köpek kavramları

Each language includes only concepts that are important from the point of view of the culture in which people live. In every culture and language there are special concepts, but it is possible to perceive some of them as universal. Although Turkey and Poland are countries that do not have a common border, some elements of the Turkish and Polish culture which entered the language are the same or very similar to each other. As it is known, in various cultures various animals may have a specific meaning and importance. People live in various circumstances (geography, climate, civilization and urbanization level) and pay attention to the behavior and the way of life of animals which live in their environment, and they have learned how to benefit from them. Since human beings mention only these non-linguistic elements which are important to them, some animals were named and became a part of proverbs and idioms. In the places where Turks and Polish people live, one kind of animals which live with people are cats and dogs. These animals cannot be used too much for labour, their meat is uneatable and their skin cannot be used for making clothes. Nowadays from the economic point of view, there is no place for them (especially for cats) in a man’s household. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the characteristics of cat and dogs in Turkish and Polish languages and cultures. After grouping Turkish proverbs, each of them will be compared with Polish, whereby the same, similar or opposite meaning will be taken into account. The concept of cats and dogs became a topic of many proverbs. Language and culture highlight the conspicuous attitudes of these animals. In both studied languages, the concepts of cats and dogs understood as the subjects of proverbs and idioms, demonstrate the same characteristics of these animals. (Of course, there are expressions that express different specific features. They also carry great importance. It results from the fact that they constitute elements which distinguish a given culture, which is reflected in language.) Furthermore, Turkish and Polish languages include expressions that have very similar meaning to each other (can be translated word by word). A little difference in perception occurs in the proverbs concerning dogs, but in case of cats it can be said that in both languages and cultures the perception of these animals is the same.