Asini e scecchi. Una lettura degli usi fraseologici e paremiologici asinini in italiano e siciliano

From folk tales to literature, from mythology to animated films, and generally in the collective thought, the donkey has at times represented the symbolic animal of obstinacy, at other times of ignorance, and stupidity. Less frequently, it has been portrayed as indispensable, for example, when it becomes a symbol of patience and tireless. Numerous phraseological expressions and proverbial idioms related metaphorically to its physicality, behaviors, ways of acting, and work have crystallized over time in both Italian language and Sicilian dialect, and today they are fully integrated into daily linguistic uses. Starting from an analysis of the lexical elements it. asino / sic. sceccu, some classificatory considerations are proposed regarding the semantic value of ˹donkey˺ in the idiomatic uses. It’s studied inside a sample of phraseological and paremiological units that express characteristic and behavioral traits of the animal.