"Cats scratch their hearts" - why they say so and what it means

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:47

Each of us is familiar with the phrase about cats that scrape at heart. Why do they say so? Phraseologisms and popular expressions most often come from folklore. People use them when talking about their emotions and feelings. Such 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 the soul" has its roots in the Middle Ages. It was at the time when the church was conducting its active propaganda that people got used to dividing the world into black and white. And worst of all in this situation were innocent cats that had a black color. They were considered companions 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.

After all, thanks to this weapon of his, the night predatorhas the ability to hunt. So people noticed: if a cat sharpens its claws, expect that now it will bring trouble: either it will knock down the jar, then the candlestick will fall down. And so the expression remained among the people. And the sound that accompanies a cat's manicure irritates the nerves and soul.

The phrases came together, and we got such a familiar expression “cats scratch our souls.”

Value of expression

We understand the origin of the phrase, now let's think about the meaning hidden in it. If you describe the meaning of the phraseologism "cats scratch at the soul" in one word, then 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 at the soul" is used when a person cannot decide something or decide on something.

But this does not mean that the student cannot calculate the mathematical equation, it is more like the fear of leaving for another country. It seems that there is no reason to worry, but all the same, the unknown is frightening, and a person feels causeless excitement and anxiety.

Why do they say that?

Unfortunately, not everything in our lives is perfect. Sometimes a person becomes sad. An incomprehensible confusion lies in 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 the state of mind well.

And in general, popular expressions,come from folklore, are used to make people better understand each other. It's not always possible to put into words what you feel. How to describe confusion, excitement and sadness at the same time? Phraseologism "cats are scratching at heart" copes with this task perfectly. People hear an expression familiar from childhood and can imagine the excitement and anxiety that their opponent is experiencing.

Why do cats scratch the soul?

Few people have noticed how many stable combinations in the Russian language that 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;
• soul is out of place;
• pull for the soul;
• exhaust the soul;
• heartache;
• to stir the soul;
• alien soul - darkness;
• the soul knows when to stop.

It is worth noting that this is only a small part in which our soul suffers. Why is she? A person can use the expression "heart ached" in a figurative sense, but still this is rarely practiced, because many believe that thoughts are material. That is why since ancient times, when a person feels bad morally, and not physically, he says that his soul is unhe althy. In this regard, it is not surprising that, according to popular legend, the mystical animal scratches the soul.

Analogues in other languages

Are there similar expressions in other languages? Surprisingly, no. Although the cat was consideredmystical animals not only in Russia, but throughout Europe, why they say so only in our country, it is not clear. It is possible that only Russians have such a big soul that a cat can get 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 great excitement.

The French convey their sadness with the expression sembler avoir un coeur lourd, which means "heavy at heart". That is, they believe that it is this organ that is responsible for all the internal experiences of a person.

The Spaniards are very open people, so cats do not disturb their souls. Instead, they use the expression cuando estoy triste, which in translation means "I need to speak to someone."

How to appease cats in the shower

In order not to feel unpleasant excitement, you need to learn how to relax. There is no point in worrying about the past and the future. If a person can change the situation, then he must act, and if he cannot, then you should not in vain stir up the soul with useless experiences.

Of course, everyone has moments in life when it simply does not work to “turn off” the excitement. But it is worth remembering that your lonely soul is not so lonely after all. There are always close people nearby to whom you can tell about your worries.

No matter how strange it may sound, but when you talk about experiencesto another person, it becomes much easier for yourself. If there is no desire to burden others with your anxieties, then you can tell a sheet of paper about them. It often happens that written worries no longer look as scary as those that swarm in disorder in your head.

However, the best cure for anxiety is work. Being engaged in any business, you can not only distract yourself from unnecessary thoughts, but even heal your soul. Of course, this should not be monotonous work, but active brain activity. This is how, by switching your thoughts in a different direction, you can almost instantly forget about what bothered you a lot. But still, you need to learn not to run away from your problems, but to understand their cause.

Each person can only help himself. If the soul is in harmony, then it is difficult to disturb it, but when there is a mess inside, then, of course, a black cat can start up in a dark corner, which, on business and without it, will run out of its shelter and sharpen its sharp claws.