PAREMIOLOGY AS A BRANCH OF LINGUISTICS: THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS, METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORKS, AND CONTEMPORARY DIRECTIONS

Paremiology, the scientific study of proverbs and related fixed expressions, constitutes a distinct and vital branch of linguistics with deep historical roots and contemporary relevance. This article examines the theoretical foundations, methodological frameworks, and disciplinary boundaries of paremiology within the broader linguistic sciences. Drawing upon historical and contemporary scholarship, the analysis explores the relationship between paremiology and phraseology, the structural and semantic properties of paremias, and the interdisciplinary connections between linguistic paremiology and folklore studies, cultural linguistics, and cognitive science. The study addresses contemporary debates regarding the definition and scope of paremiological units, including the status of tongue twisters and other peripheral genres. The article argues that paremiology offers unique insights into the relationship between language, culture, and cognition, serving as an essential methodology for understanding how linguistic communities encode collective wisdom, moral values, and cultural identity in conventionalized verbal forms.