The article focuses on the semantics of English anti-proverbs, defi nes some features of the proverb and the anti-proverb worldview, and analyses how modern people perceive the world as refl ected in anti-proverbs. An anti-proverb is referred to as a statement which is based on a traditional
proverb and changes its meaning. Unlike proverbs, which represent a deeply-rooted system of views and values, anti-proverbs help a person to stand out from the crowd and to assert himself. A vast number of anti-proverbs refl ect the mentality of modern people, our changed views on “eternal truth”, conventional values, and our approach to modern life. The concepts of anti-proverbs are formed by both their meaning and inner form and defi ne the anti-proverb worldview, which largely contradicts the proverb worldview. Anti-proverbs feature various themes which are not typical of the proverb worldview: corrupt political leaders, obesity, parking problems, computers
in modern life etc.
The semantic analysis of anti-proverbs leads to the reconstruction of a fragment of the language
worldview, which corresponds to a greater degree to how modern people perceive the world, than
to how it is refl ected in traditional proverbs.