Cultural Conceptualizations of “Death” in Bakhtiari Dialect of Zazomahroo

Cultural conceptualizations show the ways of thinking and world view of a linguistic community toward the phenomena. The study of the conceptualizations leads to the profound understanding of the relevant cultures, facilitate cross cultural interactions, and remove cultural misunderstandings. This research, using the descriptive – analytical method, tries to study cultural conceptualizations in Zazomahroo Bakhtiari Dialect and describe their cultural origins. Regarding to nomadic and rural lifestyle of the people living in the region and their direct contact to the nature, the natural elements and phenomena provide a basis for cultural conceptualizations. Statistical population is 500 of the death-related phrases, expression, lamentations and proverbs which are used in this dialect. Data have been collected by field study and through interview and inquiry. The results of the studying and analysing of the data show that the origins of the cultural conceptualizations lie in the nomadic and rural lifestyle, people’s beliefs and ideas, the physiological effects of death-related feelings and emotions on body organs and people’s imaginations toward death. This lifestyle leads to the direct contact to the nature; therefore, the violent aspects of the nature phenomena are used as a concrete domain in conceptualizing of abstract concept of “death”. Death cultural conceptualizations such as “north wind, flood, avalanche, thunder and lightning” or “extinguishing of the fire, falling of one’s gravel or collapsing of the tent column” are due to the inspiration of the natural phenomena and rural-nomadic lifestyle.