This volume proposes a new concept for the lexicographic representation of proverbial sayings (phrasemes). For dictionary users these phenomena are especially problematic when it comes to learning the phrasemes of a foreign language. This new approach thus pays particular attention to a number of factors of crucial importance for correct dictionary usage: 'emotions' conveyed by phrasemes, speaker intentions reflected by phrasemes, 'familiarity' between speaker and recipient, and finally the 'transaction level' between speaker and recipient, i.e. differences in social status.