Phrasematic Potential of the Word Combination: bieda z nędzą in Contemporary Polish The combination of synonymous words, whose origin may be associated with folk demonology and personified notions of Bieda [Poverty] and Nędza [Misery], has become the basis for a few phrasemes that are authenticated in contemporary Polish language. The analysis of research material that includes a variety of texts, differing in terms of topic, genre and style, is the evidence that apart from the phraseme bieda z

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... nędzą, which is registered in dictionaries, also other multi-verbal units, whose basic element of composition is this particular word combination, are used in Polish. The primary significance of the analysed phrasemes results from the presence of two synonymous words denoting a difficult financial situation, which leads to the hyperbolisation of the phenomenon. From the pragmatic perspective, however, they are used mostly as negative evaluation units, referring to the material sphere, but also to various fields, phenomena and events, which, according to the speaker, are characterised by low quality, have visible shortages and symptoms of poverty, or result from negligence or bad taste. As expressively and axiologically marked terms, which are characteristic of the colloquial style, these phrasemes are encountered in comments and discussion forums, as well as media coverage, especially in headlines. Longer phrasemes, which are joined by a clear rhyme, are the elements of intertextual games in various cultural texts: artistic works, blogs and chrematonyms.