Chapter-8-English-Idioms-英语词汇学-教学课件

1、Chapter 8 English Idioms Chapter 8 English Idioms Introduction Idioms consist of set phrases and short sentences and loaded with the native cultures and ideas. Idioms are colorful, forcible and thought-provoking. Strictly speaking, idioms are expressions that are not readily understandable from thei

2、r literal meanings of individual elements. Introduction Idioms consist ofIntroduction for example:fly off the handle, put up with In a broad sense, idioms may include colloquialisms, catchphrases, slang expressions, proverbs, etc This chapter will deal with idioms in terms of their characteristics,

3、classification and uses. Introduction for example:Chapter-8-English-Idioms-英语词汇学-教学课件Chapter-8-English-Idioms-英语词汇学-教学课件idiomaticity It should be pointed out that the idiomaticity of idioms is gradable, with the true idioms established at the upper end and regular combinations at the bottom. In betw

4、een are the semi-idioms By true idioms we mean that the meaning of the idiom cannot be deduced from those of the individual constituents: stepped up, in the raw idiomaticity It should be poinIdiomaticity By regular combinations we speak of the regular collocations such as make friends with, break si

5、lence and smooth tongue, the meanings of which are understood from the literal meanings of the constituents.In between we have idioms like turn over a new leaf, as cool as a cucumber and draw the curtain , whose meanings are in a way related to the meanings of the constituents but are themselves exp

6、licit. Idiomaticity By regular combinIdiomaticity The fixity of idioms depends on the idiomaticity. The more idiomatic the idioms, the more fixed the structure. Many of the idioms of the lower scale do allow some changes. For example, break silence can be changed into keep silence to express the opp

7、osite meaning. Put on the coat can be replaced by put it on in the actual context. Idiomaticity The fixity of idiClassification of Idioms Classification can be approached from different angles. We prefer the criterion of grammatical functions. By this criterion, idioms may be classified into five gr

8、oups. Idioms Nominal in NatureIdioms Adjectival in Nature Idioms Verbal in NatureIdioms Adverbial in NatureSentence Idioms Classification of Idioms ClassUse of Idioms The study of idioms is not just to know which are idioms and which are not, but also to understand them correctly in actual context a

9、nd use them properly in production. To achieve this, one needs to be aware of the rhetoric characteristics of idioms such as stylistic features, rhetoric features and their occasional variations. Use of Idioms The study of idiStylistic Features A large proportion of idioms were first created by work

10、ing people: in deep water, tide over, take the helm by seamen; kill two birds with on stone, if you run after two hares, you will catch neither used by hunters; a bull in a china shop, have all ones eggs in one basket used by farmers; Stylistic Features A large proStylistic Features new brooms sweep

11、 clean, wash ones dirty linen in public used by housewives; keep the pot boiling, boil down used by cooks; jump at the bait, a fish out of water used by fishermen ; hit below the belt, play fair used by sportsmen, etcStylistic Features new brooms Stylistic Features idioms are generally felt to be in

12、formal and some are colloquialisms and slang, therefore inappropriate for formal style. Occasionally, we find idioms which are extremely formal and used only in frozen style. ColloquialismsSlangLiterary expressionsStylistic Features idioms are Stylistic Features The same idiom may show stylistic dif

13、ferences when it is as signed different meanings. In addition, slang expressions are often peculiar to social or regional varieties. Some may be used only in British setting, others may be appropriate only in American context, and still others may be suitable for certain groups of people. All this n

14、eeds care on the part of the user in the course of production. Stylistic Features The same idRhetorical Features Apart from the stylistic features, idioms manifest apparent rhetorical coloring in such respects as:phonetic manipulationlexical manipulation figures of speech Rhetorical Features Apart f

15、romVariations of IdiomsCharacterized by semantic unity and structural stability, idioms do not allow changes as a rule. But structural stability is not absolute. Occasionally, we may find changes in constituents of idioms ReplacementAddition or deletionposition-shiftingshorteningdismembering.Variati

16、ons of IdiomsCharacteriFirst in a brown study is not to be changed into in a red studyIn the same way, lip service is not to be changed into mouth service; kick the bucket into kick the pail or strike the bucket; bury the hatchet into bury the ax. First in a brown study is not Second For example, by

17、 twos and threes and tit for tat are not to be turned into by threes and twos and tat for tit. Similarly, the lions share is not to be replaced by the share of the lion though it is a common practice in free phrases. Second For example, by twos anThird For instance, out of the question means impossi

18、ble. If the article the is deleted, the idiomaticity will be lost and it will signify “no question” instead. In question on the other hand does not allow the addition of the as in the question, because the latter is no longer an idiom. Third For instance, out of thFinally For example, diamond cut di

19、amond is grammatically incorrect, for normally the verb cut should take the third person singular-s as the subject diamond is singular. Meanwhile there exists a structurally similar idiom like cures like, in which-s cannot be deleted . (as) sure as eggs is eggs may serve as another example. The verb

20、 is in the idiom should be are to agree with grammar. However, we use it as it is . It is grammatically wrong, but idiomatic and widely accepted. Finally For example, diamond cIdioms Nominal in Nature Idioms of this class have a noun as the key word in each and function as a noun in sentences:White

21、elephant a + nBrain trust n + nFlesh and blood n+ conj +nAn apple of discord n+ prep +n Jack of all trades n+ prep + det +n Fly in the ointment n +prep +nIdioms Nominal in Nature IdiomIdioms Adjectival in Nature All the idioms listed below function as adjectives but the constituents are not necessar

22、ily adjectives:Cut and dried a + aAs poor as a church mouse as +a + as + nWide of the mark a + prep + n Beyond the pale prep + n Up in the air adv +prep +nIdioms Adjectival in Nature AlIdioms Verbal in Nature This is the largest group of all. The structures of such idioms are quite complex and thus

23、can be subdivided into phrasal verbs and other verb phrases. Phrasal verbs are idioms which are composed of verb plus a prep and / or a particleLook into vi + prep; Go on vi + adv Put off vt + prep/adv; Turn on vt +adv Get away with vi+ adv+ prep Put down to vt +adv +prepIdioms Verbal in Nature This

24、 iIdioms Verbal in Nature Other verb phraseMake it ; Follow ones noseFall flat; Give sb the bagSing a different tune; Call it dayChop and change; Swim against the streamCome back to earth; Make ends meetKeep the pot boiling; Let the dog see the rabbitBite the hand that feeds oneIdioms Verbal in Natu

25、re Other Idioms Adverbial in Nature Tooth and nail n +n In nothing flat prep +n +aThrough thick and thin prep +n + conj +nThis class contains numerous prepositional phrase, which in nature are either adjectival or adverbial and in many cases have both functions at the same time. For instance, in clo

26、ver or in the clover can be used both as predicative and as adverbial Therefore , this idiom may be placed in the second group and in the fourth group as well. Idioms Adverbial in Nature TooSentence Idioms As the term suggests, all idioms of this category are complete sentences. They are mainly prov

27、erbs and sayings, including colloquialisms and catchphrases.A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. How are you? Never do things by halvesThats the time of day! Upon my word! Art is long, life is short. All is not gold that glitters. Kill the goose that laid the golden egg. Sentence Idioms As t

28、he term suColloquialisms Hang in ( there): Hang in there, old buddy; the worst is yet to come.Big wheel: Uncle Ferdinand is a big wheel in Washington, maybe he can help you with your problem.Make waves: Joe is the wrong man for the job; he is always trying to make waves.Can of worms: Lets not get in

29、to big city politics-thats a different can of worms.Colloquialisms Hang in ( thereSlang Cancer stick: Throw away that cancer stick! Smoking is bad for you!Hit the sack: Im sleep; lets hit the sack.Dish the dirt: Stop dishing the dirt, Sally , its really unbecoming!Feel no pain: After a few drinks, t

30、he man felt no pain and began to act foolishly.In the soup: When his wife overdrew their bank account without telling him, Mr. Cook suddenly found himself really in the soup.Slang Cancer stick: Throw awayLiterary expressions Come to pass: Strange things come to pass in trouble times.Be it that:In th

31、e wake of: Famine followed in the wake of war.Give the lie to: The police gave the lie to the man who said that he had been at home during the robbery.Of note: He is a novelist of note in India.Cross swords: That was where I crossed swords with him. Literary expressions Come to pPhonetic manipulatio

32、n AlliterationChop and change; Might and main; Rough and ready; Part and parcel; Toss and turn; Bag and baggage; sum and substance; Neither fish, flesh, nor fowlRhymeKith and kin; Wear and tear; Toil and moil; By hook and by crook; Fair and square; A little pot is soon hot; A friend is in need is a

33、friend indeed; Theres many a slip between the cup and the lipPhonetic manipulation AlliteraLexical manipulation Reiteration ( duplication of synonyms)Scream and shout, cut and carve, pick and choose, rough and tough, odds and ends, bits and pieces, push and shove Repetition By and by, out and out, s

34、uch and such, day by day, all in all, face to face, hand in hand, word for word, from time to time, year in year out.Juxtaposition ( of antonyms)Here and there, up and down, hit or miss, rain or shine, weal and woe, Lexical manipulation ReiteratiFigures of speech Idioms are terse and vivid because o

35、f the copious images created by them. Large numbers of idioms are used in their metaphorical meaning. SimileMetaphorMetonymySynecdochePersonification EuphemismFigures of speech Idioms are tSimile (As) mute as a fish, as dead as a doornail as graceful as a swan, like a rat in a hole eat like a horse,

36、 sleep like a logTime flies like an arrowspend money like water.Simile (As) mute as a fish, asMetaphor In some idioms, animals are used to refer to people: black sheep, a dark horse, grey mare, snake in the grassinanimate things to refer to people: new broom, flat tire, the salt of the earththings t

37、o refer to something else: bed of dust, crocodile tears, a wet blanket, black bottleactions, state to refer to abstract ideas or other actions, state, etc: sit on the fence, cut the ground from under sb , fall from grace Metaphor In some idioms, animaMetonymy This refers to idioms in which the name

38、of one thing is used for that of another associated with itin the cradlelive by ones pen from cradle to grave make (up) a purseMetonymy This refers to idiomsSynecdoche Both metonymy and synecdoche involve substitution of names, yet they differ in that the former is a case of using the name of one th

39、ing for another closely associated with it and the latter is that of substituting part for the whole and vice versaearn ones bread fall into good hands two heads are better than oneSynecdoche Both metonymy and sPersonification Failure is the mother of success.Actions speak louder than words.The pot

40、calls the cattle blackFire and water are good servants, but bad masters.Personification Failure is theEuphemism The call of nature, sleep around, powder ones nose Some idioms are always used in a humorous way: kick the bucket, give leg-bail some are ironic and sardonic in tones: big deal, perfumed t

41、alk some are derogatory: a big cheeseThere are instances of hyperbole: a world of trouble and a flood of tearsEuphemism The call of nature, Replacement In some idioms, a constituent may be replaced by a word of the same part of speechVerb: catch get, seize, take hold of, keep break ones wordNoun: down in the bushes mouth, a drop in the ocean bucketAdjectives: on a large big, vast scale, by all no meansAdverb or preposition: drop in over, by, turn on off Article, pro