9 English Idioms. What are idioms? Pick out the idioms: Sam is a real cool cat. He never blows his...

9

English Idioms

What are idioms? Pick out the idioms: Sam is a real cool cat. He never blows his

stack and hardly ever flies off the handle. What's more, he knows how to get away with things... Well, of course, he is getting on, too. His hair is pepper and salt, but he knows how to make up for lost time by taking it easy. He gets up early, works out, and turns in early. He takes care of the hot dog stand like a breeze until he gets time off. Sam's got it made; this is it for him.

What are idioms?

Sam is a real cool cat. He never blows his stack and hardly ever flies off the handle. What's more, he knows how to get away with things... Well, of course, he is getting on, too. His hair is pepper and salt, but he knows how to make up for lost time by taking it easy. He gets up early, works out, and turns in early. He takes care of the hot dog stand like a breeze until he gets time off. Sam's got it made; this is it for him.

What are idioms?

a cool cat = a really calm person blow one's stack = lose control over

oneself fly off the handle = become excessively

angry what's more = furthermore get away with = commit an illegitimate

act without penalty of course = naturally

What are idioms? get on = get old pepper and salt = grey (hair) make up for = compensate for lost time = time wasted take it easy = relax, not worry get up = rise from bed turn in = go into bed

What are idioms?

take care of = manage or look after like a breeze = without effort or easily time off = time for rest get it made = be successful this is it = be in a position or place, or

have possession of an object beyond which more of

the same is unnecessary

What are idioms?

Sam is really a calm person. He never loses control of himself and hardly ever becomes too angry. Furthermore, he knows how to manage his business financially by using a few tricks… Needless to say, he, too, is getting older. His hair is beginning to turn grey, but he knows how to compensate for wasted time by relaxing. He rises early, exercises, and goes to bed early. He manages his frankfurter dispensary without visible effort, until it is someone else's turn to work there. Sam is successful, he has reached his life's goal. 　

What are idioms?

Definition: Idioms are set phrases or short sentences,

which are peculiar to the language in question, and whose meanings are often difficult or impossible to deduce from the literal meanings of the constituents构件 .

9.1 Characteristics of Idioms

9.1.1 Semantic Unity

Example: kick the bucket (V + N) = die (functioning as a verb) till the cows come home (Pron+N+V+Adv) = f

orever (functioning as an adv) Each idiom is a semantic unity语义的整体性 . The meanings of the constituents do not co

ntribute to the meaning of the whole.

9.1.1 Semantic Unity

The semantic unity is also reflected in the illogical combination of the constituents.

wear one’s heart upon one’s sleeve = show one’s feelings openly

rain cats and dogs = rain heavily wear the trousers = (of the wife) have

overall control

9.1.2 Structural Stability

Idioms are structurally stable. Their structures are fixed to a large

extent. 1. The constituents cannot be changed. kick the bucket * strike the bucket * kick the pail * kick a bucket


2. The word-order cannot be changed. by twos and threes 三三两两 * by threes and twos the lion’s share 最大的份额 * the share of the lion


3. The constituents cannot be deleted or added to.

Diamond cut diamond. * A diamond cuts a diamond. out of the question = impossible * out of question = impossible out of question = undoubtedly


4. Many idioms are grammatically unanalyzable.

Diamond cut diamond. * Diamond cuts diamond. Like cures like. * Like cure like. as sure as eggs is eggs * as sure as eggs are eggs

9.1.3 Idiomaticity Semantic unity and structural stability ar

e closely related to idiomaticity 习用度 . The higher the idiomaticity, the higher th

e stability and semantic unity. （习语的）习用度越高 , 其结构的稳定性和

意义的整体性就越高。

9.1.3 Idiomaticity Three levels of idiomaticity: 1. Totally idiomatic: the salt of the earth 非常正派、诚实的

人 writing on the wall 凶兆 The meaning cannot be deduced.

9.1.3 Idiomaticity 2. Semi-idiomatic: turn over a new leaf 改过自新 once in a blue moon 千载难逢 draw the curtain 隐蔽 /藏 The meaning can be deduced to a certain

extent.

9.1.3 Idiomaticity 3. Somewhat idiomatic: drink like a fish 牛饮 keep silence沉默 as cold as ice 冰冷 The meaning is transparent.

9.2 Classification of Idioms

Criteria for classification: 1. Idiomaticity 2. Structure 3. Origins 4. Grammatical functions


1. Noun idioms Idioms function as nouns. a baker’s dozen 十三个 Jack of all trades 万事通 ; 万京油


2. Adjective idioms Idioms function as adjectives. high and mighty 盛气凌人 ; 趾高气扬 wide of the mark 毫不沾边


3. Verb idioms Idioms function as verbs. (1) Verb phrase 动词短语 make friends fall flat 大失所望 ; 残败 bite the hand that feeds one 以怨报德 get out


(2) Phrasal verbs 短语动词 home in on turn out put down to Each consists: a verb + one or two particles


4. Adverb idioms Idioms function as adverbs. bag and baggage 一应细软 in sport 闹着玩地


5. Sentence idioms Idioms function as sentences: proverb,

sayings, exclamations, etc. Upon my word! 我敢担保 ! Well begun is half done. Kill the goose that laid the golden egg. 毁掉财路 ; 杀鸡取卵

9.3 Use of Idioms

9.3.1 Stylistic Features Most idioms are informal in nature as they a

re created by the working people in various situations.

plain sailing ( 海员 ) 一帆风顺 wash one’s dirty linen in public ( 家庭主妇 ) 家丑外扬

have all one’s eggs in one basket ( 农夫 ) 孤注一掷

hit below the belt ( 拳击手 ) 卑劣 ; 不正当手段

9.3.1 Stylistic Features

A proportion of idioms are neutral. Many are colloquial and slangy. A very small number are literary. Idioms are rarely used in very formal

styles like legal language, business letter, government’s documents, etc.


One and the same idiom may differ in style when used in different meanings.

screw up Going to the dentist never seems to

bother my wife, but I get terribly screwed up at the mere thought. (make …nervous, tense)

informal


We should never have let the arrangements to Smithers. He screwed the whole thing up from start to finish. (mess up, mishandle)

slang


With an impatient exclamation Peter screwed up the second draft of his letter to the bank and threw it into the wastepaper basket. (make into a tight ball in the hands)

neutral


Some idioms are only confined to certain varieties.

beat sb hollow (BrE) 彻底打败 chilled to the marrow (BrE) 刺骨的冷 talk a blue streak (AmE) 滔滔不绝 on your own hook (AmE) 独立自主

9.3.2 Rhetorical Features

1. Phonetic manipulation 　 (1) Alliteration 　 chop and change (keep changing one

‘s opinion) 反复无常 toss and turn (keep turning from side to

side) 碾转翻覆 neither fish, flesh, nor fowl (difficult to

classify) 不伦不类


(2) Rhyme toil and moil (work hard and long; strive

laboriously) 辛辛苦苦 by hook and by crook (by all means good

and foul) 不择手段 There ‘s many a slip between the cup an

d the lip. 茶到嘴边还有失。


(3) Reiteration (duplication of synonyms)

pick and choose (select with much care or in a fussy way) 挑挑拣拣

odds and ends (remnants or things of little value) 零零碎碎


(4) Repetition out and out 地地道道 all in all 总而言之 word for word 逐字逐句 shoulder to shoulder 肩并肩


(5) Juxtaposition (of antonyms) move heaven and earth (do anything

possible) 上天入地 back and forth 来来往往 hit or miss 中也好不中也罢 from start to finish 自始至终


(6) Simile as graceful as a swan 美如天鹅 like a rat in a hole 如瓮中之鳖 (7) Metaphor black sheep 败家子 flat tire 扫兴的人 fall from grace 堕落


(8) Metonymy in the cradle 孩提时代 live by one‘s pen 靠写作为生 (9) Synecdoche fall into good hands 落入好人之手 two heads are better than one 人多智广


(10) Personification Failure is the mother of success. Actions speak louder than words. 行动胜于雄辩。


(11) Euphemism sleep around 乱搞男女关系 powder one's nose

9.3.3 Variations of Idioms

In actual use, particularly in mass media, popular press and in literary creation, idioms are often modified or reconstructed to achieve novelty or attract readers.

The result is variations of idioms. The reconstruction is achieved by

addition, deletion, replacement, position-shifting, dismembering.


1. Replacement (1) Verb make [cut] a figure 露头角 make [pull off] a great coup

一鸣惊人 (2) Noun down in the bushes [mouth] 垂头丧气 a drop in the ocean [bucket] 沧海一粟


(3) Adjectives in good [high, fine, full] feather 兴

高采烈 ; 身强力壮 on a large [big, vast] scale 大规模 (4) Adverb or preposition drop in [over, by]偶然来访 give a handle for [to] 给人以把柄


(5) Article, pronoun, numeral flea in one‘s [the] ear刺耳的话 lay a [one‘s] course制订计划 talk thirteen [nineteen] to the dozen

喋喋不休


2. Addition or deletion behind [the] bars坐牢 ,身陷囫囵 [for] all night thank one‘s [lucky] stars 谢天谢地 from [the bottom of] one‘s heart 衷心

地


3. Position-shifting day and night = night and day 夜以继日 pin back sb's ears = pin sb's ears back do sb a favour = do a favour for sb fortune‘s wheel = wheel of fortune

人生变迁


4. Shortening velvet paws = Velvet paws hide sharp

claws. 口蜜腹剑 Jack of all trades = Jack of all trades and

master of none. 万事通 ; 万京油 ;杂而不精的人


5. Dismembering “The leopard! But he did change them, Din

ny.”　　“ He did not, Auntie; he had no spots to change.”

“本性不改的东西 ! 可是 ,迪尼 ,他竟然变了 .” “他没变 ,姑妈 !他没有什么要改变的 .” The leopard never changes his spots. 江山易改 ,本性难移。


"Generally speaking, he is a misfit, a round peg in the squarest of holes."

总的说来，他是不称职的，是工作安排最不恰当的一个。

a square peg in a round hole方枘圆凿

9 English Idioms. What are idioms? Pick out the idioms: Sam is a real cool cat. He never blows his...

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