Idioms - moodle2.units.it · Cf. Unit 36 In the know Color idioms! To see red In the red > in debt,...
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1 Idiom quiz 1. Improve after going through something very difficult A. As plain as day 2. Very difficult to understand B. Like pulling teeth 3. Very easy C. Turn the corner 4. Easy to see or understand D. As clear as mud 5. Extremely difficult E. As easy as pie/A piece of cake/like taking candy from a baby Idioms
Transcript of Idioms - moodle2.units.it · Cf. Unit 36 In the know Color idioms! To see red In the red > in debt,...
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Idiom quiz
1. Improve after going through something very difficult
A. As plain as day
2. Very difficult to understand B. Like pulling teeth 3. Very easy C. Turn the corner 4. Easy to see or understand D. As clear as mud 5. Extremely difficult E. As easy as pie/A piece of cake/like taking candy
from a baby
Idioms
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Idioms
General idea of idioms and non-linguistic perspective* vs. linguistic (technical) definition
*”form of expressiobn peculiar to a language, person or group of people” (COD) > e.g. first person pronoun spelt with capital letter in English
Idioms
“complex lexical item which is longer than a word form but shorter than a sentence, and which has a [unitary] meaning that cannot be derived from a knowledge of its component parts” (Gramley & Patzold 1992: 71)
“lexical complex which is semantically simplex” (Cruse 1986: 37)
red herring
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Idioms
Not euqally difficult to decode, they show different degrees of semantic opacity
give somebody the green light red herring
Idioms
Many idioms have two meanings: literal and idiomatic
How to recognize idioms?
• Knowledge of world• Context clues• Common sense
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Idioms
Many idioms [e.g. red tape] have two meanings: literal and idiomatic
How to recognize idioms?
• Knowledge of world• Context clues• Common sense
Idioms and their origins
Many derive from more or less recognizable metaphors
Task: what do they mean and where do they come from?
• “white elephant”• “kick the bucket”• “red herring”• “give someone a piece of one's mind”
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Idioms and context clues
Lexical repetition around the idiom:
• a state of affairs is described• the sender refers to it with an idiom• it is picked up again by a non-idiomatic, literal lexical item
Cf.
The detectives were following a red herring, but they're on the right track now
Can you guess?
Wear (have) one's heart on one's sleeve
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Can you guess?
wear one's heart on one's sleeve
Cf.
John always has his heart on his sleeve so that everyone knows how he feels.
Because she wears her heart on her sleeve, it's easy to hurt her feelings.
I showed my feelings and wore my heart on my sleeve.
Can you guess?
wear one's heart on one's sleeve
Cf.
John always has his heart on his sleeve so that everyone knows how he feels.
Because she wears her heart on her sleeve, it's easy to hurt her feelings.
I showed my feelings and wore my heart on my sleeve.
>>> make one’s feelings apparent; to display one's feelings openly and habitually, rather than keep them private
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Idiom classification
Several approaches
According to the image they evoke (e.g. body idioms: to find your feet = to become familiar with a new place or situation)
According to the concept they express (e.g. danger: on the loose = free to move about and dangerous)
Cf. In the know
Color idioms!
To see redIn the redTo feel blueOut of the blueTo black outIn the pinkTo give someone the green light
Cf. Unit 36 In the know
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Color idioms!
To see red > to become very angryIn the redTo feel blueOut of the blueTo black outIn the pinkTo give someone the green light
Cf. Unit 36 In the know
Color idioms!
To see redIn the red > in debt, having net lossesTo feel blueOut of the blueTo black outIn the pinkTo give someone the green light
Cf. Unit 36 In the know
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Color idioms!
To see redIn the redTo feel blue > to feel sad or unwell, depressedOut of the blueTo black outIn the pinkTo give someone the green light
Cf. Unit 36 In the know
Color idioms!
To see redIn the redTo feel blueOut of the blue > unexpectedlyTo black outIn the pinkTo give someone the green light
Cf. Unit 36 In the know
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Color idioms!
To see redIn the redTo feel blueOut of the blueTo black out > to become unconscious suddenly, but for a short period of time In the pinkTo give someone the green light
Cf. Unit 36 In the know
Color idioms!
To see redIn the redTo feel blueOut of the blueTo black outIn the pink > in very good health/conditionTo give someone the green light
Cf. Unit 36 In the know
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Color idioms!
To see redIn the redTo feel blueOut of the blueTo black outIn the pinkTo give someone the green light > grant someone permission to proceed with some action or task
Cf. Unit 36 In the know
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Proverbs and commonplaces
Free utterances or self-contained statementsCan be equivalent to a complete sentenceAre concerned with general rather than specific meanings
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Commonplaces
AKA truisms, platitudes
“an idea, expression, remark, etc., that is not new or interesting” (Merriam Webster)
E.g.
If I am for it, I am for it.Nothing succeeds like success.
Proverbs
Short, traditional saying in general use; usually express some obvious truth or familiar experience
A proverb is a short sentence that people often quote, which gives advice or tells you something about life
Means for understanding the culture of a country
There are many proverbs in English. They reflect important typical values. Proverbs are a part of folklore, history and traditions.
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Proverbs: what are their origins?
Age-old English proverbs show traditions and history of the country, for example:
• Good wine needs no bush
Proverbs: what are their origins?
Age-old English proverbs show traditions and history of the country, for example:
• Good wine needs no bush >>> there's no need to advertise or boast about something of good quality as people will always discover its merits
But how about the origins???
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Proverbs: what are their origins?
Good wine needs no bush >>> An item of good quality needs no advertisement.Establishments like inns and pubs used to hang ivyand flowers to tell travelers that wine was available inside.
Proverbs: what are their origins?
Proverbs borrowed from the Bible, for example: • Forbidden fruit is the sweetest
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Proverbs: what are their origins?
Proverbs borrowed from the Bible, for example:
• Forbidden fruit is the sweetest >>> Forbidden things have more worthwhile short-term consequences;People are drawn to things that theyare forbidden from doing or having
A: "I know you're intrigued by Derek, but he's married!”B: "But forbidden fruit is the sweetest!"
Proverbs: what are their origins?
Farmer world:
• It is raining cats and dogs
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Proverbs: what are their origins?
Farmer world:
• It is raining cats and dogs
Houses had thatched roofs of thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof. Hence the saying It's raining cats and dogs. There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how canopy beds came into existence.
Fonte: http://tww.id.au/proverbs/history.html
Proverbs: linguistic aspects
Not completely frozenTolerate variations (shortening/addition)Marked by specific expressions (“as they say…”)Irregular syntax (“Like father, like son”)Anglo-Saxon vocabularyPresent tense (deal with timeless meanings)Have no known authorShow non-literal meaning
E.g.
Better late than neverIt takes two to tango
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Proverbs
Sound patterns/prosodic featuresrhymealliterationassonance
Structural repetition/parallelismTwo part structure
Proverbs
Rhyme pattern:
A friend in need …A stitch in time …Birds of a feather…
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Proverbs
Rhyme pattern:
A friend in need is a friend indeedA stitch in time saves nineBirds of a feather flock together
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Contradictory proverbs!
Look before you leap.He who hesitates is lost.
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.Don’t beat your head against a stone wall.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder.Out of sight, out of mind.
It’s better to be safe than sorry.Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Many hands make light work.Too many cooks spoil the broth.
Proverbs: what about Italian?
1. A friend in need is a friend indeed2. Better to live well than to live long3. A barking dog never bites4. Actions speak louder than words5. A stitch in time saves nine6. Better late than never7. Do not look a gift horse in the mouth8. Every rose has its thorns9. One does not wash dirty linen in public10.Out of mind out of sight11.It takes two to tango12.What never had never missed13.Absence (distance) makes the heart grow fonder14.Better safe than sorry15.Too many cooks spoil the broth16.When in Rome, do as the Romans do
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Readings:
Gramley, S., and Patzold K.-M. (1992). A Survey of Modern English. London: Routledge
> Words in combination
Leaney, C. (2005). In the know. Understanding and using idioms. Cambridge: CUP.
> Introduction> Units ………………………………
