Transcript Episode 12 English Idioms

Episode 12
English Idioms
Ⅰ.Definition
Ⅵ. Proverbs
Ⅱ. Features
Ⅶ. Metaphorical and
Similized Idioms
Ⅲ. Sources
Ⅷ. Binomials and Trinomials
Ⅳ. Classification
Ⅴ. Phrasal Verbs
Ⅸ. Flexible Use of
Idioms—Parody
Pre-questions:
* What is the relation between collocation and idiom?
* Where do English idioms come from?
•What is the difference between phrasal verbs and
verb phrases?
* What are the most important features of idioms? Why?
* Should structural stability be excluded? Why or why not?
Ⅰ. Definition
Concise Oxford Dictionary defines an
idiom as a form of expression peculiar to
language, person, or group of people, esp.
one whose sense is not predictable from
the meanings and arrangement of its
elements.
John Sinclare (1991) holds an idiom is a
group of two or more which are chosen
together to produce a specific meaning or
effect in speech or writing.
• Idioms are said to be the sinew of the language by
P. Cowie and R. Mackin.
• Mr. Lu’s definition (refer to 2001:355)
• Idioms are holophrastic(conventionalized
multiword expressions), usu. fixed in form, often
but not always non-literal, peculiar to a given
culture
Ⅱ. Features
Idioms involve collocation of a special
kind—restricted/frozen.
Soviet linguist V.V. Vinogradov called
idioms phraseologisms(固定词组).
Idioms are distinguished by
semantic unity;
semantic opacity(for most idioms);
structural stability (for most idioms);
lasting idiomaticity;
peculiarity.
Ⅲ. Sources
everyday life: to make both ends meet, etc.
agricultural life: to go to seed, to lead sb. up the garden
path, etc.
nautical and military life: to be in the same boat with, to be
in deep waters, etc.
business life: to turn an honest penny, etc.
campus life: to turn over a new leaf, etc.
the Bible: the apple of one’s eye, etc.
Shakespeare’s plays: to wear one’s heart on one’s sleeves,
give the Devil his due, etc.
fables, myths or legends: the lion’s share, etc.
Ⅳ. Classification
English idioms can be classified according to 9 classification
systems: (see to Wang Rong pei)
semantic transparency;
syntactic functional;
typological;
thematic;
communicative;
structural;
head-word quantitative;
register;
etymological.
In terms of typological classification system, idioms
can be classified into:
Phrasal Verbs;
Proverbs;
Metaphorical Idioms;
Similized Idioms;
Binomials and Trinomials.
Ⅴ. Phrasal Verbs
1. Definition: Phrasal verbs are called multiword verbs, mostly made up of verbs and
particles (including adverbs and prepositions),
having a unitary meaning.
According to Collins COBUILD Dictionary of
Phrasal Verbs, the most frequently-used verbs
to form phrasal verbs are the following 38
verbs:
break, bring, call, cast, come, cut, do, fall, get,
give, go, hang, hold, keep, kick, knock, lay,
lie, live, look, make, move, pass, play, pull,
push, put, run, send, set, sit, stand, stay, stick,
take,
talk,
throw,
turn.
And the particles of the highest frequency are
up, out, off, in, on.
2. Structures
Oxford Dictionary of Current Idiomatic
English classifies phrasal verbs into 6 types in
terms of syntactic structure:
(1) vi. + adv.
come off, carry on
(2) vi.+ prep. run through, look into
(3) vi.+ adv.+prep. get along with, stand up
to
(4) vt.+ adv.
get across, take in
(5) vt.+ prep.
put…through…,
set…before…
(6) vt.+adv.+prep. fill…in on…, let…in for
3. Notes
• A. Phrasal Verbs have special forms, which can be
also called idiomatic verbs.
• (1) v.+n. e.g. make peace, run risks
• (2) v.+adj. e.g. come true, make sure
• (3) v.+v. e.g. let slip, let pass, make believe
• (4) v.+v.+prep. e.g. make do with
2. Structures
A verb phrase consists of a verb ( sometimes
with its auxiliaries), its direct/indirect
objects, and any adverb which happens to
modify the verb.
Phrasal verbs usually are non-literal, e.g. walk
out means go on strike; verb phrases are literal, e.g.
walk the dog.
Ⅵ. Proverbs
Which do you prefer?
• 1. Definition:
• Proverbs reflect a nation’s intelligence, wisdom
and spirit. — Bacon
• Proverb is the salt of language. —Arabian
saying
• Proverbs are children of experience. —English
saying
• Proverb is the crystal of people’s wisdom. —
Chinese saying
• Proverbs embody generally-accepted truths in a
few simple but witty words.
2. Features
•
•
•
•
A. Thoughtfulness and Philosophy
Time tries all things.
The leopard cannot change its spots.
Behind the mountains there are people to be
found.
• A small leak will sink a great ship.
• The proof of the pudding is in the eating.
B. Rich Life Experience
•
•
•
•
Soft fire makes sweet malt.
A penny saved is a penny gained.
Feed a cold and starve a fever.
Marry in haste and repent at leisure.
C. Vividness
• It’s no use crying over spilt milk.
• Fish begins to stink at the head.
D. Contrastiveness/Pro and Con
• Too many cooks spoil the broth.
• Two heads are better than one.
• A good beginning makes a good
ending.
• It’s not over till it’s over.
E. Brevity
•
•
•
•
Jack of all trades, master of none.
Nothing venture, nothing gain.
Like father, like son.
Like cures like.
F. Figurative Language Use
(1) metaphor
• Spare time is the gold dust of life.
(2) personification
• Time and tide wait for no man.
• Misery loves company.
• Pride goes before a fall.
(3) Antithesis
• Out of sight, out of mind.
• Absence sharpens love, presence
strengthens love.
(4) oxymoron
• A friend to everybody is a friend to
nobody.
(5) Rhyme and rhythm
• No pains, no gains.
• A friend in need is a friend indeed.
• A miss is as good as a mile.
Ⅶ. Metaphorical and Similized Idioms
• A. Metaphorical idioms are idioms with a
metaphor, e.g.
• the ace of trumps
an apple of discord
• the apple of one’s eye a bed of roses
• a fish out of water
a snake in the grass
• a wild goose chase
a wet blanket
• an iron hand
a dog in the manger
B. Similized Idioms can best illustrate
cultural differences and display peculiarity.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
as silly as an ass
as obstinate as a mule
as strong as a horse
as merry as a cricket
as timid as a hare
as brave as a lion
as blind as a bat
• as poor as a church
mouse
• as fit as a fiddle
• as cool as a cucumber
• as like as two peas
• as wise as Solomon
• as rich as a Jew
• as old as Adam
sleep like a log
fight like cats and dogs
drink like a fish
sell like hotcakes
eat like a horse
a memory like a sieve
smoke like a chimney
grow like a weed
spring up like mushrooms
cry like a baby
wet like a drowned rat
live like a king
spread like wildfire
spend money like water
follow like a sheep
packed like sardines
Ⅷ. Binomials and Trinomials
• A. Binomials :
• 1. Definition: Expressions combined by “and” or
“or” to denote a single meaning are called
irreversible binomials/twin-word idioms, coined
by American linguist Yakov Malkiel in 1959.
• British scholar H. W. Fowler called binomials
siamese twins.
2. Surface Structure
(1) n.+n.
• vice and crime (罪恶)
• use and wont (惯例)
• sum and substance (要点)
• hammer and tongs (全力以赴地)
(2) v.+v.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
crash and burn (彻底失败)
toss and turn (翻来复去)
pick and choose (挑剔)
wine and dine (款待吃喝)
scrape and screw (省吃俭用)
push and shove (猛往前挤)
pick and steal (扒窃)
forgive and forget (不念前嫌)
divide and rule (分而治之)
(3) adj.+adj.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
null and void (无效的)
vague and wooly (含糊不清的)
black and blue (遍体鳞伤的)
clean and neat (干干净净的)
free and easy (不拘形式的)
fair and square (光明正大的)
safe and sound (安然无恙的)
(4) adv.+adv.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
really and truly (真正地)
far and away (大大……，无疑地)
far and wide (到处)
once and away (一劳永逸地)
by and large (总的说来)
there and then (当时当地)
through and through (彻头彻尾地)
(5) prep.+prep.
• save and except(除……以外)
• over and above(在……之上)
• betwixt and between(在……之间)
• (6) conj.+conj.
• as and when(当……)
• if and when(如果……)
3. Features
• The two elements of binomials are of the
same part of speech.
• The part of speech of a binomial is similar
to that of its components.
• A number of binomials are rhymed or
alliterated.
4. Rhymed and Alliterated Binomials
(1) Rhymed:
• art and part (筹划并参与)
• bear and forbear (一忍再忍)
• hustle and bustle (繁忙)
• toil and moil (操劳)
• wear and tear (磨损)
• near and dear (亲近的)
• flotsam and jetsam (搁浅，孤立无援)
(2) Alliterated
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
back and belly (衣食)
bag and baggage (所有财产)
rant and rave (健谈)
chop and change (变化无常)
spick and span (崭新的)
cut and carve (使精炼)
wail and weep (哀哭)
dribs and drabs (点点滴滴)
kith and kin (亲戚朋友)
5. Relations between Components
(1) Repetition of Form:
• by and by
• again and again
• neck and neck
• out and out
• round and round
• lots and lots
• word for word
(2) Repetition of Sense (Coordination/Reiteration)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
far and wide (广泛地)
fuss and bother (纠缠不休)
part and parcel (部分)
leaps and bounds (飞跃地)
rough and tough (强壮的)
whims and fancies (怪念头)
odds and ends (零星杂物)
(3) Conjunction
•
•
•
•
•
bed and board (膳宿)
slow and steady (稳健的)
bread and butter (生计)
high and mighty (神气活现地)
hum and haw (支吾其词)
(4) Contrast/Juxtaposition
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
to and fro
pro and con
up and down
wax and wane
weal and woe
rain and shine
hit or miss
sink or swim
(5) Modification
•
•
•
•
•
•
cups and gold = golden cups
death and honor = honorable death
deceit and thought = deceitful thoughts
lime and water = lime water
might and main = main strength
grace and favor = gracious favor
B. Trinomials
•
•
•
•
•
•
Tom, Dick, and Harry/Brown, Jones and Robinson
Holy Father, Holy Son, and Holy Spirit
Of the people, by the people, and for the people
Ready! Set! Go!
Ready! Aim! Fire!
Going! Going! Gone!
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
lock, stock and barrel(全部地)
hook, line and sinker(全部地)
cool, calm and collected(泰然自若)
hop, skip and jump(三级跳)
good, bad and indifferent(好坏参差不齐的)
this, that and the other(各种东西)
wine, woman and song(吃喝玩乐)
right, left, and center(到处)
Ⅸ. Flexible Use of Idioms—Parody
• Parody (仿化) is a rhetorical device which
is an imitation of the extant idioms with
certain substitution of the original for
deliberate exaggeration and comic effect,
e.g.
a horse of another color →
a horse of the same color (Shakespeare)
wet behind the ears →
dry behind the ears
If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing well. →
If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly. (G.K.
Chesterton)
A stitch in time saves nine. →
A word in time saves nine.
A friend in need is a friend indeed. →
A friend in need is a friend to be avoided.
Walls have ears. →
People have ears.