Chapter 8  English Idioms

    The English language abounds in idioms like any other highly developed tongue. Idioms have grown out of the linguistic practice of the people ever since the language came into being. They consist of set phrases and short sentences, which are peculiar to the language in question and steeped(沉浸) in the national and regional culture and ideas, thus being colorful, forcible and thought-provoking(发人深思的). Strictly speaking, idioms are expressions that are not readily understandable from their literal meanings of individual constituents(成分), for example, fly off the handle (become excessively angry) (勃然大怒) and put up with (tolerate). In a broad sense, idioms may include colloquialisms(口语), catchphrases(吸引人注意的话；口号), slang expressions(俚语), proverbs(成语), etc.. In this chapter we shall discuss the characteristics of idioms, their classifications and uses.

 

8.1  Characteristics of Idioms

    1. Semantic Unity

    Being phrases or sentences, idioms each consist of at least two or more constituents, but each is a semantic unity. Though the various words which make up the idiom have their respective literal meanings, they have lost their individual identities in the idiom, i.e. their meanings are not often recognizable in the meaning of the whole idiom. Likewise, the part of speech of each element is no longer important, for quite often the idiom functions as one word. For instance, till the cows come home (永远) which comprises a conjunction till, an article the, a noun cow, a verb come and an adverb home means 'forever' and functions as an adverb, thus replaceable by the word 'forever'. The same can be said of keep in mind (remember) , take off (imitate), to no avail (useless), like a breeze (easily).

    The semantic unity of idioms is also reflected in the illogical relationship between the literal meaning of each constituent and the meaning of the idiom. Many idioms are semantically inexplicable. For example, How do you do is a common form of greeting used by people when they first meet. Literally it means ' In what way do you do things', which is far from its idiomatic usage. Similarly, wear one' s heart upon one's sleeve which means 'show one's feelings plainly' is literally impossible. Rain cats and dogs which is used in the sense of 'rain heavily' literally makes nonsense. Another interesting example is grass widow 'a woman whose husband is temporarily away', which defies(使不能，使落空) interpretation on a literal basis.

     2. Structural Stability

      The structure of an idiom is to a large extent invariable, unlike free phrases. Firstly, the constituents of idioms cannot be changed or replaced. Take in a brown study(沉思默想) for example. As a free phrase, the form is variable, e. g. in a brown (red, green, white, etc.) study or in a brown study (room, den, hall, studio, cell, etc.). However, as an idiom to mean 'deep in thought', the structure is fixed, thus unchangeable. In the same way, lip service (support only in words, not in deeds) (空口应酬) is not to be changed into *mouth service, nor kick the bucket (die) into *kick the pail or *strike the bucket, nor bury the hatchet (come to friendly or peaceful terms) (和解；停战) into *bury the ax.

    Secondly, the word order cannot be inverted or changed. For example, by twos and threes (三三两两) and tit for tat(争锋相对) are not to be turned into *by threes and twos and *tat for tit. Similarly, the lion's share (最大份额) is not to be replaced by *the share of the lion though it is a common practice in free phrases.

      Thirdly, the constituents of an idiom cannot be deleted or added to, not even an article For instance, out of the question means 'impossible'. If the article the is deleted, the idiomaticity(习语性) will be lost and it will signify 'no question' instead. In question (being considered) on the other hand does not allow the addition of the as *in the question, because the latter is no longer an idiom.

    Finally, many idioms are grammatically unanalyzable. For example, diamond cut diamond (two parties are equally matched)(棋逢对手)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(以毒攻毒), in which -s cannot be deleted go great guns (do sth vigorously or successfully)(高速高效地干) may serve as another example. Go is an intransitive verb and therefore not supposed to collocate with great guns, but idiomatic and widely accepted.