8.2  Classification of Idioms

    Classification can be approached from different angles. Studies on English idioms to this day and various dictionaries of idioms have provided a variety of criteria by which to classify idioms: 

 1) By origin

idioms from sea life: 

     touch bottom(达到最低点；核实)

     on the rocks(触礁；毁灭；破产)

idioms connected with fish and fishing: 

      drink like fish(豪饮，牛饮)

      a fish out of water(不得其所的人，处于陌生环境的人) 

idioms with kitchen and cooking: 

    stew in one's own juice(自作自受)

    have a finger in the pie(染指，多管闲事，干涉)

idioms from the Bible: 

    the salt of the earth(社会中坚)

    see eye to eye with(看法完全一致)

2) According to semantic relationship, i. e. the degree of connection between the meaning of the idiom and those of individual constituents (See Rayevskaya 1957)

Standardized word combinations: 

    take advice(征求意见)

    make haste(急速，赶快) 

    ( as ) green as grass(浑然无知的，无社会经验的)

Phraseological unities(短语性习语): 

    cut short(打断；缩减)

    show one's teeth(威胁，恫吓)

Phraseological fusions(融合性习语): 

    once in a blue moon(千载难逢地) 

    ride the high horse(趾高气昂) 

3) According to morphological structures

Phrase idioms or lexemic idioms(): 

      a bed of roses(称心如意的境遇)

      look at

Clause idioms or phraseological idioms(短语，片语): 

     blow one's stack(发脾气)

   make bricks without straw(做无米之炊); 

sentence idioms or sayings and proverbs(句式习语或谚语): 

    Strike while the iron is hot.(趁热打铁)

    Well begun is half done.(好的开端等于成功一半)

4) According to grammatical function:

a. Idioms Nominal In Nature

    Idioms of this class have a noun as the key word in each and function as a noun in sentences, e.g.

    a white elephant  [a + n] (something useless and unwanted but big and costly) 

    brain trust  [n.+ n.] (a group of people with special knowledge who answer questions or give advice)(智囊团)

     flesh and blood  [n+ conj + n]  (relatives or family)(亲属)

    an apple of discord [n+ prep + n] (cause of disagreement or argument, etc.)(纷争之源)

    Jack of all trades [n + prep + det + n] (a person who can do many different kinds of work but may not be good at any of them)(万事通而一无所长之人，万金油)

    the lion' s share  [n + -'s + n] (the greatest part)

    a fly in the ointment(软膏) [if + prep + n] (something that spoils the perfection of something)(美中不足)

 

 b.  Idioms Adjectival In Nature

   All the idioms listed below function as adjectives but the constituents are not necessarily adjectives, e.g.

cut and dried [a + a] (already settled and unlikely to be changed)(预先安排好的)

as poor as a church mouse [as + a + as + n] (having or earning barely enough money for one's needs)(一贫如洗)

wide of the mark [a + prep + n ] (not at all suitable, correct, etc.) (毫不相干)

beyond the pale [prep + n ] (beyond the limit of proper behaviour) (在高尚行为的范围之外)

up in the air [adv + prep + n] (uncertain)(悬而未决)

 

c.  Idioms Verbal In Nature

      This is the largest group of all. The structures of such idioms are quite complex and thus can be subdivided into phrasal verbs and other verb phrases accordingly. 

 

1) Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs are idioms which are composed of a verb plus a prep and/or a particle, e.g.

    look into [vi + prep] (investigate)

    go on [vi + adv] (continue)

    put off  [ vt + prep /adv] (discourage. . .from; cause. . .to dislike, etc. / delay; make excuses in order to avoid a duty, etc.)(使没有精神；使厌恶；延期)

    turn on  [vt + adv] (switch on; excite or interest strongly, and often sexually)(打开；使兴奋)

    get away with [vi + adv + prep ] (do something wrong without being punished)(逃脱)

    put dawn to [ vt + adv + prep] (state that something is caused or explained by)(归因于)

 

    2) Other Verb Phrases

    make it  [v + pron] (arrive in time; succeed)(赶到；成功)

    follow the sea [v + n] (become a sailor)(做海员)

    follow one's nose [ v + poss + n] (go straight ahead,  go in the same direction)(径直走)

    fall flat[v + a] (fail completely in its intended or expected effect)(完全失败)

    give sb the bag[v + pron + n] (fire or dismiss somebody)(炒鱿鱼)

    sing a different tune [v + a + n ] (change one's opinion or attitude) (改变观点或态度)

    call it a day[v + pron+ n] (decide or agree to stop either temporarily or for good)(收工)

    chop and change[v +conj +v] (fluctuate or vary constantly; keep changing one's opinion, etc.)(摇摆不定，变化无常)

    swim against the stream [ v+ prep phrase ] (do the opposite of what most people want to do; go against the way things are happening)(反潮流，违反常规)

    come back to earth [v + adv + prep phrase] (stop imagining or dreaming)(回到现实；不再幻想)

    make ends meet  [v + w + v]( earn what it costs to live)(收支相抵)

keep the pot boiling [ v + n +v-ing] (earn enough to maintain an adequate standard of living; keep a situation active, amusing,etc. )(维持生活)

    let the dog see the rabbit [ v + n + inf] (do not get in the way of another who wishes to see or do sth)(不要妨碍别人)

    bite the hand that feeds one [ v -H n + attr clause ] (repay kindness with wrong; turn against or hurt a helper or supporter)(恩将仇报)

 

 d. Idioms Adverbial In Nature

tooth and nail [n + conj + n] (with great violence and determination) (竭尽全力)

in nothing flat [prep + n + a] (in a very little time; soon)(马上，立刻)

through thick and thin [ prep + n + conj + n ] (through all difficulties and troubles)(不顾艰难险阻)

    This class contains numerous prepositional phrases, which in nature are either adjectival or adverbial and in many cases have both functions simultaneously. For instance, in clover or in the clover (in rich comfort or having a pleasant or easy life)(生活富裕；养尊处优)can be used both as predicative as in 'When we finish the hard part we'll be in the clover' and as adverbial as in ^'They live in clover because their father is rich' . Therefore, this idiom may be placed in the second group and in the fourth group as well.

 

 e. Sentence Idioms

    As the term suggests, all idioms of this category are complete sentences. They are mainly proverbs and sayings, including colloquialisms(口语) and catchphrases. As far as sentential types are concerned, they embrace declarative(陈述的), interrogative(疑问的), imperative(祈使的) and exclamative(感叹的) sentences. In terms of complexity they can be further divided into simple, compound and complex sentences.

    A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. (Declarative,simple)

    How are you ?  (Interrogative, simple)

    Never do things by halves. (Imperative, simple)

    That' s the time of day!  (Exclamative, simple)(情况原来如此！)

    Upon my word!  (Exclamative, simple)(我敢担保！)

    Art is long, life is short. (Compound)(艺术长久，生命短暂。)

    All is not gold that glitters. (Complex)(闪光的未必都是金子。)

    Kill the goose that laid the golden egg. (Complex)(杀鸡取卵。)