8.3    Use of Idioms

 

    The study of idioms is not just to know which are idioms and which are not, but also to understand them correctly in actual context and use them properly in production. To achieve this, one needs to be aware of the rhetoric characteristics of idioms such as stylistic features, rhetoric features; their occasional variations and idiosyncrasies(作者特有的表现手法，个人特有的气质) under unique circumstances. This section makes an attempt to discuss such aspects in some length.

 

      1. Stylistic Features

       As we know from their sources, a large proportion of idioms were created by seamen on the sea, hunters in the woods, farmers in the fields, workmen at mills, housewives and cooks in the kitchen and so on, employing familiar terms that are associated with their own trades and occupations. For example, in deep water(陷入困境), tide over(度过), take the helm(掌舵) were first used by seamen; kill two birds with one stone, if you run after two hares, you will catch neither(脚踏两只船，终究会落空) used by hunters; a bull in a china shop(莽撞闯祸之人), have all one' s eggs in one basket used by farmers; new brooms sweep clean(新官上任三把火), wash one's dirty linen in public(家丑外扬) used by housewives; keep the pot boiling, boil down used by cooks; jump the bait(上钩), a fish out of water(不得其所之人) used by fishermen; hit below the belt(暗中伤人), play fair (规规矩矩地比赛)used by sportsmen. Such expressions were all colloquial and informal and once confined to a limited group of people engaged in the same trade or activity. But they proved terse(简洁的，精练的), vivid, forcible and stimulating so that later they broke out of their bounds and gradually gained wide acceptance. As a result,their early stylistic features faded in part and many became part of the common core of the language and are now used in different situations. For instance, of the twenty-one idioms listed in DAI centering around the verb bring, there is only one labeled 'formal' (i.e. bring to pass} , three labeled ' informal' (i. e. bring around, bring down the house, bring home the bacon), and two marked 'colloq & slang' (i.e. bringdown and bring-down). This means that all the rest fifteen idioms are in common use. In ODCIE, there are all together 29 idioms centering around dead, only one is labeled ' formal' and one 'informal', leaving 27 with no special stylistic differences.

    Despite the fact, idioms are generally felt to be informal and some are colloquialisms and slang, therefore inappropriate for formal setting. Occasionally, we can find idioms which are extremely formal and used only in frozen style.

 

    1) Colloquialisms

    (1)  hang in (there): not to give up, e.g.(坚持)

          Hang in there old buddy; the worst is yet to come.

    (2)  big -wheel: an influential or important person, e. g.(要人，大佬)

        Uncle Ferdinand is a big wheel in Washington, maybe he can help you with your problem.

    (3)  make waves: create a disturbance, a sensation, e.g.(兴风作浪，捣蛋)

        Joe Catwallender is the wrong man for the job; he is always trying to make waves.

    (4)  can of worms: a complex problem, or complicated situation, e.g. (尚未解决的复杂问题)

    Let's not get into big city politics—that's a different can of worms.

2)  Slang

(1)  cancer stick: cigarette, e.g.(香烟)

      Throw away that cancer stick ! Smoking is bad for you!

(2)  hit the sack : (AmE) go to bed, e. g. (上床睡觉)

           I'm sleepy; let's hit the sack .

(3)  dish the dirt: gossip or spread rumors about others, e. g. (散布谣言蜚语)

          Stop dishing the dirt, Sally, it's really unbecoming!

(4)  feel no pain : be drunk, e. g.(醉酒)

     After a few drinks, the man felt no pain and began to act foolishly.

(5)  in the soup: in serious trouble, in confusion, e.g.(在困境中)

         When his wife overdrew their bank account without telling him, Mr Cook suddenly found himself really in the soup.

 

      3)  Literary Expressions

(1)  come to pass: take place, happen, e.g. (发生)

      Strange things come to pass in troubled times.

(2)  be it that: even though, e.g.(即使，纵然)

      And be it that indeed that I have erred(犯错误), mine error remaineth with myself.

(3)  in the wake of: right after, following, e.g.(接踵，跟随)

          Famine followed in the wake of war.

(4)  give the lie to: call somebody a liar, e.g.(指责某人说谎)

          The police gave the Lie to the man who said that he had been at home during the robbery.

(5)  of note: notable, well-known, e.g. (著名)

          Sahgal is a novelist of note in India.

(6)  cross swords have an argument with, fight, e.g.(交锋；争论)

           That was where I crossed swords with Wilson in the discussion of financing the new project.

   

    2. Rhetorical Features

    Apart from the stylistic features, idioms manifest apparent rhetorical coloring in other respects such as phonetic manipulation, lexical manipulation and semantic manipulation. 

1) Phonetic Manipulation (语音调配)

(1) Alliteration(押头韵)

chop and change  (keep changing one's opinion) (反复无常)

might and main  ( all one' s power and strength)(竭尽全力)

part and parcel  (most important and essential part)(重要部分)

toss and turn  (keep turning from side to side)(辗转反侧)

bag and baggage  (with all one's belongings)(全部家当)

drips and drabs  (small irregular amounts)(点滴，片段)

sum and substance  (the gist of something)(要点)

as cool as a cucumber  (very calm)(镇定自若)

neither fish , flesh, nor fowl  (difficult to classify)(不伦不类)

 

    (2) Rhyme(押尾韵)

kith and kin  (relative)(亲戚)

wear and tear  (damage from continuous use)(磨损)

high and mighty  (self-important and arrogant)(趾高气昂)

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)

fair and square  (just, honest; without deceit)(光明磊落)

A little pot is soon hot.(量小易怒)

A friend in need is a friend indeed.(患难之交见真情。)

There' s many a slip between the cup and the lip. (酒到嘴边也会洒；功亏一篑)

 

    2) Lexical Manipulation(词语调配)

    (1)  Reiteration (duplication of synonyms)(同义词迭用)

    scream and shout

    cut and carve(切割)

    cut and thrust (spirited argument)(激烈争论) 

    pick and choose(挑挑拣拣)  

    hustle and bustle (do things in a hurry, with some fuss)(熙熙攘攘)      

   rough and tough(粗野的，粗暴的), 

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

   bits and pieces (odds and ends)(零零碎碎)

    null and void (without force or effect in law) (毫无效力)

    push and shove (make one's way through by pushing, jostling)(推推搡搡) 

   ways and means (methods and/or resources) (各种手段)

    by leaps and bounds (at a rapid pace)(迅速地).

 

    (2)  Repetition

    by and by(不久以后)

    out and out(彻头彻尾)

    such and such(如此这般)

    neck and neck(并驾齐驱)

    lots and lots(许许多多)

    round and round(旋转不息地)

    day by day(日复一日)

    all in all(总而言之)

    face to face(面对面)

    shoulder to shoulder(肩并肩) 

    hand in hand(手牵手)

    word for word(逐字地)

    from time to time(时不时地)

    year in year out(年复一年)

    again and again..

 

    (3) Juxtaposition (of antonyms)

here and there(到处)

 now or never(勿失良机)

up and down(兴衰起伏)

 thick and thin(同甘共苦)

hit or miss(不管成功与否)

rain or shine(无论如何，不论晴雨)

weal and woe(休戚与共)

first and last(总而言之)

high and low(高低贵贱)

back and forth(来来回回，前前后后)

right and left(四面八方)

sooner or later

 play fast and loose (take advantage by telling lies)(反复无常)

move heaven and earth (do anything possible)(竭尽全力)

from head to foot(从头到脚)

from start to finish(自始自终)

penny wise and pound foolish (economical in small things, but extravagant and reckless in larger and/or unnecessary items of expenditure)(小事聪明大事糊涂). 

 

    3) Semantic Manipulation

    Idioms are terse and vivid because of the copious images involved in them. These are known as figures of speech. Large numbers of idioms are used in their figurative meaning. Since idioms are peculiar to the native culture and language,many images are used in a different way to speakers of other languages, thus appearing alien but expressive, impressive and effective.

      (1)  Simile

      ( as) mute as a fish (噤若寒蝉)

     as dead as a doornail(死僵了，肯定死了)

      as graceful as a swan (天鹅般姿态优雅)

      like a rat in a hole(如瓮中之鳖)

      eat like a horse(吃得很多)

      sleep like a dog(熟睡)

     time flies like an arrow(光阴似箭)

     spend money like water(挥金如土，花钱如流水).

 

       (2)  Metaphor

  In some idioms, animals are used to refer to people, e.g. 

  a black sheep (the member thought to be a disgrace in the family)(败家子)

a dark horse (a person who tends to keep their activities, feelings, or intentions secret, and who may have unexpected qualities or abilities)

a gray mare (the wife who rules her husband)(管束丈夫的妻子) 

a snake in the grass (hidden enemy)(潜伏的敌人或危险) ;   

Inanimate things to refer to people, e. g. 

a new broom (a person who has newly come to office)(新上任的官)

a flat tire (AmE a boring person)(无用之人)

the salt of the earth (the few of the highest excellence) (社会中坚)

 a square peg in a round hole (person not suited to his position or job)(方枘圆凿); 

 

Things refer to something else, e.g. 

bed of dust (grave)

crocodile tears (signs of insincere sorrow)

a wet blanket (something that spoils the pleasure, etc. )(败兴之人/事)

black bottle (poison); 

Actions, state refer to abstract ideas or other actions, state, etc. e.g. 

sit on the fence (take impartial attitude)(骑墙，中立)

cut the ground from under sb (destroy someone' s success by taking his ideas, acting before him)(拆某人的台)

 fall from grace (deteriorate or commit crime)(堕落).

 

(3)  Metonymy

      This refers to idioms in which the name of one thing is used for that of another associated with it, e. g. 

      in the cradle (in one's childhood) (幼年时期)

     live by one's pen (live by writing)(靠写作为生)

     from cradle to grave (from birth to death)(从生到死) 

    make (up} a purse (raise money)(筹款，集资).

 

    (4)  Synecdoche

    Both metonymy and synecdoche involve substitution of names, yet they differ in that the former is a case of using the name of one thing for another closely associated with it and the latter is that of substituting part for the whole and vice versa, e. g. 

    earn one's bread (make a living)(谋生)

    fall into good hands (good people)(落入好人之手)

    two heads are better than one (two people)(三个臭皮匠低得上一个诸葛亮).

 

(5)  Personification

Failure is the mother of success.(失败乃成功之母。)

Actions speak louder than words.(事实胜于雄辩。)

The pot calls the kettle black.(乌鸦笑猪黑；五十步笑百步)

Fire and water are good servants, but bad masters.(受控的水火是忠仆，失控的水火是祸主)

 

(6)  Euphemism 

       the call of nature (the need to pass water or empty the bowels) 

   sleep around (be free with one's sexual favours or behave promiscuously)(乱搞男女关系)

      powder one' s nose (go to the rest room)(<女>上厕所).

    Some idioms are always used in a humorous way like kick the bucket (die), give leg-bail (be beholden to one's legs for escape)(逃跑); some are ironic and sardonic in tones, e.g. big deal (exclamation suggesting something not very impressive or interesting)(有什么了不起的！), perfumed talk (indecent talk)(屁话) ; some are derogatory, e.g. a big cheese (sb who is, or believes he is, a very important person)(大人物). There are instances of hyperbole such as a world of trouble (a lot of trouble)(无穷的麻烦) and a flood of tears (plenty of tears)(泪雨滂沱).