Chapter 7   Use of Idioms

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Contents: use of idioms: stylistic features, rhetorical features and variations of idioms. 

Objectives: 

1. Be aware of the rhetorical features of idioms such as stylistic features, rhetoric features. 

2. Analyze the occasional variations and idiosyncrasies under unique circumstances

Difficult points: stylistic features: colloquialisms, slang and literary expressions; rhetorical features: phonetic manipulation, lexical manipulation and semantic manipulation; changes in constituents of idioms in terms of addition, deletion, replacement, position-shifting and dismembering. 

Procedures: 

Step I  Brief review of the last lecture 

Step II  Presentation 

1.      Analyze the stylistic features of English idioms: colloquialisms, slang and literary expressions. 

2.      Explain the rhetorical features: phonetic manipulation (alliteration, rhyme), lexical manipulation ( reiteration, repetition, juxtaposition) and semantic manipulation ( simile, metaphor metonymy, synecdoche, personification and euphemism). 

3.      Study with students the variations of idioms in terms of addition, deletion, replacement, position-shifting and dismembering. 

4.      Do exercise on page 197-200.

Step III Answer students’ questions 

Step IV Homework 

Exercises:

IV. Fill in the blanks in the following sentences with adverbs or prepositions given table: 

up, out ,back, over, after, at, for, under, on, by, through 

1. The students got         a special issue of the newspaper to celebrate the school’s 50th birthday. 

2. If he can’t find a job as a teacher, he can fall back         his skills as a printer. 

3. The head of the gang decided to put him         immediately as the man was suspicious. 

4. He could hardly sit down         that kind of provocation. 

5. His new car set him         $3,000. 

6. It is possible that the local court will find         the defendant. 

7. The theatre held         the feature film for another two weeks. 

8. She is always getting         me because I don’t keep the desk tidy. 

9. The ole scientist is still working tirelessly seeking         truth with all his work-known accomplishments. 

10. He is wise enough to see         all these fine pretensions. 

　

V. Translate the following proverbs into Chinese: 

1. Nothing succeeds like success. 

2. Nothing venture, nothing have. 

3. Enough is as good as a feast. 

4. Fish begins to stink at the head. 

5. Soft fire makes sweet malt. 

6. One cannot make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. 

7. Never offer to teach fish to swim. 

8. He that sups with the devil must have a long spoon. 

　

VI. Put the English idioms into Chinese. 

1. show one’s cards          2. mops and mows 

3. a fly on the wheel          4. flesh and blood 

5. man’s estate                  6. fall flat 

7. pick holes in          8. fall by the way 

9. face the music        10. cash in on 

11. out of sorts                 12. up in the air 

13. as meek as a lamb      14. as stiff as a poker 

15. cannot see the wood for the trees 

16. in at one ear and out at the other  

key:

 IV. 1. up   2.on       3.out      4.under   5.back    6.for       

  7.over   8.at 9.after    10. through 　

V. 1. 一事成功,事事顺利. 2. 不入虎穴,焉得虎子. 3.知足长乐. 4. 上梁不正下梁歪. 5.好事多磨; 慢工出细活. 6.巧妇难为无米之炊. 7.不要班门弄斧.  8.和坏人打交道必须提高警惕. 

VI. 1. 摊牌 2. 怪相,鬼脸 3. 自高自大的人 4.亲属 5.壮年 6. 完全失败 7. 在……找毛病 8.中途退出 9. 勇于承担后果 10. 靠……赚钱/利用 11. 不舒服的 12. 未决;渺茫    13. 非常   温顺      14.生硬,刻板 15. 见树不见林 16.左耳进,右耳出