Lecture 10 Idioms 词汇学 教学课件

for instance: A cat has nine lives
1) The constituents of idioms cannot be changed or replaced. 习语的成分不能替换。
2) The word order cannot be inverted or changed. 习语的词序不可更换。
The semantic unity can also be shown in the illogical relations between the literal meanings of the constituent words and the meaning of the idiom.
指习语在语义上是个不可分割的统一体，其整体的意 义往往不能从组成习语的各个词汇中揣测出来。 do sb brown (cheat so); kick the bucket (die)
3. Idioms involving colors
❖ 1) once in a blue moon– very rarely ❖ 2) look green—look sick ❖ 3) see red—to become very angry ❖ 4) yellow bellied– very timid ❖ 5) be born in the purple—be born of a kingly
6. Idioms involving flowers and plants
3) Idioms verbal in nature动词性习语： They function as verbs in a sentence. Ｅ.g.: bring up turn on get away with miss the boat (miss the chance)
4) Idioms adverbial in nature副词性习语：
(1) Phonetic manipulation语音的调节 a. alliteration such as “chop and change” 押头韵 b. rhyme such as "toil and moil” 押尾韵
(2)Lexical manipulation词语的使用
a. reiteration, which means the duplication of synonyms such as “chop and change”.
2 Classification of idioms
According to grammatical function, idioms can be divided into 5 types:
1) Idioms nominal in nature名词性习语: They function as nouns in a sentence: white elephant fond dream ups and downs The pros and cons
Definition of idioms
❖ Idiom is a set expression made up of two or more words; it functions as a unit of meaning which cannot be predicted from its literal meaning of its component words. 作为一个意义单位使用的，意义不 能从其独立的组成部分中推测得出。
Unit 10 English Idioms
➢ Objectives:
▪ To discuss the characteristics of idioms; ▪ To explain their classification and uses.
➢ Teaching focus:
▪ The characteristics of idioms ▪ The classification of idioms ▪ The uses of idioms
❖ 2) against time—as fast as possible ❖ 3) year in , year out ❖ 4) get on in years—grow old ❖ 5) to the minute—exactly ❖ 6) like one o’clock—very rapidly
1). Stylistic features Different idioms show different stylistic meanings. Some are casual, others formal, still others neural in style. The same idiom may show stylistic differences when denoting different meanings.
(2). Structural stability结构的固定性
Structural stability means that the structure of an idiom usually remains unchangeable. In other words, the constituent components of an idiom can not, generally speaking, be replaced.
同义词迭用
b. repetition, which means the repetition of the same word, such as “by and by”. 词语重复
c. juxtapostion, which means the combination of two antonyms such as “day and night”.
(1). Semantic unity (语义的整体性) Each idiom is a semantic unity. The semantic unity
can be reflected by the fact that the meaning of an idiom is very often not the total sum of the meanings of the constituent words.
2. Idioms containing names of parts of human body
❖ 1) warm one’s blood—make one feel warm ❖ 2) skins and bones—very thin ❖ 3) to be all ears—be listening eagerly ❖ 4) up to the elbows—very busy with ❖ 5) fly in the face—ignore ❖ 6) dead on one’s feet– too tired to do more ❖ 7) hand in glove—very close or friendly
family ❖ 6) go grey– become grey haired
4.Idioms containing words related to clothes
❖ 1) take up the glove—to accept a challenge ❖ 2) pocket money ❖ 3) another pair of shoes—a totally different
1) To kill two birds with one stones
2) A bird’s eye view
3) Follow like sheep– to follow blindly
4) Lion’s mouth– perilous mouth
5) The cart before the horse—things in wrong order
3) The constituents of an idiom cannot be deleted or added to, not even an article.习语的构成成 分不可增减，即使是冠词也不行。
4) Ｍany idioms are grammatically unanalysable. 很多习语在语法上是不可分析的。
E.g.: Never do things by halves.（善始善终） All is not gold that glitters. Never offer to teach fish to swim Enough is as good as a feast (知足常乐)
3 Use of idioms
fall into good hands e. personification:
Failure is the mother of success Actions speak louder than words.
4 English idioms around different subjects
1. Idioms containing names of birds and animals.
matter ❖ 4) comfortable as an old shoe– easy to talk
with ❖ 5) step into one’s shoes—take one’s place
5.Idioms involving time
❖ 1) a bad quarter of hour –an uncomfortable time
They function as adverbials in a sentence: E.g.: tooth and nail 竭尽全力
in nothing flat 不久 through thick and thin不顾艰难险阻