Phraseological units borrowed from the Bible

    Phraseological unit / set expression / idiom – a complex word-equivalent in which the globality of nomination reigns supreme over the formal separability of elements. It is reproduced in speech. – See Idiom proper

    Typology of ph.us. (according to the degree of motivation):

    - unities, phraseological (q.v.);

    - combinations, phraseological (q.v.);

    - fusions, phraseological (q.v.).

    Phraseology.

    Alongside with separate words speakers use larger blocks functioning as whole (consisting › 1 word). In any language there are certain restrictions imposed upon co-occurence of words.

    They can be connected with linguistic factors or the ties in the extra-linguistic reality.

    3 types of lexical combinability of words:

    1).  Free combination

    Grammatical properties of words are the main factor of their combinability.

    Ex.: I’m talking to you. You are writing.

    Free combinations permit substitution of any of its elements without semantic change of the other element.

    2). Collocations.

    Ex.: to commit a murder

    Bread & butter

    Dark night

    Blue sky

    Bright day

    They are the habitual associations of a word in a language with other particular words. Speakers become accustomed to such collocations.

    Very often they are related to the referential & situational meaning of words.

    Sometimes there are collocations, which are removed from the reference to extra-linguistic reality.

    (collocations involving, colour words)

    Ex.: to be green with jealousy

    Red revolution

    3).  Idioms

    Idioms are also collocations, because they consist of several words that tend to be used together, but the difference – we can’t guess the meaning of the whole idiom from the meanings of its parts.

    This criterion is called the degree of semantic isolation.

    In different types of idioms – it is different.

    Ex.: to cry a blue murder = to complain loudly

    This classification of idioms according to their structure:

    1. Fixed idioms

    a) fixed regular idioms

    It’s a 60-thousand dollar question = difficult question

    b) fixed irregular (can be varied on the grammatical level)

    to have a bee in one’s bonnet (She has.., I have...)

    2. Variable (varied on the lexical level)

    Ex.: to add fuel to the fire/flame

    to mind one’s own business /to mind one business

    to nap a cat’s nap / to have a short nap (вздремнуть)

    dialectal: BrE: to have a skeleton in the cupboard

    AmE: to have a skeleton on the closet

    Semantic classification:

    2 criteria:

    ТThe degree of semantic isolation

    The degree of disinformation

    1.   Opaque in meaning (трудный для понимания)

    the meaning of the individual words can’t be summed together to produce the meaning of the whole.

    Ex.: to kick the bucket = to die

    It contains no clue to the idiomatic meaning of this expression

    The degree of semantic isolation is the highest. => phraseological fusions

    2.    Semi-opaque

    one component preserves its direct meaning

    Ex.:  to pass the buck = to pass responsibility – свалить ответственность

    => phraseological unities

    3.    Transparent

    both components in their direct meaning but the combination acquires figurative sense

    Ex.: to see the light = to understand

    => phraseological combinations

    There are lots of idioms (proverbs, saying).

    Ex.: Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back

    Idioms institutionalized formulas of politeness:

    · How do you do?

    · Good-bye (God be with you)

    · How about a drink?

    Lots of clichés, quotations.

    Clichés form a notable part of he public speaking style. They use clichés because of the intellectual laziness or in the hope of appealing to emotions of smb.

    A talk based on clichés is easier to produce.

    Ex.: to see the light

    It’s high time to do smth

    ( these expressions are store in our mind, ready-made )

    Quotations:

    To support our arguments, to add some prominence

    Ex.: “I have a dream” M.L.King

    “To be or not to be” Shakespeare 

    They may be clipped or shortened.

    Ex.: To beer or not to beer (creates humorist effect)

    To bomb or not to bomb

    It was the last straw that broke the camels back.

    Sources of idioms:

    1. from our everyday life

    Ex.: to be born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth

    to sail under false colour (прятать истинное лицо)

    to loose track of smb (потерять кого-либо из виду, давно не видеть)

    a leopard can(’t) change its spots

    2. from the Bible

    Ex.: black sheep, lost sheep (заблудшая овца)

    To cast pearls before swine (метать бисер перед свиньями)

    3. World literature

    Ex.: to fight against Windmills

    an ugly duckling (Danish) – гадкий утенок

    4. different languages

    Ex.: to lose face (Chinese)

    “The course of true love has never run smooth” Shakespeare “The 12th night” 

    “The course of true reforms has never run smooth in Russia” –  “the Times”

    5. from history

    Ex.: to cross the Rubicon

    Labours of Hercules

    To bell the cat

    Кунин Classification:

    1. Одновершинные (with one peak)

    ( one peak phraseological units, one form word, one notional )

    Ex.: to leave for good

    By heart

    At bay – быть в отчаянном положении

    2. Phrasemes with the structure of subordinate or coordinate word combination.

    Ex.: a bitter pill to swallow

    All the world & his wife

    3. Partly predicative

    ( a word + subordinate clause )

    Ex.: It was the last straw that broke the camels back

    4. Verbal with (infinitive, passive)

    Ex.: to eat like a wolf

    The Rubicon is crossed

    5. Phrasal units with a simple or complex sentence structure

    Ex.: There is a black sheep in every flock.

    It was the last straw that broke the camel’s back

    Koonin: “Structural-semantic classification”.

    1. Nominative

    A hard nut to crack

    2. Nominative –communicative

    The ice is broken

    3. Interjectional & modal

    (Emotions, feelings)

    Oh, my eye! (= Oh, my God!)

    As sure as eggs is eggs (просто, как 2х2)

    4. Communicative (proverbs, sayings)

    There is no smoke without fire.

    Nominative:

    Substantive: crocodile tears

    Adjective: as mad as a hatter, as cool as a cucumber

    Adverbial: by & by, to & fro

    Verbal: to live like a lord

    Прислала  Алена Жильцова