1、English Idiomsn Objectives:To discuss the characteristics of idioms;To explain their classification and uses.n Teaching focus:The characteristics of idioms The classification of idioms The uses of idiomsDefinition Idiom is a set expression made up of two or more words;it functions as a unit of meani
2、ng 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得出的一种表达法。For example,the idiom“show the whitefeather”means“to show fear”,and themeaning of this idiom has nothing to do with“feather”.Characteristics of idioms1.Semantic unity 语义的整体性2.Structural stab
3、ility 结构的固定性Characteristics of idioms1.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.The semantic unity can also be shown in the illogical relat
4、ions between the literal meanings of the constituent words and the meaning of the idiom.Characteristics of idioms1.Semantic unity 语义的整体性till the cows come home(forever,adv.)She felt that everyone in the meeting was trying to do her down.（批评）do up brown (把彻底搞好）Characteristics of idioms2.Structural st
5、ability 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.Characteristics of idioms1)The constituents of idioms cannot be changed or replaced.lip service *mouth ser
6、vice2)The word order cannot be inverted or changed.by twos and threes *by threes and twos the lions share *the share of the lion3)The constituents of an idiom cannot be deleted or added to,not even an article.out of the question(impossible)out of question(no question)4)Many idioms are grammatically
7、unanalysable.diamond cut diamond *diamond cuts diamond go great guns (do sth.vigorously or successfully)Classification of idiomsAccording to grammatical function,idiomscan be divided into 5 types:1)Idioms nominal in nature 名词性习语2)Idioms adjectival in nature 形容词性习语3)Idioms verbal in nature 动词性习语4)Idi
8、oms adverbial in nature 副词性习语5)Sentence idioms 句子式习语Classification of idioms1)Idioms nominal in natureThey function as nouns in a sentence:white elephant 无用而累赘的东西cold shoulder 冷淡narrow escape 九死一生smooth tongue 油嘴滑舌a fly on the wheel 自高自大的人a snake in the grass 潜伏的危险brain trust 智囊团wear and tear 损耗，磨损f
9、lesh and blood 亲骨肉fond dream 黄粱美梦Classification of idioms2)Idioms adjectival in natureThey function as adjectives in a sentence.E.g.:cut and dried 呆板的，没有生气的wide of the mark 毫不相关up in the air 十分激动；悬而未决（可作状语）fair and square 正大光明（可作状语）wet behind the ears 缺乏经验的as cool as a cucumber 极为冷静as meek as a lamb
10、 非常温顺Classification of idioms3)Idioms verbal in nature They function as verbs in a sentence.He is easily put out by trifles.(使不安，困扰）There is no way to black out the news(封锁）Some pupils will do sloppy work unless the teacher keeps after them to write neatly.(反复提醒）She is always getting at me because I
11、 dont keep the desk tidy.(批评）It is possible that the local court will find for him.(做出有利于的裁决）burn the candle at both ends(过分消耗精力)make short work of(迅速处理）Classification of idioms4)Idioms adverbial in nature They function as adverbials in a sentence:tooth and nail竭尽全力in nothing flat不久through thick and
12、 thin不顾艰难险阻Bag and baggage 完全地，彻底地With flying colors 出色地，成功地Between the devil and the deep blue sea 进退维谷Classification of idioms5)Sentence idioms Such idioms are usually in complete sentential form.They are usually proverbs or sayings.E.g.:Never do things by halves.All is not gold that glitters.One
13、cannot make a silk purse out of a sows ear.Nothing venture,nothing have.Nothing succeeds like success.Never offer to teach fish to swim.Soft fire makes sweet malt.Feed a cold and starve a fever.Use of idioms1.Stylistic featuresDifferent idioms show different stylistic meanings.Some are casual,others
14、 formal,still others neural in style.The same idiom may show stylistic differences when denoting different meanings.Use of idioms1)Colloquialism 带口语色彩的习语E.g.:Hang in there old buddy;the worst is yet to come.Uncle Ferdinand is a big wheel in Washington,maybe he can help you with your problem.Joe is t
15、he wrong man for the job;he is always trying to make waves.Lets not get into big city politicsthats a different can of worms.Use of idioms2)Slang 俚语Throw away that cancer stick!Smoking is bad for you!Im sleepy;Lets hit the sack.Stop dishing the dirt,Sally,its really unbecoming.After a few drinks,the
16、 man felt no pain and began to act foolishly.When his wife overdrew their bank account without telling him,Mr.Cook suddenly found himself really in the soup.Use of idioms3)Literary expressions 带书面语色彩的习语Strange things come to pass in trouble times.And be in that indeed that I have erred,mine error re
17、mained with myself.Famine followed in the wake of war.The police give the lie to the man who said that he had been at home during the robbery.That was where I crossed swords with Wilson in the discussion of financing the new project.Use of idioms2)Rhetorical features(1)Phonetic manipulation 语音的调节(2)
18、Lexical manipulation 词语的使用(3)Semantic manipulation 语义配搭Use of idioms2)Rhetorical features(1)Phonetic manipulation 语音的调节a.Alliteration 押头韵b.Rhyme 押尾韵Alliteration 押头韵a.I wish hed make up his mindIm tired of all this chopping and changing.我希望他能打定主意，我厌倦了他的变化无常。b.Working irregular hours is all part and p
19、arcel of being a journalist.工作时间不规律是从事记者工作的基本特征。c.I have been tossing and turning all night.我整个晚上翻来覆去睡不着。d.If you dont pay the rent,youll be thrown out,bag and baggage.如果你不付房租，你的一切都会统统被扔出去。e.People started arriving in dribs and drabs from nine oclock onwards.从九点钟起，人们开始三三两两地到了。f.Graduate teaching ass
20、istants are neither fish，flesh,nor fowl,neither completely students nor teachers.研究生助教既不完全是学生，又不完全是教师，而是介于二者之间。Rhyme 押尾韵a.He has returned to live in Italy,where hell be surrounded by his kith and kin.他回意大利定居了，在那里身边会有很多亲朋好友。b.The guarantee does not cover normal wear and tear.正常磨损不在保修范围之内。c.Hes too hi
21、gh and mighty to mix with ordinary people like us!看他趾高气扬的样子，不会跟我们这些普通人混在一起的！d.Dont worrywell have the money ready by 4 oclock,by hook or by crook.别担心我们会想尽一切办法在4点钟前把钱准备好。e.They were the better team and they beat us fair and square.他们队确实更胜一筹，把我们彻底打败了。Use of idioms(2)Lexical manipulation 词语的使用a.reitera
22、tion,which means the duplication of synonyms such as“chop and change”.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”.反义词对举Use of idiomsa.reiteration1.There are so few jobs in banki
23、ng at the moment that youre not really in a position to pick and choose.目前银行的职位有限，你就别再挑三拣四了。2.I cant concentrate on my work with all this hustle and bustle going on around me.周围这么嘈杂热闹，我没法专心工作。3.Shes got all kinds of interesting odds and ends on her desk.她的桌上堆满了各种好玩的小玩意儿。4.The contract was declared n
24、ull and void.合同被宣布无效。5.He enjoys the cut and thrust of business.他喜欢商场上的刀光剑影。Use of idiomsb.repetition1.With another 100 metres to go,Jones and Saville are neck and neck.赛跑还剩100米时，琼斯和萨维尔不相上下。2.It probably wont sound very natural if you translate it word for word.要是你逐字翻译，也许听起来会不自然。3.He had travelled o
25、n the 7.40 train to London year in,year out for thirty years.他坐7:40的火车来伦敦，年年如此，坐了整整三十年。4.Her health is on the up and up.Soon shell be out of hospital.她的健康状况日益改善，不久就可以出院了。Use of idiomsc.juxtapostion Hes been a good friend to her through thick and thin.不论在顺境还是逆境中，他都是她的好朋友。If he plays fast and loose wi
26、th my daughters feelings,Ill make sure he regrets it.如果他玩弄我女儿的感情，我一定会让他后悔的。If we dont climb it now,we never will.Its now or never.如果我们现在不爬，就永远不会爬了。机不可失，时不再来。One moment he seems well,the next hes ill again hes up and down all the time.他一会儿看起来不错，一会儿又病了，总是时好时坏。I saw him for the first and last time at h
27、is fathers funeral.我只见过他一次，那是在他父亲的葬礼上。His friends moved heaven and earth to free him from prison.他的朋友们竭尽全力救他出狱。The new carpet made everything else look old,so we thought in for a penny,in for a pound,and we painted the room and bought a new sofa too!铺上了新地毯，其他东西都显得很旧，我们就一不做，二不休，油漆了房间，还买了一套新沙发！Use of
28、idioms(3)Semantic manipulation 语义配搭a.simile:b.as proud as a peacockas mute as a fishas busy as a beeas happy as a clamas high as a kiteas bald as a cootas blind as a batas cheerful as a lark as cunning as a foxContrast with Chineseas strong as a horsespring up like a mushroomas dumb as oysteras merr
29、y as a cricket as old as the hillsas fresh as a roseUse of idioms(3)Semantic manipulation 语义配搭b.metaphor:Body Metaphorn lay heads togethern knock peoples heads togethern bite ones head offn laugh ones head offn scream ones head offn talk ones head offn shut ones eyes ton turn a deaf ear ton make one
30、s hair stand on endn hold ones tonguen be up to the eyebrows in Body metaphor 2n keep body and soul togethern skin and bonesn an arm and a legn flesh and bloodn hand and footn heart and soul n burn ones fingersn bite ones nailsn step on ones toesn bend the kneen have an itching palmClothing metaphor
31、n A wolf in sheeps clothingn Make out of the whole clothn Turn ones coatn Send in ones jacketn Streets in holiday dressn Scare the pants off sb.n Fill ones shoesn Under two hatsn Handle without glovesn Tighten ones beltsUse of idioms(3)Semantic manipulation 语义配搭c.metonymy:velvet glove;in the cradled
32、.synecdoche:earn ones bread;fall into good handse.personification:Failure is the mother of successActions speak louder than words.f.euphemism:The call of nature;powder ones noseVariations of idioms1)Addition:增加in good condition from in condition”for good(and all),thank ones(lucky stars)2)Deletion:减少
33、the last straw from It is the last straw thatbreaks the camels back.“3)Position-shifting:位置替换day and night=night and daydo sb.a favor=do a favor for sb.Variations of idioms4)Deplacement:替换wash ones clean linen in public from washones dirty linen in public“5)Shortening:压缩the last straw=It is the last
34、 straw that breaksthe camels back.6)Dismembering:分解Variations of idioms6)Dismembering:分解“The leopard!But he did change them,Dinny.”“He did not,Anntie:he had no spots to change”(the leopard never changes his spots)(Galsworthy)Conway would have preferred to talk in Chinese,but so far he had not let it be known that he spoke any eastern tongue;he felt it might be a useful card up his sleeve.(have a card up ones sleeve)(J.Hitton)Generally speaking,he is a misfit,a round peg in the squarest of holes.(A square pig in a round hole)(The Observer)
