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Classification of Idioms
9.2
Classification of Idioms
Classification
can be approached from different angles. Studies on English idioms to
this day and various dictionaries of idioms have provided a variety of
criteria for classifying idioms. In this book, we prefer the criterion
of 'grammatical functions'. This is because such classification will be
more helpful in the actual use of idioms. The difficulty in using idioms
appropriately lies first in the difficulty of grasping the elusive and
figurative meaning and then in the difficulty of determining the syntactic
functions of idioms. For instance, heart and soul is an idiom made
up of two nouns connected by and. It looks like a noun phrase on
appearance, but it is in fact used as an adverbial. A knowledge of the
grammatical functions of idioms will undoubtedly be beneficial to learners.
By this criterion, idioms may be classified as follows:
●●● Noun idioms
9.2.1
Idioms Nominal in Nature
Idioms
of this class have a noun as the key word in each and function as a noun
in sentences, e.g.
white
elephant [a + n] (something useless and unwanted but big and costly)
brain
trust [n + n] (a group of people with special knowledge who answer questions
or give advice)
flesh
and blood [n + conj + n] (relatives or family)
an
apple of discord [n + prep + n] (cause of disagreement or argument, etc)
Jack
of all trades [n + prep + det. + n] (a person who can do many different
kinds of work but may not
good at any of them)
fly
in the ointment [n + prep + n] (something that spoils the perfection of
something).
●●●
Adjective idioms
9.2.2
Idioms Adjectival in Nature
All
the idioms listed below function as adjectives but the constituents are
not necessarily adjectives, e.g.
cut
and dried [a + a] (already settled and unlikely to be changed)
as
poor as a church mouse [as + a + as + n] (having, or earning, barely enough
money for one's needs)
wide
of the mark [a + prep + n] (not at all suitable, correct, etc.)
beyond
the pale [prep + n] (beyond the limit of proper behaviour)
up
in the air [adv + prep + n] (uncertain)
●●● Verb idioms
9.2.3
Idioms Verbal in Nature
This
is the largest group of all. The structures of such idioms are quite complex
and thus can be subdivided into phrasal verbs and other verb phrases.
1.
Phrasal verbs are idioms which are composed of a verb plus a prep and/or
a particle, e.g.
look
into [vi + prep] (investigate)
go
on [vi + adv] (continue)
put
off [vt + prep/adv] (discourage... from; cause...to dislike, etc./ delay;
make excuses in order to avoid a duty, etc.)
turn
on [vt + adv] (switch on; excite or interest strongly, and often sexually)
get
away with [vi + adv + prep] (do something wrong without being punished)
put
down to [vt + adv + prep] (state that something is caused or explained
by)
2.
Other verb phrases
make
it [v + pron] (arrive in time; succeed)
follow
one's nose [v + poss + n] (go straight ahead, go in the same direction)
fall
flat [v + a] (fail completely in its intended or expected effect)
give
sb the bag [v + pron + n] (fire or dismiss somebody)
sing
a different tune [v + a + n] (change one's opinion or attitude)
call
it a day [v + pron + n] (decide or agree to stop either temporarily or
for good)
chop
and change [v + conj + v] (fluctuate or vary constantly; keep changing
one's opinion, etc.)
swim
against the stream [v + prep phrase] (do the opposite of what most people
want to do; go against the way things are happening)
come
back to earth [v + adv + prep phrase] (stop imagining or dreaming)
make
ends meet [v + n + v] (earn what it costs to live)
keep
the pot boiling [v + n + v?ing] (earn enough to maintain an adequate standard
of living; keep a situation active, amusing, etc)
let
the dog see the rabbit [v + n + inf] (do not get in the way of another
who wishes to see or do sth)
bite
the hand that feeds one [v + n + attr. clause] (repay kindness with wrong,
turn against or hurt a helper or supporter)
●●●
Adverb idioms
9.2.4
Idioms Adverbial in Nature
tooth
and nail [n + n] (with great violence and determination)
in
nothing flat [prep + n + a] (in a very little time; soon)
through
thick and thin [prep + n + conj + n] (through all difficulties and troubles)
This
class contains numerous prepositional phrases, which in nature are either
adjectival or adverbial and in many cases have both functions at the same
time. For instance, in clover or in the clover (in rich
comfort or having a pleasant or easy life) can be used both as predicative
as in 'When we finish the hard part we'll be in the clover' and as adverbial
as in 'They live in clover because their father is rich.' Therefore, this
idiom may be placed in the second group and in the fourth group as well.
●●●
Sentence Idioms
9.2.5
Sentence Idioms
As
the term suggests, all idioms of this category are complete sentences.
They are mainly proverbs and sayings, including colloquialisms and catchphrases.
As far as sentence types are concerned, they embrace declarative, interrogative,
imperative and exclamative sentences. In terms of complexity they can
be further divided into simple, compound and complex sentences.
A
bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. [Declarative,
simple]
How
are you? [Interrogative, simple]
Never
do things by halves. [Imperative, simple]
That's
the time of day! [Exclamative, simple]
Upon
my word! [Exclamative, simple]
Art
is long, life is short. [Compound]
All
is not gold that glitters. [Complex]
Kill
the goose that laid the golden egg. [Complex]
It
is should be pointed out that forms and functions of idioms are not necessarily
identical. For example, the noun phrase pepper and salt can function
as an adjective as in `His hair is pepper and salt.' Noun phrase
idioms can also function as adverbial such as night and day, bag and baggage.
Some idioms have a double status like high and low, which is both
an adjective phrase and an adverb phrase. Naturally, it can go to adjective
idioms and adverb idioms as well. Compare the two sentences:
[58a]
Listen, children of the world, both high and low, rich and poor.
I shall speak the truth.
[58b]
For many weeks I searched high and low to try to find some females
to go with them, but without success.
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