英语词汇学考前串讲(三)--英语频道
第九章: English Idioms

这一章关键是要记习语，这些习语都要记。

名词解释: Idioms (重点)

(1)Idioms consist of set phrases and short
sentences which are peculiar to the language in question and loaded with the native cultures and ideas.

(2)Strickly speaking, idioms are expressions that are not readily understandable from their literal meaning of indiviudal elements.

(3)In forms idioms may include colloquialisms, catchphrases, slang expressions.

9.1 Character5istics of Idioms

9.1.1 semantic unity (重点)

1) idioms each consist of more than one word.

2) in the idiom words have lost their individual identity.

3) quite often the idiom functions as one word.

e.g. " till the cows come home" , means ’ forever as an adverb.

9.1.2 Structural stability ( 重点)

1) the structure of an idiom is to a large exten unchangeable. first , the constituents of idioms cannot be replaced.

e.g. " in a brown study" ( deep in thought )

" lip service" ( support only in words, not in fact )

" kick the bucket " ( die)

" bury the hatcher" ( come to friendly or peaceful terms)

2) Secondly, the word order cannot be inverted or changed.

e.g. twos and threes; tit for tat; the lion’s share

3) Thirdly, the constituents of an idioms cannot be deleted or added to , not even an article.

e.g. out of the question means ’ impossible’

in question ( being considered)

4) Finally , many idioms are grammatical unanalysable,

e.g. diamond cut diamond ( two parties are equally matched )

like cures like

(as) sure as eggs ( quite certainly )

stepped up ( improve or enhance)

in the raw ( naked )

turnn over a new leaf ( begin a new life )

draw the curtain ( end or concel )

9.2 Classification of Idioms

The difficulty in using idioms lies first in the difficulty of grasping the elusive and figurative meaning, of determining the syntactic functions of idioms

e.g. heart and soul ( adverbial )

Idioms may be classified into five groups:

1) Idioms Nominal in Nature

2) Idioms Adjectival in Nature

3) Idioms Verbal in Nature（五类中最重要的）

注意：考试的一个要点在这， 动词性习语有哪两类划分？

(1) phrasal verbs : 短语动词

(2) verbal phrases : 动词短语

4) Idioms Adverbial in Nature

e.g. "in clover ’ or " in the clover " ( in rich comfort or having a pleasant or easy life 0

5) Sentence Idioms

9.3 Use of Idioms

The rhetoric characteristics of idioms such as : stylistic features, rhetoric features and their occasional variations.

9.3.1 Stylistic Feature;

Such expressions were all colloquial and informal and once confined to a limited group
of people engaged in the same trade or activity. But they proved terse, vivid, forcible and stimulating so that later they broke out of their bounds and gradualy gained wide acceptance.As a result, their early stylistic features faded in part and many becam