Individual works on the course of English Lexicology

3 course. 5 semester.
Module 2
Individual work # 2. Theme: Ways of formation and classification ways of
idioms (15 hours)
Subtheme # 1: English soma phraseological units in comparison with related and nonrelated languages
Tasks:
1. Study the theme phraseology and find out certain facts on soma phraseological units.
Analyze the information you have gained from different sources and say what conclusions you
can reach.
Prepare a presentation of the results of you research. Use your notes and include any conclusions
you have reached so far about the given theme.
2. Collect examples on soma phaseological units from different sources. Compile a short
English-Kazakh-Russian dictionary of soma phraseological units. Your dictionary should consist
of 150-200 entries in English and their equivalents in the given languages.
3. Work out a test or three or five exercises on soma phraseological units and prepare an answer
key.
Phraseology is a branch of lexicology studyingphraseological units (set
expressions, praseologisms, or idioms (in foreign linguistics). Phraseological units
differ from free word-groups semantically and structurally: 1) they convey a single
concept and their meaning is idiomatic, i.e. it is not a mere total of the meanings of
their components 2) they are characterized by structural invariability (no word can
be substituted for any component of a phraseological unit without destroying its
sense (to have a bee in ones bonnet (not cap orhat). 3) they are not created in
speech but used as ready-made units. Unlike a word, a phraseological unit can be
divided into separately structured elements and transformed syntactically (On the
instant he was thinking how natural and unaffected her manner was now that the
ice between them had been broken.(Th. Dreiser, An American Tragedy). I... found
this man in a kind of seizure, and went for help. This broke the ice between us, and
we grew quite chatty, without either of us knowing the other's name. (H. Pollitt,
Serving My Time).
Phraseological units are classified in accordance with several criteria.
In the classification proposed by acad. Vinogradovphraseological units are
classified according to the semantic principle, and namely to the degree of
motivation of meaning, i.e. the relationship between the meaning of the whole unit
and the meaning of its components. Three groups are distinguished: phraseological
fusions (), phraseological unities (), phraseological
combinations ().
1. Phraseological fusions are non-motivated. The meaning of the whole is not
deduced from the meanings of the components: to kiss the hares

foot (), to kick the bucket ( ), the kings

picture ( )
2. Phraseological unities are motivated through the image expressed in the whole
construction, the metaphores on which they are based are transparent: to turn over
a new leaf, to dance on a tight rope.
3. Phraseological combinations are motivated; one of their components is used in its
direct meaning while the other can be used figuratively: bosom friend, to get in
touch with.
Prof. Smirnitsky classifies phraseological units according to the functional
principle. Two groups are distinguished: phraseological units and idioms.
Phraseological units are neutral, non-metaphorical when compared to idioms: get
up, fall asleep, to take to drinking. Idioms are metaphoric, stylistically coloured: to
take the bull by the horns, to beat about the bush, to bark up the wrong tree.
Structurally prof. Smirnitsky distinguishes one-summit (one-member) and manysummit (two-member, three-member, etc.) phraseological units, depending on the
number of notional words: against the grain ( ), to carry the day (
), to have all ones eggs in one basket.
Prof. Amosova classifies phraseological units according to the type of context.
Phraseological units are marked by fixed (permanent) context, which cant be
changed: French leave (but not Spanish or Russian). Two groups are singled out:
phrasemes and idioms.
1. Prasemes consist of two components one of which is praseologically bound, the
second serves as the determining context: green eye ( ), green
hand ( ), green years ( ), green
wound( ), etc.
2. Idioms are characterized by idiomaticity: their meaning is created by the whole
group and is not a mere combination of the meanings of its components: red
tape ( ), mares nest (), to pin ones heart on
ones sleeve ( ).
Prof. Koonins classification is based on the function of the phraseological unit in
communication. Phraseological units are classified into: nominative, nominativecommunicative, interjectional, communicative.
1. Nominative phraseological units are units denoting objects, phenomena, actions,
states, qualities. They can be:
a) substantive a snake in the grass ( ), a bitter pill to swallow;
b) adjectival long in the tooth ();
c) adverbial out of a blue sky, as quick as a flash;
d) prepositional with an eye to ( ), at the head of.
2. Nominative-communicative units contain a verb: to dance on a volcano, to set
the Thames on fire ( - ), to know which side one's bread is
buttered, to make (someone) turn (over) in his grave, to put the hat on smbs
misery ( ).
3. Interjectional phraseological units express the speakers emotions and attitude to
things: A pretty kettle of fish!( ), Good God! God damn it! Like
hell!
4. Communicative phraseological units are represented by provebs (An hour in the
morning is worth two in the evening; Never say never) and sayings. Sayings,
unlike provebs, are not evaluative and didactic: Thats another pair of shoes! Its a
small world.
Some linguists (N.N. Amosova, J. Casares) dont include proverbs and sayings into
their classifications. Others (I.V. Arnold, A.V. Koonin, V.V. Vinogradov) do, on the
grounds that 1) like in phraseological units their components are never changed 2)
phraseological units are often formed on the basis of proverbs and sayings (A
drowning man will clutch at a straw to clutch at a straw).
;
- ;

 , ;
, ;
, ;
, , ,
.
Business before pleasure ( );
Satan finds some mischief still for idle hands to do (
);
Dog-lazy (, );
To goof off ();
To work with the left hand ( )
, ,
:
;
;
, ;
;
to play with fire;
to burn bridges;
there is no smoke without fire;
, busy as a bee
a cat and dog life
affair of the heart
affair of honour
knight without fear and without reproach
the cream of society
the game is worth the candle
- the reverse side of the coin.

Laugh in the beard ( )

Nothing new under the sun ( )
Buy a pig in a poke ( )
6

Head to head, face to face ( , )

As two peas ( )
To be born with a silver spoon in the mouth ( )

To make a mountain out of a molehill ( )
Not worth a bean ( )
The rotten apple injures its neighbours ( )

A piece of cake ( )
As cool as a cucumber ( ) ,
In hot water ( ) ,
It is not my cup of tea ( )
Thick as blackberries ( )
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

 -
1)Supply the missing colours in these expressions and translate the sentences into Russia.
1.

A _______-letter day = an especially happy day that will be remembered.

2.

March 10th was a _________-letter day for me; I was made office manager.

3.

________ fingers = natural skill in making plants grow well.

4.

My wife has ________ fingers.

5.

A ______ lie = a lie told so as not to hurt someone else, and there fore not thought of a bad
action.

6.

I told him that his photographs were very good, but it was a ___________ lie.

7.

Out of the _______ = unexpectedly.

8.

Out of the ________ she announced that she was immigrating to Canada.

9.

To be in a ____ study = to deep in thought.

10.

I found him sitting at the desk in a _____ study, and he did not hear me when I spoke to him.

11.

_______ market = the unlawful buying and selling of goods when such trade is controlled,
especially during or after a war.

12.

At that time, good quality clothes and shoes could only be found on the _____ market.

13.

_______-collar workers = people who work in clerical jobs; not manual workers.

14.

A _____-collar job is not necessarily better paid than a blue-collar one.

15.

16.

_______ list = a list of people, group, countries, etc., about whom something unfavorable is
known, or who have done something wrong, or who are to be punished.
Messrs. Filch and Wangle are on our _____ list of bad debts.

2)There are many idioms which contain words denoting plants. Complete each of the sentences below
with the correct idiom. Translate the sentences into Russian. Do Russian equivalents contain words
denoting plants?
the grass grow under your feet
nip it in the bud
the top of the tree
the pick of the bunch
a bed of roses
beat about the bush

put down roots

bear fruit
get to the root of the matter
up the garden path
1.

Sometimes things are very difficult. Life is not all ____.

2.

Mary led Sam ____. She kept promising to marry him, but in the end she left him for John.

3.

Susan's ready to ___. She's travelled all over the world, but now she wants to settle in one place.

4.

The police were determined to ____. It took them several weeks but they finally discovered the
cause of the fire.

5.

Don't ___. Tell me exactly what it is you want to say.

6.

John's ___. He's much nicer than any of his brothers.

7.

Sally's done very well in her job. She's at ____ in her profession.

8.

You should act quickly. Don't let ____.

9.

I feel as if all our hard work is beginning to ____. The results are really worth the effort we put in!

10.

The teacher realized that the class might cause trouble, but managed to ____.

Translate the sentences into English using the idioms of the previous lessons.
1.

2.

. .

3.

, .

4.

9:00, .

5.

, . .

6.

. .

7.

, , , .

8.

(arrogant), .

9.

10.

, ,