English Idioms (английские идиомы)

English Idioms

• The aim – to determine the meaning of the idiom and its role in the nation's culture, to study the problems of the translation of idioms, show some basic rules of it, illustrate them with different examples, classify idioms, show using proverbs in different situations.
• For gaining the mentioned aim we used the following methods:

• 1. Description
• 2. Observation
• 3. Critical study of scientific books and fiction
• 4. Comparison and contrast

English Idioms

• What does it mean?
• Idiom is a phrase or expression whose total meaning differs from the meaning of individual words. Idioms come from language and generally cannot be translated literally (word for word).
• There are at least 25,000 idiomatic expressions in the English language.

Classifications of idioms

Ways of classification according

to “English Vocabulary in Use” :

By meaning

By part

of speech

By emotional

colouring

By structure

(keyword)

Classification according to meaning

• About feelings: to feel blue (to be sad), to feel small (to be ashamed)
• About actions: to beat a dead horse (to continue by doing something vain), t o go all lengths (to be able and ready to do everything)
• About people: like master, like man
• About animals: like a bird (readily), a bottom dog (outsider, looser)

Classification according to structure

Based on a noun:

‘ a black sheep

(of the family)’

Based on a verb:

'to take risk'

'to be going to'

Classification according to parts of speech

Nominal phrases:

'hard luck'

Verbal phrases:

'to get on

like a house on fire'

Adverbial phrases:

'vice versa'

Adjective phrases:

'all fingers and thumbs'

The rules of idioms' translation

• 1. The most suitable decision is to find the identical idiom, but it's not always possible.
• 2. If it is impossible, a translator can find analogous equivalent based on other word combination.
• 3. Sometimes word-for-word translation can be used.
• 4. Esp. in cultural and historical texts, double translation is used (word-for-word and by giving short definition.
• 5. If these methods don't suit, it is possible to transform the fixed word combination into free one.

It rains cats and dogs – льет как из ведра

A fat cat – денежный мешок

To grin like a Cheshire cat – ухмыляться во весь рот

To see which way the cat jumps – ждать с моря погоды

To fight like Kilkenny cats – сражаться до взаимного уничтожения

To cut no ice with somebody – не повлиять, не возыметь эффекта

Clockwatcher – работник, ожидающий конца рабочего дня

Once a blue moon – очень редко

A white elephant – дорогой, бесполезный и обременительный подарок

Some idioms have the word 'Dutch':

• A Dutch bargain – сделка, сопровождаемая алкоголем
• Double Dutch – неразборчивая речь
• Dutch comfort – небольшое утешение
• Dutch concert – пение, при котором каждый поет свое
• Dutch feast – пирушка, на которой хозяин напивается раньше гостей
• One's old Dutch – жена, “старуха”

Use of proverbs' structures

• There are many transparent and undestandable proverbs:

• All is well that ends well – все хорошо, что хорошо кончается
• All roads lead to Rome – все дороги ведут в Рим
• As you make your bed, so must you lie on it – как постелешь, так и поспишь

• On the other hand, some proverbs are more difficult to understand but they are more interesting:
• Every bullet has its billet – чему быть, тому не миновать
• Fool's haste is no speed – поспешишь – людей насмешишь
• A friend in need is a friend indeed – друзья познаются в беде
• Habit cures habit – клин клином вышибают
• Make haste slowly – тише едешь, дальше будешь
• A cat in gloves catches no mice – без труда не выловишь и рыбки из труда
• Never cackle till your egg is laid – не говори гоп, пока не перепрыгнешь
• The devil is not so black as he is painted -не так страшен черт, как его малюют

Thus...

• Idioms reflect the peculiarity and history of the language and the people. That is why to study idioms is very important. Idioms are probably the hardest thing for a person to learn in the process of learning a new language. Sometimes their origin is very interesting. Idioms is used when usual words cannot express the thought of speaker, so the language should become poor without idiomatic expressions.
• In my work using the method of structural and component analysis, I have conveyed the meaning of the idiom and have defined its role in the nation’s culture; I have shown some basic rules of idioms’ translation and have illustrated them with examples.