rhetorical features.
4. make [pull off] a great coup
In the given idiom, “make a great coup” and \riation of idioms does this belong to? Is the variation against the characteristics of idioms? Comment on this variation.
答案：
I. 1.D 2.A 3.B 4.A 5.D 6.C 7.B 8.D 9.D 10.B 15.D
16.C 17.C 18.A 19.C 20.B 25.B 30. C
II. Complete the following statements with proper words or expressions according to the course book.
1. short sentences 2. literal 3. broad 4. semantic unity 5. illogical 6. unchageable 7. idiomaticity 8. Sentence 9. types 10. complexity 11. identical 12. informal 13. stylistic 14. rhetorical 15. absolute 16. structural 17. grammatical 18. part of speech 19 meaning 20. meaning 21 Shortening 22. verb phrases 23 actual 24. stylistic 25 duplication 26. metaphor 27 Metonymy 28. synecdoche 29 synecdoche 30. forms
III. Match the words or expressions in Column A V . Define the following terms.
l. Idioms consist of set phrases and short sentences, which are peculiar to the language in question and loaded with the native cultures and ideas .Strictly speaking, idioms are expressions that are not readily understandable from their literal meanings of individual elements. In a broad sense, idioms may include colloquialisms, catchphrases, slang expressions, proverbs, etc.
2. Though the various words which make up the idiom have their respective literal meanings, in the idiom they have lost their individual identity, i.e. their meanings are not often recognizable in the meaning of the while idiom. Likewise, the part of speech of each element is no longer important. Quite often the idiom functions as one word. The semantic unity of idioms is also reflected in the illogical relationship between the literal meaning of each word and the meaning of the idiom. Many idioms are semantically inexplicable.
with those in Column B according to ① features of idioms; ② variations of idioms ; ③ sentence types of
1.F 2.J 3.N 4.L 5.I
11.B 12.C 13.D 14.B idioms and ④ classification of idioms.
6.O 7.Q 8.M 9.A
21.D 22.D 23.D 24.B 10.C 26. B 27. C 28. C 29. D 15.D
16.H 17.E 18.S 19.T 20.R IV .Study the following words or expressions and identify ① features of idioms; ② variations of idioms; ③ sentence types of idioms and ④ classification of idioms.
1. euphemism 2. repetition 3. juxtaposition 4. metaphor 5. synecdoche 6. personification 7. literary expression 8. colloquialism 9. slang 10. complex/sentence idiom
11. alliteration 12. reiteration 13. metonymy 14. shortening 15. replacement 16. addition or deletion
17. euphemism/metaphor 18. idiom verbal in nature
19. verb phrase 20. simple/declarative sentence idiom
11.G 12.B 13.P 14.K
3. Unlike free phrases, the structure of an idiom is to a large extent unchangeable.
First, the constituents of idioms cannot be replaced. Secondly, the word order cannot be inverted or changed. Thirdly, the constituents of an idiom cannot be deleted or added to, not even an article. Finally, many idioms are grammatically unanalysable.
4. Sentence idioms are mainly proverbs and sayings, including colloquialisms and catchphrases. Each functions as a sentence.
5. Stylistic features of idioms are colloquial, slang and literary.
6. Rhetorical features of idioms lie in phonetical manipulation, such as alliteration and rhyme, in lexical manipulation such as reiteration, repetilion and juxtaposition and figures of speech.
7. This refers to idioms in which the name of one thing is used for that of another associated with it. 8. Synecdoche is the substitution of a part for the whole or vice versa.
9. In some idioms, a constituent may be replaced by a word of the same part of speech, resulting in synonymous or antonymous idioms.
10. In some instances, some constituents can be added or deleted, which does not 'affect the meaning of the idioms.
11 .The positions of certain constituents in some idioms can be shifted without any change in meaning. 12. This occasionally occurs in proverbs and sayings, where only a part of them is used instead of the whole. 13. It means breaking up the idioms into pieces, an unusual case of use of idioms particularly in literature or popular press to achieve special effect.
14. Phrasal verbs are idioms which are composed of a verb plus a prep and / or a particle. 15. Verb phrases refer to the phrases that serve as verbs.
16. By true idioms we mean that the meaning of the idiom cannot be deduced from those of the individual constituents.
17. By regular combinations we speak of the idioms whose meanings are understood from the literal meanings of the constituents in combination.
18. Semi-idioms are the idioms whose meanings are in a way related to the
meanings of the constituents but are not themselves explicit.
VI. Answer the following questions. Your answers should be clear and short. Write your answers in the space given.
1. (1)The English idioms have two major characteristics: one is the semantic unity; the other is structural stability.
(2) Being phrases or sentences, idioms each consist of more than one word, but each is a semantic unity. Though the various words which make up the idiom have their respective literal meanings, in the idiom they have lost their individual identity. Quite often an idiom functions as one word.
(3) Structurally, each idiom is fixed as a rule, and does not allow changes in most cases.
2. Unlike free phrases, the structure of an idiom is to a large extent unchangeable. The meaning of a phrase is always the combination of the different words.
3. According to grammatical functions, idioms may be classified into five groups: idioms nominal in nature, idioms adjectival in nature, idioms verbal in nature, idioms adverbial in nature, and sentence idioms.
4. Idioms are generally felt to be informal and some are colloquialisms and slang, therefore inappropriate for formal style. Occasionally, we find idioms which are extremely formal and used only in frozen style. The stylistic
features of idioms can be summed up in the following three terms: ① colloquialisms; ② slang; ③ literary expressions.
5. Idioms manifest apparent rhetorical colouring in such respects as of phonetic manipulation, lexical manipulation and figures of speech.
(1) Phonetic manipulation includes alliteration and rhyme.
(2) Lexical manipulation includes reiteration, repetition, juxtaposition.
(3) Figures of speech includes simile, metaphor, metonymy, synecdoche, personification, euphemism. 6. Occasionally such changes may be found in idioms as: addition, deletion, replacement, position-shifting, dismembering.
VII. Analyze and comment on the following. Write your answers in the
space given below.
1. (1)The idiom is “ sleep like a log ” . (2)Its structure is: verb + preposition + noun.
(3)Its grammatical function: verb phrase serving as the predicate in the sentence. (4) h is a simile.
2. (1)The idiom is “ here and there. ” (2)It structure is “ adverb + adverb ” .
(3) Its grammatical function is that it is an idiom adverbial in nature and it serves as adverbial. (4) Its rhetorical feature is juxtaposition. 3. ( 1)The idiom is “ a bolt from the blue. ”
(2)The idiom means a sudden unexpected incident, esp.a catastrophic one. (3)Its effect is to make the sentence concise and forcible.
(4) Its grammatical structure is \+ preposition + noun\it is nominal in nature and serves as the predicative.
(5) It is a metaphor.
4. ( 1 )The variation of the idiom is the replacement of a constituent.
(2)The characteristics of idioms are semantic unity and structural stability. This idiom seems to be against structural stability of idioms, i.e. the structure of an idiom is to a large extent unchangeable. This does not necessarily mean that the structure of an idiom can never be changed. Structural stability of an idiom is relative, not absolute. But changes make only exceptions. So the feature “ structural stability ” is valid.
(3)According to the degree of idiomacity idioms include the true idioms, semi-idioms and regular combinations. (4)True idioms allow no changes, semi-idioms few changes and regular combinations some changes.