“Such expressions are termed idioms, defined as groups of words with set meanings that cannot be calculated by adding up the separate meanings of the parts” (Heidi Anders 1995, 17).
Idioms have a semantic productivity which means ‘die wendungsinternen Bedeutungen einzelner Idiom-Konstituenten werden beim Konstruieren der Äußerung produktiv eingesetzt’ and a discourse productivity: the possibility to interpret the constituents of an idiom as autonomous, semantically ambivalent entities (Dobrovols’kij 1997, 22). An idiom can also be seen as a lexical unit, which formally consists of several words, but semantically be a whole and will be treated and saved like words. (Dobrovols’kij 1997, 51) There is a great variety within idioms of their degree of flexibility anyhow an idiom is a lexical unit.
Everybody intuitively can realize an idiom as an idiom because of different characteristics, e.g. several combinations and different intension. All fixed word-complexes are reproducible. Idioms are an open class, in the core there are the more idiomaticised idioms and in the periphery they are less idiomatic. But if the hearer does not know an idiom, it is no idiom. Idioms differ in relation to proverbs mainly in semiotic-semantic parameters. Proverbs have a discursive autonomy and are quoted as ‘texts’, idioms instead are reproduced as lexical units. Another difference is that proverbs verbalize ‘general truth’ and fall back on shared knowledge of the people.
An idiom comes into existence if one uses a phrase or sentence about a common situation or object in a figurative manner. The phrase has to be especially to the point, expressive or pictographic. This new expression will be consolidated and lexicalised and after that it will be taken into normal speech. Most idioms are stylistically neutral, but they can also be on a stylisticly lower or higher level. Archaic, literary, foreign and formal words belong to the higher level, whereas colloquial, jargon, slang and vulgar words belong to the lower level. Especially the lower level is highly idiomaticised.
The usage of idioms plays a role in the social positioning of conversational partners and to consolidate a social hierarchy. An idiom is more informative than its simple lexical counterpart.
Table of Contents
1. Definition of the term idiom
2. Order of the mental procedures while working out idioms
2.1. The literal-first-model
2.2. The figurative-first-model
2.3. The simultaneous processing model
3. Storage of idioms
3.1. The lexical representation theory
3.2. The configuration hypothesis
3.3. The decomposition hypothesis
4. Typology of idioms
4.1. Functional idiom-typology by Cacciari & Glucksberg
4.2. Appendages for a communicative-functional typology of idioms
5. Semantics of idioms
5.1. Semantic valence of idiom constituents
5.2. Grammatical criterions of idiomaticity
6. Idioms and motivation
7. Degree of idiomaticity
8. Analysis
9. Conclusion
10. Bibliography
Research Objectives and Key Topics
This academic paper explores the linguistic nature of idioms, focusing on their definition, mental processing, storage, and classification. It investigates the cognitive mechanisms behind idiom recognition, evaluates existing typologies, and conducts a practical analysis of selected idiomatic expressions to determine their degree of idiomaticity and semantic structure.
- Cognitive models of idiom comprehension (literal vs. figurative processing).
- Theoretical frameworks for the storage of idioms in the mental lexicon.
- Functional and structural typologies of idiomatic expressions.
- Semantic valence and grammatical constraints of idiomaticity.
- Practical analysis of specific idioms based on linguistic criteria.
Excerpt from the Book
1. Definition of the term idiom
“Such expressions are termed idioms, defined as groups of words with set meanings that cannot be calculated by adding up the separate meanings of the parts” (Heidi Anders 1995, 17).
Idioms have a semantic productivity which means ‘die wendungsinternen Bedeutungen einzelner Idiom-Konstituenten werden beim Konstruieren der Äußerung produktiv eingesetzt’ and a discourse productivity: the possibility to interpret the constituents of an idiom as autonomous, semantically ambivalent entities (Dobrovols’kij 1997, 22).
An idiom can also be seen as a lexical unit, which formally consists of several words, but semantically be a whole and will be treated and saved like words. (Dobrovols’kij 1997, 51) There is a great variety within idioms of their degree of flexibility anyhow an idiom is a lexical unit.
Everybody intuitively can realize an idiom as an idiom because of different characteristics, e.g. several combinations and different intension. All fixed word-complexes are reproducible. Idioms are an open class, in the core there are the more idiomaticised idioms and in the periphery they are less idiomatic. But if the hearer does not know an idiom, it is no idiom. Idioms differ in relation to proverbs mainly in semiotic-semantic parameters. Proverbs have a discursive autonomy and are quoted as ‘texts’, idioms instead are reproduced as lexical units. Another difference is that proverbs verbalize ‘general truth’ and fall back on shared knowledge of the people.
Summary of Chapters
1. Definition of the term idiom: Discusses the fundamental characteristics of idioms, differentiating them from proverbs and lexical units.
2. Order of the mental procedures while working out idioms: Examines three cognitive hypotheses regarding whether idioms are processed literally or figuratively.
3. Storage of idioms: Explores theories on how idiomatic expressions are represented and retrieved within the mental lexicon.
4. Typology of idioms: Analyzes functional classification systems and the communicative roles idioms play in language.
5. Semantics of idioms: Investigates the semantic relationships between idiom constituents and the grammatical rules limiting their modification.
6. Idioms and motivation: Explains how the meaning of an idiom can be derived from its internal components and structures.
7. Degree of idiomaticity: Evaluates the continuum of idiomaticity and the complexity of semantic relations within word groups.
8. Analysis: Applies the theoretical concepts to specific examples like "bite the dust" or "stone's throw".
9. Conclusion: Summarizes that idiom recognition is highly subjective and depends on context and speaker background.
Keywords
Idioms, Lexical Units, Mental Lexicon, Figurative Language, Semantic Productivity, Idiomaticity, Decomposable Phrases, Cognitive Linguistics, Language Processing, Functional Typology, Phraseology, Motivation, Semantic Valence, Discourse, Metaphorical Conceptualization
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper examines the linguistic properties of idioms, how they are understood by the human mind, and how they are classified within language studies.
What are the central themes covered?
Key themes include the definition of idioms, the mental processing of figurative meaning, the structural storage of idioms, and their functional use in communication.
What is the core research question?
The research seeks to understand how idioms are defined, processed, and classified, and whether these processes can be modeled through cognitive and structural theories.
Which methodologies are employed?
The paper employs a comparative analysis of existing linguistic theories (such as the configuration hypothesis) and evaluates them against practical examples of idiomatic usage.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body covers processing models, storage theories, functional typologies, semantic valence, grammatical constraints, and the analysis of specific English idioms.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Characterizing keywords include Idioms, Lexical Units, Mental Lexicon, Figurative Language, Semantic Productivity, Idiomaticity, and Phraseology.
How does the author explain the "literal-first model"?
The author describes it as a model where idioms are initially interpreted literally, and only if that fails, is the figurative meaning activated.
What distinguishes an idiom from a proverb according to the text?
Proverbs possess discursive autonomy and are quoted as "texts," whereas idioms are reproduced and treated as individual lexical units.
How does "motivation" influence idiomaticity?
The text suggests that the weaker an idiom is motivated (the less its meaning can be deduced from its parts), the stronger its level of idiomaticity.
- Quote paper
- Franziska Hill (Author), 2004, Storage, typology and semantics of idioms, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/71028
