Discussing the Use of Idioms in the English Language
INTRODUCTION
When we hear phrases like, “it is raining cats and dogs,” “a knight in shining armor,” and “once in a blue moon.” These phrases, or idioms, are not necessarily “self explanatory” and yet we seem to know what they mean, or at least we think we do (Oxford Royale Academy 2014). In order, respectively, they are saying that it is raining heavily, someone came to my rescue, and the last are things that happen very rarely. However, the understanding of these phrases is not innate. You may understand them, I may understand them but to someone who is unfamiliar with the concepts behind these idioms would have no way to catch the meaning behind the words being spoken. To someone who is, for example, learning a new language, grasping the spelling, pronunciation, and grammar, but idioms are much harder to teach. Idioms amount to, essentially, cultural slang. It exists in every language, nationality, and belief system all over the world, however, that is never the same and reference entirely different comparisons that would have little meaning to a foreigner. However, if one wishes to truly learn a new language, like English, it is essential to learn the slang in order to successfully master the language and be able to immerse themselves fully within the culture.
HISTORY
Idioms are a huge part of any language, but English is one of the languages that relies heavily upon idioms, phrasing is metaphorical in nature, however despite the literal nature of metaphor, the meaning behind idioms is not as obvious (Liu & Haibo 85). I do not think a single day has gone by as far back as I can remember that I do not recall hearing or using some common idioms. They are all relevant to the speaking of the language and the message that one is sending. Idioms rely on shared ideologies and knowledge in order to be understood. By mastering them it can allow you to sound more like a native in social situations and it can teach someone much about a specific culture (Santa Barbara City College 1). Experts have been studying the relevance of idioms to language for generations. What they have learned is that idioms do not serve a single specific place in the language. They can represent nouns, adjectives, and verbs dependent on the specific on the idiom being discussed. It is explained in the research, can be broken into two basic groups those that are implicit and those that are explicit. These categories can then be broken into smaller categories in order to explain all of the instances where idioms are used. There are referential meanings, organizational meanings, and even those that may change meaning dependent on the situation that is being applied to. Hence, why understanding all of the idioms that are prevalent in the English language can be difficult to master. Idioms can be categorized into different subcategories. Some have a literal intent, while others have a subjective statement with specific meanings difficult for an outside or a new speaker to master. In simpler terms, some idioms are easier to understand than others. (Shojaei 1221-1222). A prime example would be, “knight in shining armor” is not so difficult to get the gist of, as long as you know what a knight is and the fact that they wore plate-male armor. However, other idioms are defining something using a name or characters that are not necessarily familiar to all (Oxford Royale Academy, 2014). For example, “as mad as a Hatter,” this phrase is intended to infer that someone is crazier than the Mad Hatter. However, if you are unfamiliar with the original story of Alice in Wonderland and do not know how the Mad Hatter is and how he behaves then the meaning of the idiom can be easily lost on listeners. However, in order to truly communicate on an equal level knowledge of idioms is necessary and essential aspect of learning any language.
DISCUSSION
The English language is packed full of idioms many I have heard and a few that I am less familiar with than others. All the same, understanding them says a great deal about what a culture values, how they intend their comparisons, and whether or not the inference is negative or positive. So listening and learning idioms are extremely helpful and wise, especially in professional and social environments. Again, however, it is also necessary to grasp the concept behind it. I can only imagine what it would be like to have someone look at me and say, “You lovebirds are going to end like "Romeo and Juliet." If I were not familiar with the phrase, I would have no way of knowing if that comment is an insult and no knowledge of who Romeo and Juliet are and how their love affair needed. That said, not knowing that, changes the perception of the phrase and would not have the same meaning attached by someone fully familiar that Shakespeare’s tragic characters. Digging deeper in the meanings and origins of some of the popular idioms used to today will give everyone a more thorough representation of the phenomena of English idiom. Five of these commonly used idioms, “now and then, “now way,” “nuke,” “short order,” and “the burning question,” are worth deeper consideration and discussion. The best way to approach this it to reference the meaning perceived by listeners and then to review the actual meaning and origins. I interviewed three different individuals of differing ages and genders, Dylan age 8, Jonah age 30, and Dee age 70. In order to determine their meaning compared with the actual or original intention given the difference in generations
Now and Then:
When asked what this idiom meant, all three interviewees agreeably concurred that the phrase refers to the difference between the past and present. What was and what is today. However, that is not the definition that I associate with this idiom. It is often preceded by the word “every.” “Every now and again” is not a reference of time, but a reference to frequency of an event or activity (The Online Free dictionary 1). For example, “Every now and then I like to eat seafood;” which means that I eat seafood every once and a while, but not all of the time. This definition that concurs with the dictionary. The origins of this statement are to the history of slang. There are no “origin” stories or relevant history tied to this idiom, yet it is one of the most commonly used.
No Way:
The definition of the idiom “No way” is pretty much self explanatory. I know that when I use the phrase I am making it very, very clear that I, under no circumstances, will ever do whatever has been set before me. It is a statement of absoluteness. No amount of goading, pressing, or monies offered that will change my mind. For example, there is no way I will ever get on a plane, which is an immutable fact, it cannot and will not ever change. When I asked the interviewees what they believe the phrase intended they each answered a little differently. While they all grasp the meaning of the phrase quite easily, where they differ is where they attribute the origins of the phrase. Dee, an elderly female, said that she believes it was a reference to traffic laws. There are roads signs that say things like, “Wrong Way” and “Dead End.” She felt that that is where she always imagined it comes from. Jonah shared a similar answer as Dee. However, it was Dylan that showed the most interesting answer and said, “You mean, No way, Jose?” He said, “It means that he is not going to do something.” Interestingly enough; Dylan was closest to the definition offered by the dictionary. The phrase “Now way, Jose,” made its original appearance in popular is in the 1960s, it remains popular today (Martin 1).
Nuke:
When asked to explain the word nuke the answers the interviewees had interesting and very different results. Dee offered that “nuke” is the term used to describe a nuclear weapon explosion. However, when I asked Jonah and Dylan, both, agreed that the term refers to the act of cooking foods in the microwave. These answers were interesting because when asked what they thought were the origins of the term; they believe that the term came with the invention of the microwave in the 1970s. However, in this case, it appears that Dee was more accurate in this case. Long before the microwave the term nuke had already been coined (The Online Slang Dictionary 1).
Short Order:
Everyone has probably heard the term “short order” many times. It is a term with different meanings. Dee explained that she believed it referred to a basic, simple order provided by a “short order cook;” nothing fancy. Jonah’ answered coincided with Dee’s, however, Dylan, being only eighty years old, was unfamiliar with what this turn of phrase is referring to. Dee and Jonah are correct. One of the legitimate definitions refers quick orders prepared by short order cooks. However, it has a dual meaning. Short order can also refer to getting something done in the fastest amount of time. In other words make it quick. (Free Dictionary Online 1).
The Burning Question:
This phrase is not heard that often today outside of popular media and journalism. Perhaps its limited modern uses are why people’s interpretations of it are so different. When asked, Dee stated that she believed the phrase to mean that it was a question that people really want an answer to, kind of like gossip Dylan’s answer was brief, he said it just sounds like an “important question.” Jonah said that it was a question that people need an answer to; the question whose answer is profoundly important. All of their answers are similar and meet with many common interpretations. However. they are not exactly accurate. In truth, this idiom can trace it lineage back several hundred years. Long ago when the church had as much, if not more, power than the ruling governments religion had a lot of control. The public could be arrested and burned at the stake for any behavior that deviated from the accepted religion and societal norms. People who sought to celebrate a different form of religion or gain religious freedom could be branded a heretic and executed. That said anytime people met in secret to deviate from the church or seek religious freedoms were tempting fate by asking a burning question. In other words discussing things that if caught could get you burned at the stake was the origin of the burning question (Hill 1). So while modern people perceive the burning question as a question that needs answering it actually originated as the questions that were dangerous to ask.
English in often remarked as one of the most difficult languages to learn. There are a number of reasons for this is variations in dialects, regional cultures, and a blending of different languages that have contributed to producing modern American English. That said because we draw out language base from many sources, sometimes we have some words that follow certain rules and others that do not. However, another huge contributory factor is that a huge part of American English is entirely based upon idioms like those we discussed. If English learners are hoping to master the language, then it will be incredibly helpful for them to research the idioms that are most commonly used and where they first originated. It will give them the upper hand and stronger foundation when they approach the learning of the language (Oxford Royale Academy 2014). Many linguists and teacher are suggesting the development of idiom courses that are mandatory when learning English. Many teachers are starting to feel that the teaching of idioms may be more important than other basic skills like grammar and perfect spelling (De Caro 122). But, it is not only America that embraces idioms, every culture does, however, in the United States there are simply so many. Idioms can be made to represent the personal, place, and thing in a sentence while never once requiring them to speak with the straight-forward facts. This reality shows how prevalent the use of idioms are within the modern world. More so, for student, like the interviewees, different people may perceive the same idiom differently, and those differences may not mesh with their initial origins (Amari 1-2).
CONCLUSION
Americans often seem eager to introduce, embrace, and, in some instances, market on the development, usage, and popularity of a specific phrase. Modern examples could include, “Use the Force” and “S*%T Happens!” Of course, if you have never heard or seen Star Wars, then “using the force” does not mean much. Additionally, if you are unfamiliar with the context behind, the former, S*%T Happens” may sound like complete nonsense to some people. I find that while I do not catch myself using a lot of idioms but when they are used in conversations or in the world around me I understand the context of the statement and how it might relate to the situation they are using the idiom to describe. However, I can also understand that to a newcomer to English could think that we have a language and then speak in code. That said, in order to understand English it is necessary to learn the alphabet, the parts of speech, the structure of a sentence. Then later they must learn the necessary grammar, and conjugation of verbs, and, on top of that, add in a whole lexicon of slang and idioms that are equally as important to the language as all the rest combined.
WORK CITED
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