English language is loaded with non-standard phrases, which
rooted so deeply in its vocabulary that at times cannot be
distinguished from the accepted Standard English terms. On the
one hand, they jazz up the language of native speakers, making
it very lively, natural, and authentic.
However, on the other hand, non-standard phrases make a pile of
understanding hassles to English learners, who helplessly try to
gain an understanding of all intricate words and phrases,
invented by the language speakers impromptu.
This really stands for some reason, because the most difficult
aspect of learning another language is not a great bulk of its
vocabulary, but an extensive number of non-standard phrases.
Non-standard phrases, used here to denote idiomatic expressions,
which make up a considerable part of the lexicon of language
users.
The best advice to the English learners is not to make many
efforts, trying to remember tons of idioms at one sitting, but
to learn the most common ones gradually and naturally through
the learning material or lively communication with native
speakers. Remember that it is much better to be accurate in the
non-idiomatic English than inappropriate when using idioms.
It is a well-known fact that English is heavily idiomatic. The
phenomenon of vast idiomatic basis of the English language is
rather explanatory. First, English is a multicultural language,
that's why it comes under the influence of different languages
and borrows new phraseological units extensively. Second, as new
concepts are developed, new terms are needed for their
indication, so instead of creating new words, we simply put
together already existent words, which acquire new sense in
combination.
Idiomatic expressions come across all over the place. Even a
cursory scanning of the newspaper headlines and perfunctory
watching of television shows or news broadcast clearly reveal
the extent to which idiomatic language is a part of day-to-day
life and communication. Being stripped of the non-standard
phrases everyday language will lose its flavor and become
pedestrian and dull.
What is especially interesting about idioms is that they can be
defined in different ways, depending on the functions they
fulfill. Idiom can be a figure of speech, which means that the
words in idiomatic expressions are used figuratively, rather
than with their literal meaning.
When we say that someone is in the soup, instinctively we feel
that there is no real soup involved. We know that here the
meaning of the word soup is figurative, and we guess from the
context that someone who says it implies that a person is in
trouble and has some serious problems.
Native speakers got so used to figurative language they speak
that they don't realize of how large a proportion of what they
say and write is metaphorical. A great number of idioms which is
used in everyday language are colloquial metaphor. Wikipedia
offers very clear and to the point example to illustrate this
statement: get lost! - which means go away or stop bothering me.
Idiomatic expressions are extremely common and are found in all
kinds of English, both formal and particularly informal. After
all, frequent occurrence of the idiomatic expressions in speech
does not make them understandable for everybody. As the origin
and history, standing behind them, remains enigmatic and obscure
both for native speakers of the language and English learners.
The origin or also called etymology of idioms, which can be
literally interpreted as tracing back to the roots of emergence
of words and phrases in the language, is a vast field of
unceasing debates of scholars and a fruitful ground for
equivocal opinions and views of linguists.
Indeed, language users do not pay attention to the stylistic
peculiarities of the phrases they use, and do not reflect much
on the origin of the words they utilize on a daily basis.
Indeed, usage of idiomatic expressions is par for the course for
us, and we do not notice the beauty of the language we speak.
English idiomatic language is a real diamond in the rough, which
has enormous topical variety of forms and fascinating and
surprising origins.
So be natural in your communication, keep your language simple
and be sure to polish this rough diamond perfectly well.
About the author:
Linda Correli is a staff writer of
http://www.CustomResearchPapers.us/ and an author of the popular
online tutorial for students "What Teachers Want: Master the Art
of Essay Writing in 10 Days", available at
http://www.Go2Essay.com/
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