Lecture 8. Phraseological units (2 hrs)

Objective. To inform the students of the key features of the English set expressions; to raise the students’ awareness of the features enhancing unity & stability of set expressions; to develop cognitive skills of analyzing & summarizing the information, distinguishing between major & minor aspects, categorizing & estimating relevant facts.

Glossary: unconventional English, slang, idiom, set expression, collocability, variability, stability, semi-fixed combination, free phrase, changeable and unchangeable set expressions, word-equivalent, phraseological unit, ready-made unit, phraseological fusions, phraseological unities, phraseological collocations, lexical valency

Plan

1. Definition

2. Classification

3. Criteria of phraseological units

4. Phraseological units & idioms

5. Phraseology as a subsystem of language

8.1. Definition

W-groups viewed as functionally & semantically inseparable units = the subject matter of phraseology.

American & English dictionaries of unconventional English, slang & idioms & other reference-books – proverbs, sayings, lexical units of all kinds, but no reliable criterion to distinguish between variable W-groups & PhUs. The 1^st dictionary in which theoretical principles for the selection of English PhUs were elaborated – in the USSR.

A divergence of opinion as to the essential feature of PhUs as distinguished from other W-groups & the nature of phrases that can be termed PhUs.

The border-line between free W-groups & PhUs is not clearly defined. The free W-groups are only relatively free: collocability of their member-Ws is delimited by their lexical & grammatical valency. PhUs are comparatively stable & semantically inseparable. Between the extremes of complete motivation & variability of member-Ws & lack of motivation combined with complete stability of the lexical components & grammatical structure – innumerable border-line cases.

PhUs = non-motivated W-groups that cannot be freely made up in speech but are reproduced as ready-made units. The essential features of PhUs: stability of lexical components; lack of motivation. Member-Ws of PhUs are always reproduced as single unchangeable collocations.

Red in the free W-group red flower may be substituted for by any other Adj denoting colour without essentially changing the denotative meaning of the W-group (a flower of a certain colour). In the PhU red tape (bureaucratic methods): no such substitution. Red tape is semantically non-motivated, it exists as a ready-made linguistic unit which does not allow of any variability of its lexical components.

Grammatical structure of PhUs is to a certain extent stable. The structural formula of red flower & red tape is identical (A + N), but flower may be used in the plural. No such change is possible in red tape.

8.2. Classification

The degree of idiomaticity → phraseological fusions, phraseological unities; phraseological collocations.

Phraseological fusions are completely non-motivated: red tape; heavy father (serious / solemn part in a theatrical play); kick the bucket. Idiomaticity + complete stability of the lexical components & the grammatical structure.

Phraseological unities are partially non-motivated, their meaning can be perceived through the metaphoric meaning of the whole PhU: to show one’s teeth, to wash one’s dirty linen in public. Comparatively high degree of stability of the lexical components.

Phraseological collocations are motivated but made up of Ws with specific lexical valency → a certain degree of stability. Variability of member-Ws is strictly limited: bear a grudge may be changed into bear malice, but not bear a fancy / liking. Take a liking (fancy) but not take hatred (disgust). These collocations become clichés where the meaning of member-Ws is dominated by the meaning of the group. Possess a certain degree of semantic inseparability.