Learning the English idioms

[Joe Carillo]

As every nonnative English learner soon discovers upon acquiring an adequate grasp of the language, many common English expressions don’t have the same meanings as those of their individual words. For instance, the verbal phrase “to ask (someone) over” means to invite someone to come and not to ask that person a question, and the noun phrase “finding a needle in a haystack” means a very difficult task and has nothing to do with actual needles and haystacks. In short, English is highly idiomatic—it often doesn’t mean exactly what it says—so it isn’t enough to simply learn how to string any of its estimated 625,000 words into grammatically and structurally correct sentences. The learner also needs to patiently find out the idioms or implicit meanings built by native English speakers into particular combinations of those words, then be able to use those particular idioms with confidence when the occasion calls for them.

Indeed, acquiring the estimated 20,000-25,000 words needed to be adequately proficient in English is child’s play compared to learning its more than 24,000 idioms. To sound natural when speaking or writing in English, or to be able to read English text well or to listen to spoken English with ease, the serious learner must know at least a sizable number of these idioms, which make so much of the language a dizzying labyrinth of hidden meanings. Not to do so will make the learner forever an outsider to the language, no matter how extensive his or her vocabulary or sentence-making skill becomes.

Idioms are of two basic types: transparent, those whose meanings can often be inferred from their constituent words, and opaque, those whose meanings aren’t as easily apparent. For instance, the idiom “lend a hand (to someone)” is transparent because it’s easily understood to mean to help someone; “walking on thin ice,” which means acting dangerously, is similarly transparent because its imagery can be easily associated with danger. But such an idiomatic expression as “to be wet behind the ears” (inexperienced) is opaque because its motivation or origin isn’t apparent on its face. Some idioms, of course, may fall in-between transparent and opaque, such as “keep a straight face” (pretend to be innocent) and “blow off steam” (release pent-up emotions).

English idioms take any of four grammatical forms: adjective phrases, noun phrases, prepositional phrases, and verb phrases.

An adjective phrase idiom is any phrase that modifies a noun or pronoun in a nonliteral way, like “head over heels” (smitten) in the sentence “Paris fell head over heels in love with Helen, triggering a ruinous war,” and “on a roll” (having great success) in “The partners are on a roll in their franchised business.”

A noun phrase idiom is one whose lead word is a noun or pronoun that often comes with a set of modifiers. Typical examples are the idiom “a straw in the wind” (unlikely) in “His winning was a straw in the wind because his opponent had a stronger political machinery,” and the idiom “a square peg in a round hole” (misfit) in “As the feuding family’s arbiter, the veteran prosecutor was a square peg in a round hole.”

A prepositional idiom is one made up of a preposition, its object, and any modifier that comes after them, as the expressions “in the bag” (certain) and “in the nick of time” (a final critical moment), as in “The candidate thought his victory was already in the bag, but the election results proved him wrong” and “As always in Hollywood adventure movies, the hero saves damsel or village in mortal peril just in the nick of time.”

Finally, a verb phrase idiom—otherwise know as a phrasal verb idiom—is an expression whose meaning differs from that of its verb, as “put off” (postpone) and the following three “face” idioms: “face off” (compete), “face up to” (admit responsibility), and “face the music” (deal with an unpleasant situation). I’ll no longer give examples of their usage as I’m sure they are already part of most everybody’s conversational repertoire.

No matter what grammatical form they take, idioms make their component words transcend their dictionary meanings, and every new idiom learned brings the learner in closer touch with the heart and sinew of the English language. (February, 2 2007)

From the weekly column “English Plain and Simple” by Jose A. Carillo in The Manila Times, February 2, 2007, © 2007 by the Manila Times Publishing Corp. All rights reserved.

[maxsims]

"...Until now I still couldn’t make heads and tails of this story..."

The idiom is "head or tail"....unless Filipinos have their own version!

[Joe Carillo]

Yes, the predominant idiom is "heads or tails" as a stand-alone phrase, but when used in such expressions as "couldn't make heads or/and tails," the alternative/additive aspect of the expression becomes fuzzy and the function word "and" serves just as well. Knowing that idioms are not bound by strict formal grammatical rules, I'm not uncomfortable at all using "and." 

[maxsims]

Question:   The idiomatic "head or tail" has been in common use for so long in Anglo-Saxon countries that any variation of it not only brings the reader up short but rankles.    Why do Filipinos find it necessary to have such a variation (in effect, an idiomatic version of an idiom)?   

[renzphotography]

Well Maxims, that is because the Philippines is never an Anglo-Saxon country and the Filipino brand of English reflects Filipino sensibilities.

The English language is a dynamic and evolving language. Much of the dynamism comes from external influences and this is manifested in many ways from spelling, accent, inflections, words, as well as transliterated expressions.

I found  a list online of some expressions in English that are deemed Filipinism:

http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/ask-teacher/75410-has-anyone-heard-about-filipinisms-filipinoism.html

1. Free subscription of... (Free subscription to…) - prepo issue
2. Can I speak with…? (May I speak with…) - To sound more polite/ask permission?
3. Come again? (I'm sorry I didn't get quite get that / Excuse me? / I'm sorry would you please say that again?) - English trainers discourage agents to use this because they say that it could mean 'cum again')
4. It's for free! (It's free. / It's free of charge. / We're sending it to you for free.) - Filipinos have been used to saying 'It's for free'. How do I say that it should be avoided? What makes it wrong?
5. Hold your line/For awhile… (Would you mind if I put you on hold for a second? / Please hold) - hold your line is absurd. any comment? what about for awhile?
6. Open/ close the light/computer (Turn on/off the light/TV/computer) - how do I explain this? it sounds like opening/closing the tv for repair.
7. Do you mind waiting? Yes, I'll wait. (No, not at all. / No, I don't mind at all.) - YES is the issue. wrong response. any other feedback?
8. Anything? (Is there anything I can do for you? / How may I help you?) - fragmented, seems vague?
9. I'll ask her an apology. (I'll apologize to her. / I should make an apology.) - this sounds illogical?
10. We take lunch. (We eat lunch. / We have lunch (every Sunday).)
11. We accept repairs. (This shop repairs cars/cellphones, etc.)
12. We accept painting jobs. (This shop does painting jobs.)
13. Tuck out (Untuck)
14. He was salvaged. (He was assassinated.)
15. She deliveredher baby yesterday. (She had her baby yesterday. / Dr. Smith delivered her baby.)
16. Xerox (Photocopy)
17. Oppositor (Opposition member)
18. Hand carry (Carry - on luggage)
19. It's traffic today. (Traffic is heavy.)
20. Senatoriable (Senatorial candidate)
21. At around 2pm (At about 2pm) - around is Am? about is Brit?
22. I failed in Accent training. (I failed accent training.)
23. We were under Mr. Johnson. (Mr. Johnson was our teacher.) - Filipinos are used to saying 'That student is under my class' so this filipinism has started.
24. My brother is taking up law. (My brother is taking law. / My brother is studying law.)
25. Where are you studying? (Where do you go to school? / What school do you go to?)
26. Pass by my office before you go. (Drop by my office before you go.) - Brit/Am phrasal?
27. We have one participant only. (We only have one participant.) - should they say 'only one participant'?
28. I talked to her already. (I already talked to her.) - I need help on adverb order. This confuses all Filipinos and me too. Where should adverbs be placed?
29. Will you be at the office at 7am? Actually. (Will you be at the office at 7am? Yes.)
30. Actually, I like Jennifer Aniston. (I like Jennifer Aniston.) - Actually/basically has become Filipinos expressions.
31. As per Paul, all request forms should be signed by him. (As per Paul's instructions, all request forms should be signed by him.)
32. Wanted: Sewer (Wanted: Tailor or seamstress)
33. Take home (Take it home / To go. / For take out)
34. I felt kind of tired. (I felt rather tired.)
35. As to the project… (About the project…)
36. Thank you for that/this one. (Thank you for the information. / Thank you.) - I need to send this in a few minutes and I still couldn't think of an explanation. Phrasing sounds awkward to me. But besides getting straight to the point, why did 'for that/this one' make it wrong?
37. I do love playing basketball/volleyball. (I love playing basketball/volleyball.) - this may sound right depending on the flow of the conversation, right? e.g. you don't love playing... No, I do...
38. Currently, I live in Quezon City right now. (Currently, I live in Quezon City. / I live in Quezon City.) - redundant - now and currently.
39. Actually, I like Microsoft, Symantec and Adobe (I like Microsoft Symantec and Adobe)
40. As per Mon, all request forms should be signed by him. (As per Paul's instructions, all request forms should be signed by him.)
41. I do apologize (I apologize.)

[maxsims]

Renz mate,

23 of those 41 expressions are current in "Anglo-Saxon" English.   See how you are?   

[renzphotography]

Maxims, many of those are not original Filipino expressions but simply modified forms of existing English expressions.

More importantly, the question that I am going to post to everyone is where must we stand? On one hand, we are promoting the proper use of the English language and on the other we are faced with the reality that language, English for that matter, is constantly evolving.

The English language has evolved, perhaps at a faster rate in the past century. Truly the English that was spoken by Shakespeare is very different from, say, Victorian era English and much different from the way it is spoken in present day Britain.

Again, where do we stand? Do we resurrect the English language of the past or do we evolve and embrace change?

To press the point further, do we allow Anglo-Saxon sensibility to supersede our very own? Do we continue to promote sexist Anglo-Saxon terms that promote male superiority in terms like fireman, chairman, etc. as against the gender neutral terms like firefighter, chairperson and the like? Do we continue to refer to storms and things like ships, cars, and trains using female pronouns?

Believe me, I am glad cultures around the world are asserting their own sensibilities in the use of the English language. 

At this point, I am reminded of Don Quixote as he charged the wind mill. 

 

[maxsims]

"...I’m asking Forum members to post their comments about it soonest..."

Is this another Filipino idiom?

[Joe Carillo]

The adverb "soonest" isn't just a Filipino idiom, but also American usage--and probably even British as well. Look:

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009:

soon 
adv. sooner, soonest
1. In the near future; shortly.
2. Without hesitation; promptly: came as soon as possible.
3. Before the usual or appointed time; early.
4. With willingness; readily: I'd as soon leave right now.
5. Obsolete Immediately.

Collins English Dictionary*. Complete and Unabridged 6th Edition 2003:

soonest
adv
1. the superlative of soon
2. as soon as possible; urgently; without delay send money soonest

----
*The Collins English Dictionary, as you know, is a UK dictionary.

[maxsims]

Interesting definitions.

In Australia, "soonest" means "before anybody else", as in " "I arrived soonest".   If I arrive "sooner", it means I arrive earlier than a previously stated time.    If I arrive "soon", it means I arrive shortly.

The phrase "send money soonest" is what it appears to be - a humorous telegraphic idiom, and a rare one these days.    "As soon as possible" (or asap) is the standard phrase.