language, because it could be one of the ways to give students better conditions to improve
communicative skill in the daily context.
Moreover, the researcher expresses that the common use of idioms in daily speech for
English speakers has brought a necessity in the teaching field to implement the use of this
tool in and outside the classroom in order to help students be competitive, increase their
vocabulary and the informal way to speak in English.
English is a language particularly rich in idioms - those modes of expression peculiar to alanguage (or dialect) which frequently defy logical and grammatical rules. Without idioms
English would lose much of its variety and humor both in speech and writing. The background
and etymological origins of most idioms is at best obscure. This is the reason why
a study of differences between the idioms of American and British English is somewhat difficult.
But it also makes the cases, where background, etymology and history are known, even more
interesting. Some idioms of the "worldwide English" have first been seen in the works of writers
like Shakespeare, Sir Walter Scott, Lewis Carroll or even in the paperbacks of contemporary
novelists. An example of Shakespearian quotation can be found in the following sentence:"As a
social worker, you certainly see the seamy side of life." Biblical references are also the source of
many idioms. Sports terms, technical terms, legal terms, military slang and even nautical expressions
have found their way to the everyday use of English language.
Some examples of Idioms are:
ace: make an "A" on a test, homework assignment, project, etc.
"Somebody said you aced the test, Dave. That's great!"
all right (1): expression of reluctant agreement.
A: "Come to the party with me. Please!"
B: "Oh, all right. I don't want to, but I will."
all right (2): fair; not particularly good.
A: "How's your chemistry class?"
B: "It's all right, I guess, but it's not the best class I've ever had."
all right (3): unharmed; in satisfactory condition.
A: "You don't look normal. Are you all right?"
B: "Yes, but I have a headache."
and then some: and much more besides.
A: "I'd guess your new computer cost about $2,000. "
B: "It cost that much and then some because I also bought extra RAM and VRAM."
antsy: restless; impatient and tired of waiting.
"I hope Katy calls soon. Just sitting around and waiting is making me antsy."
as easy as pie: very easy.
"I thought you said this was a difficult problem. It isn't. In fact, it's as easy as pie."
at the eleventh hour: at the last minute; almost too late.
"Yes, I got the work done in time. I finished it at the eleventh hour, but I wasn't late.
Idioms are good, first, you will know their meanings, when you are talking with somebody, you can hear any idioms and also you can understand what you are talking about. Second you can improve your English, and the other person who you´re talking also can improve.
ResponderEliminarIm agree with you Joshua, and I think the only way to speak very well English is to practice, repeat and repeat and repeat for dont forget the things, the pronounciation, how to write, expresion, etc. Also understand the other person its nice, because in this moment you feel that you are on the right way !
Eliminarhello guys, we are studying English because we need or love the idiom, in my case I like the English and others lenguages, about the blog I think that its necesary to practice all the time, when we get new knowledge, vocabulary, phrases and others, we need to practice with friends and persons around the world, because each country has diferents meanings of words and phrases. The base is the same, but people made their own rules.
ResponderEliminarI agree with Rodolfo...
EliminarI believe if you want to be master the lenguage you have to practice always and whit difrerent people, because not all people expressed in the same way, the rules change!
Totally agree with these comments, it is necessary, if we`re going to travel or get a new job. Sometimes, in fact it happens to me, when somebody is talking and say any idiom, generally you can`t understand, so we must learn about the idioms, idioms are interesting and funny.
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ResponderEliminarThanks guys for your comments.. Idioms are necessary especially if you are going to travel..Remember that idioms are not the same as language.. Idioms are idiomatic expressions that are specific of a language and some cases are just like daily expressions.. For example I´m blue... this idiom means I am depressed.. and not the translation that can have in spanish.. soy azul...
ResponderEliminarIdioms are an important part in the process of "acculturation". If you know the idioms you can understand idiomatic expression, including cliches.
ResponderEliminarThis is very important if you are going to travel, as teacher said, but it is important too if you want to work in a foreing country.
You have to practice with different people to know it.
I think that idioms are very important for everybody because it is another way of comunication , this is the way how most of the people talk every day is more simple than speak in a formal way. When a kid is growing starts to learn these idioms because it is easy to learn. I believe that idioms are what characterize the countries from another for example here in Costa Rica we use "pura vida" and around the world if somebody hear those words they know that are talking about Costa Rica, as the teacher said is necessary if you are goin to travel.
ResponderEliminarfor me, idioms is very difficult, more if the person are of a country that speak english rare, for example in countries like: jamaica, india and more. they have diferents idioms, when i speak with them, i don't understand nothing what they try to tell me. so if very important to take advantage and learn diferent kind of idioms.
ResponderEliminarYes William I think the same as you, it is easy depending of the country to learn diferent kind of idioms, in the caribean countries the idioms becomes more dificult to learn than in North America, so I am agree with you.
EliminarI´m really agree with you Willians! For me also is very difficult speak english with people the others countries like India or even England... The accent, the use of idioms has been the most complicated problems of understand the English language.
EliminarIt´s true. In spanish it´s the same. You go to other country that have the Spanish like oficial language and you get lost some times because things are named different
EliminarI agree with Willans reflex when I hear songs is sometimes difficult to understand the English or the idiom depending on the situation or issue, but it is very important to know to understand.
EliminarI agree with all of you guys, your comments are very interesting and all of you say thing that everyone have to take into account.
ResponderEliminarLearning different languages also includes learning different cultures which creates a breadth of knowledge. We must know what is outside of our country, it´s a way to open our minds.
ResponderEliminarEugenia, that´s the way that we open our minds, our knowlegde and the way that we know other people too...!! :)
EliminarLike all of you say, the use of idioms is very important for understand the really essence of the languages. The english language in USA is very dificult because has a lot of differents "cultures" inside the country and is not the same speak, for example, with an N.Y. person that speak with an Texas person.
ResponderEliminarBut I think that is very important to know the use of idioms of the principals languages in the world, not just with the English, but also the french language and others languages.
Some times, for the differents cultures, exist many idioms that don´t understand even in Spanish, and I think that know this kind of idioms lets you have an effective communication.
I share your comments,specifically when you wrote "in spanich sometime is difficult to understand the idioms", well imagine in English lol,actually when we are watching some movies they used a lot to express feeling it does not matter if they are happy o sad, is a good way to show what there are inside , well and the professors have considered that is great form to develop ours skills in english.
EliminarWell, I think that the idioms are sometimes very difficult to understand, you know some sentences has different means, it depends of the context, is very important try to learn and practice this idioms to improve and increase the vocabulary. It means if want to grow up and develop on this field, is a good ideas to watch channels like history and Discovery of course in english they always transmitted programs of all kind of cultures and its particular idioms,a big mistake is when you translate maybe will suffer a headache anyway the languages and idioms are different but at the same time is necessary to learn idioms.
ResponderEliminarYeah!!! For example watch movies is one of the most important tools for learn languages, for me the best form for improve my English is watching some movies in english and speaking all the day with my cell-phone(potcast)
EliminarOne of the best teacher for Inglés always said "Always oral practice, grammar is not the appropriate way to learn to speak any language" And it's true, the only way to learn to speak any language well is to talk and talk and talk. this month I practiced a lot with podcast and watching a lot of movies.
ResponderEliminarI agree with Steven the best way to practice English is speaking it, often not knowing the shame or merely pronouncing a person like me.
EliminarI think the use of idioms could strengthen the culture of each country, another observation is that idioms can not be translated, can only be interpreted according to the context of what is talking about, and also depends of the place. Idioms are very important for the language.
ResponderEliminarIdioms and sayings in English, it is important to recognize and practice, so I like this medium to introduce more in the language.
ResponderEliminarIt allows us to better understand the readings because if we tried to translate some sentences do not make sense in Spanish
Admittedly, I like the idea of practicing in this way with my classmates, although many idioms practice makes perfect
ResponderEliminarLearn the most common English expressions is what really makes you know English, you feel like you are in the country.
ResponderEliminarPeople can learn a lot from his books, his CDs and you can feel safe to jump into the real world. And then they realize that although they recognize the words that people say on the street, but does not understand what they say. The English learning book with normally very good, but if you use it in the real world and not in classes, people are going to point the finger saying "foreigner". It shows you are not from around here.
For me he importance of knowing the idioms is much more to master a foreign language, so you need to practice the idiom, this reflects a lot in movies, television shows, series and also the songs. and also when talking to a stranger as it has its own vocabulary, so like us in our country.
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