Unit Seven: In Other Words

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Unit Seven In Other Words
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Objectives

• By the end of this unit, you should be able to
• ? have a general knowledge of English
  synonyms, idioms, proverbs, slang and euphemisms
• ? know how to use such language appropriately
  in different situations
• ? understand the difficulty of rendering
  English idioms in to Chinese and vice versa
• ? describe the characteristics of English
  proverbs and the cultural background of certain
  proverbs
• ? compare the similarities and differences
  between English and Chinese proverbs by
  translating some English proverbs into Chinese
  and vice versa
• ?describe the functions of slang words or
  phrases in native speakers daily talk, and have
  an idea of what rhyming slang is

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Contents
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1. Synonyms
? Lexical items which have the same meaning
but differ from one another in several ways
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1. Synonyms

• Three ways that similar words differ from one
  another
• It may be a difference in regional variety
• e.g. autumn fall
• There may be stylistic differences
• e.g. recalcitrant disobedient
• There may also be differences in the emotional
  connotations of words
• e.g. youths youngsters

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2. Idioms
? An idiom functions as a unit of meaning which
cannot be predicted from the literal meaning of
its member words.
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2. Idioms

• Colorful language
• red / blue / green
• Animals Metaphors
• cat / horse / goose
• Sports and Idioms
• basketball
• boxing and wrestling
• billiards
• shooting

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3. Proverbs

• Proverbs are those popular short sayings
  containing words of advice or warningare an
• important part of the language and culture of a
  society.

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3. Proverbs

• They are made memorable by the use of a number
  of devices
• alliteration Look before you leap
• rhyme A friend in need is a friend in deed
• simple balanced structure More haste, less
  speed

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4. Slang

• Words and expressions which are regarded as very
  informal and so are not considered suitable for
  formal social situations or serious writing.
  Slang us used between people who know each other
  very well or who have the same job or the same
  interests. It is often invented in keeping with
  new ideas and customs. One function of slang is
  to make speech vivid, colorful and interesting.

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5. Taboo words

• Words which people avoid using because they find
  them embarrassing or offensive.

• Words related to the elimination of body wastes
• Cleaner / urinate / defecate

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5. Taboo words

• Swearing words is not severed as an emotional
  outlet, but it is also used to mark social
  solidarity. This kind of words is much more
  frequent in informal
• than formal situations.
• When a foreigner using swear words may give the
  impression that he is claiming membership of
  group he does not belong to.

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6. Euphemisms

• Almost all cultures seem to have certain notions
  or
• things that people try to avoid mention directly,
  even
• when there is such a term in the language. If
  people
• cannot avoid mentioning such notions or thing,
  they
• often use euphemisms. These are indirect
• expressions that enable people to avoid talking
• directly about something which might cause
• offence and embarrassment.

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7.Case studies

• Please analyze the case on Page 279
• It is showing some expressions like idioms should
  not
• be taken too literally A Chinese student Chen
  Gang
• finished the joint experiment with his friend
  David, an
• American student. But the experiment turned out
  to be a
• failure. Chen Gang felt rather depressed, and
  David
• encourage him with some American idioms.

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7.Case studies

• .
• The mistake
• Chen Gang did misunderstand David. He thought
  that David felt
• relieved that he had done nothing wrong and would
  enjoy himself
• by listening to music.
• Conclusion
• face the music is an idiom, meaning to accept
  the criticisms,
• unpleasant consequences, etc. that follow a
  decision or action of
• ones own.
• play the game is also an idiom, originating
  from the fact that
• people who participate in a game should obey
  certain rules, and
• now generally means to do something in a fair and
  honorable way

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8.Homework

• Case analysis
• One night a Chinese student majoring in
  English sat on the steps of the
• Foreign students residence and talked with two
  young male foreign
• students, one German and one American. They did
  not speak a word to
• her on their own initiative, but she asked many
  questions to get a
• conversation started. Every time they answered
  her with only one or two
• words. But she was determined to practice her
  English so she tried to
• keep the conversation going. How do you spend
  your weekend? she
• asked. The German boy answered immediately,
  Fishing, and the two
• boys looked at each other meaningfully.
• Fishing? She was really confused. But
  where do you fish? she asked.
• On listening to this the two boys burst out
  laughing.
• Questions Why the two boys looked at each other
  meaningfully when
• the German boy said the wordfishing, and then
  they burst out laughing?

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8.Homework

• The Key to the Question
• Fishing has two meaning
• One is the literal meaning.
• The other is just sitting here or walking on the
  street and waiting for some girls to come up to
  us.

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Thank you !