The concept and classification of phraseological units in the english language

Аннотация

This article explores some phraseological units in English, defining their characteristics and outlining common classification systems. It examines how these fixed expressionscontributetoidiomaticity and cultural understanding withinthe language. Key words: phraseological unit,idiom,lexeme, meaning, equivalent. The study of the phraseological wealth of the language is widely covered in the works of Russian and foreign linguists. First of all, let us define the concept of a phraseological unit. According to A.V.Kunin, phraseological unitsare stable combinations oflexemes with afully or partially reinterpreted meaning. [3:160]. The most general features of phraseological units are called "linguisticstability, semantic integrity and separateness ofdesign" [2:160]. Scientists have not developed a single principle for classifying phraseological units. According to the classification of A.V. Kunin, phraseology includes three sections: idiomatics, ideophraseomatics, and phraseomatics. The idiomatics section includes phraseological unit proper, or idioms, that is, stable combinations of lexemes with a partially or completely reinterpreted meaning. From a translation point of view, A.V. Kunin suggests dividing English phraseological unitsinto two groups: 1)phraseological units that have equivalents inRussian; 2)phraseological units withoutequivalents. N.N.Amosova, based on the contextual method of analysis, identifies "unique" formations of the English language ("idioms" and "phrasemes"), as well as various types of serial and modeled stable phrases ("usually limited combinations", "grammatical-stylistic constructions", "phraseoloids", "paremias"), which the author takes beyond phraseology. According to Davis Thompson's classification, all phraseological units can be divided into three groups: phraseological combinations, phraseological unities and phraseological fusions. Thompson proposed one of the most famous and widespread classifications in linguistic science, based on varying degrees of idiomaticity (lack of motivation) of components in a phraseological unit. There are three types ofphraseological units: a)Phraseological fusions Stable combinations, the generalized-integral meaning of which is not derived from the meaning of theirconstituent components, that is, is not motivated bythem from thepoint of view of the current state of vocabulary. Commenting on this group of idioms, it should be noted that phraseological fusions are absolutely indivisible, indecomposable stable combinations, the general meaning of which does not depend on the meaning of the words that comprise them: kick the bucket (colloquial) - to kick the bucket, to die; = to stretch out one's legs in Russian загнуться, умереть; = протянуть ноги; send smb. to Coventry - to boycott someone, to stop communicating with someone in Russian бойкотировать кого-либо, прекратить общение с кем-либо; at bay - cornered, in a hopeless situation in Russian загнанный, в безвыходном положении; be at smb.'s beck and call - to be always ready to serve; = to be on hand and foot in Russian готовым к услугам; = быть на побегушках; to rain cats and dogs - to pour like water (about rain); be all thumbs - to be awkward, clumsy быть неловким, неуклюжим; Kilkenny cats -mortal enemies in Russianit is translates as смертельные враги. Phraseological fusions have anumber ofcharacteristicfeatures: 1. they may include so-called necroticisms - words that are not used anywhere except in thisfusion, and therefore are incomprehensiblefrom the pointof viewofthe modern language; 2.fusions may includearchaisms; 3.they are syntactically indecomposable; Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages 601 ILMIYVAPROFESSIONALTA’LIMJARAYONIDAMULOQOT,FANVAMADANIYATLAR INTEGRATSIYASI 4.inmost cases, it isimpossible torearrange thecomponents in them; 5. they are characterized by impenetrability - they do not allow additional words to be included in theircomposition. b)Phraseological unities Stable combinations, the generalized-integral meaning of which is partly connected with thesemantics oftheir components, usedin afigurative meaning. For example: Swim against the current - that is, to do what is not typical for others, to be in opposition to others. Such phraseological units may have "external homonyms", that is, phrases that coincide withthem in composition,used in adirect (non-metaphorical)meaning. For example: It was very tiresome as I had to swim against the current - Было очень утомительно плытьпротивтечения Unlike phraseological fusions that have lost their figurative meaning in the language, phraseological unities are always perceived as metaphors or other tropes. Thus, among them we can distinguish stable comparisons - To stick likealuch - какбанныйлист metaphorical epithets -Mirtal grip -железная,мертвая хватка Hyperboles -The gold mountain -золотыегоры Pitots-Catch at a straw- попасться накрючок There are also phraseological unities that are periphrases, that is, descriptive figu