Running Head: IDIOMS PROJECT 1

Idioms Project

Jessica S. Smith

University of Southern Mississippi

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Idioms and Linguistics

Idioms are a part of every language. They add color to our language, connect us to the

people who speak our language, and provide insights into our history and culture. Idioms can

provide humor and lead to paradoxes (Fromkin, Rodman, & Hyams, 2014, pg. 152). They can

also help us better understand how our brains work and how we interact with language. Despite

their absurd nature, idioms are an important part of every language; and, as such, they should be

included in curriculums and taught alongside literal phrases when teaching a foreign language.

Idioms, also known as idiomatic phrases, are expressions whose meanings cannot be

based on the literal meaning of the words or morphemes in the structure (Fromkin, Rodman, &

Hyams, 2014). Idioms essentially say one thing but really mean something different. For

example, the phrase cat got your tongue creates the image of a cat holding a person’s tongue

hostage. However, the phrase cat got your tongue really means that that a person is having

trouble speaking if you are going by the figurative interpretation of the phrase. Most native

English speakers would know this phrase and would assume the figurative meaning of the word

without hesitation.

According to Fromkin, Rodman, & Hyams (2014), idioms are “phrases [that] typically

start out as metaphors that ‘catch on’ and are repeated so often that they become fixtures in the

language” (p. 151). This means that at some point in time the history of the phrase, it actually

made sense literally or figurative in some capacity or another. The idiom cat got your tongue is

still understandable as a metaphor. If a cat had a person’s tongue, the person would not be able to

speak. While the meaning is not necessarily the same, the result is. What make the phrase cat got
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your tongue different from a metaphor is that it has gone beyond being a metaphor to being a

part of everyday language that people recognize as its own phrase.

Fromkin, Rodman, & Hyams (2014) state that “Idioms are similar in structure to ordinary

phrases except that they tend to be frozen in form…” (pg. 151). As a result, the same grammar

rules that are applied to a normal sentence containing similar rules may not be applied to the

idiomatic structure without changing its meaning altogether. Wording cat got your tongue a

different way would likely change the meaning of it or at least make the speaker sound awkward.

Did the cat get your tongue? seems a little strange for this phrase and it would likely take the

listener a few extra seconds to figure out what the speaker was actually trying to say. While it

doesn’t change the meaning entirely in this case, rewording the phrase changes the meaning just

enough to take away from the expression.

Holsiger (2013) describes idioms as “muti-word units” and maintains that they “exhibit

both word-like and structure-like properties” (pg. 374). Holsinger (2013) disagrees with

Fromkin, Rodman, & Hyams (2014) that idioms are frozen in structure. He believes that some

idioms have more flexibility than others as far as rewording them goes. Some can be reworded

and still maintain their intended figurative meaning, some lose their meaning altogether, and

some have a syntax all their own (Holsinger, 2013). Holsinger (2013) warns against assuming

how idioms will function unless one is familiar with the language.

Idioms research has led to a change in the way idioms have been perceived throughout

history. According to Bobrow and Bel (1973), Swinney and Cutler (1979), and Weinreich,

(1969), idioms were originally thought of as “words-with-spaces” (as cited in Holsinger, 2013,
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pg. 374). Early studies by Gibbs (1980) and McGlone, Glucksberg, and Cacciari (1994), Ortony,

Schallert, Reynolds, and Antos (1978), and Swinney and Cutler (1979) showed that idioms are

“accessed more rapidly than literal expressions” because they are “stored and accessed as whole

units” rather than as individual words (as cited in Holsinger, 2013, pg. 374). This argument

places idioms in the same category as any other collocation. An idiom, in essence, cannot be

broken apart and must be learned as a whole.

However, within the last couple of decades, the opinion of researchers has shifted

significantly. Research currently indicates that idioms have their own grammatical properties and

that the people who say the idioms know the properties and how they behave (Holsinger, 2013).

The study conducted by Tabossi et al. in 2008 concludes that the reason that idioms are accessed

more quickly than regular phrases is that multi-word units and high frequency expressions like

clichés tend to be more easily accessed than other phrases (as cited in Holsinger, 2013. pg. 374).

Much of the recent research that has been conducted on idioms has involved using the

right and left hemispheres of the brain. It is commonly thought that figurative language

interpretation takes place in the right brain while literal interpretation takes place in the left

hemisphere (Briner & Virture, 2013, pg. 1). Analyzing the side of the brain that is used allows

researchers to see when figurative thinking is taking place. Briner & Virtue’s (2013) study

ultimately adds to the research that the more familiar a person is with the idiom, the more likely

the right side of the brain will be used to interpret it as the brain spends less time in the literal

processing stage.
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Holsinger (2013) set out to find out whether or not people consider the literal

interpretation of an idiom before they come up with the figurative meaning of the phrase.

Holsinger (2013) did this by monitoring the right and left hemispheres of participants’ brains as

they read the idioms. Holsinger (2013) concludes his study by showing that literal interpretation

does play a role in processing idioms. There is a point in which the brain switches from left brain

to the right brain (Holsinger, 2013). This indicates that idioms are interpreted literally until the

brain decides that it is a figurative expression and then it activates the right side of the brain

(Holsinger, 2013). Holsinger’s (2013) conclusion complements Briner and Virtue’s (2013)

findings as it makes sense that the more someone is familiar with an idiom the less time they

would have to spend interpreting it literally before they are able to access the figurative side of

the brain.

Studies using idioms have been conducted to better understand how disabled individuals

process information. Saban-Bezalel and Mashal (2015) conducted a study to determine if people

with pervasive developmental disorder were able to process idioms the same as people without

pervasive development disorder. The study showed that the individuals with pervasive

development disorder did not understand the figurative language as much as the control group

(Saban-Bezalel & Mashal, 2015). However, they were unable to tell if this was due to “a general

compensation deficit” or if it specifically had to do with figurative language (Saban-Bezalel &

Mashal, 2015).
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Idioms and Language Learning

Since idioms exist in every language, they are a great resource for any world languages

instructor as they allow us to teach using all Five C’s from the World-Readiness Standards for

Learning Languages: Communication, Culture, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities.

Idioms allow students to make connections between their culture and the culture of the target

language in addition to providing students with more ways to express themselves in the target

language.

Communication is usually considered the most important standard in most foreign

language classrooms. Teachers constantly feel the pressure to make sure their students can past

exams that focus on reading, writing, listening, and speaking above all else. Idioms are often

considered something extra that would detract from the time a teacher could use diagraming

sentences and making sure their students are ready for the AP exam. Fortunately, idiom

instruction can help get students become more competent in their communication skills both real

world situations and come exam time.

According to Yağiz (2013)…they [students] should attempt to build up their knowledge

of idioms if they want to survive in real communication settings” (pg. 954). When students

encounter real people speaking in the target language, watch television, or see a movie in the

target language; they will be confronted with idioms. There will be large gaps in conversation

and much confusion if the student is not aware of some basic idioms in the target language.

Not only do idioms help students be more prepared for real world situations, they also

help students remember the vocabulary they are learning in ways that are meaningful and
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engaging to them. According to Yağiz, “…students have been found to recall idioms when they

are connected with their literal meanings” (pg. 954). This means that students not only remember

the figurative meaning of the phrase, but that they also remember the meaning of the words

themselves. When students learn idioms, they are in essence learning two different phrases

simultaneously. They are then able to break apart the idiomatic expression into the individual

words that make up the expression and add them to their lexicon. Beginning students will likely

have to start by learning idiomatic phrases as collocations, while advanced L2 learners will be

able to learn and understand the unique syntaxes of the structures of the idioms (Sicola, 2010;

Zyzik, 2011).

The first idiom that comes to mind when I think of French idioms is Appuyez sur le

champignon which means press the mushroom. The English equivalent is Step on it! and it’s said

when someone wants someone else to speed up while driving. I learned this from the French

movie Bienvenue Chez les Ch’tis and it has stuck with me ever since. Whenever I think about it,

I still visualize someone stepping on a mushroom and zooming around like in Mario Go Kart. I

remember both the literal and the figurative meanings with ease.

There are several resources that separate idioms into categories based on vocabulary. It’s

easy to find lists of idioms for the vocabulary that goes with the content that is being taught.

Idiom activities can be incorporated to extend or to review vocabulary of a given unit.

The second World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages is Culture. Idioms help

people to learn about the culture of the target language. According to De Serres (2011),

“Idiomatic expressions reflect the thought processes and ways of life of a people” (pg. 129).
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Recurring themes in French idioms are food (especially bread), religion, pets (especially cats and

dogs), and mythology (De Serres, 2011; Dio, 2001). Students can see the things that are

important to a culture by looking at their idioms. They can also see what the culture finds

humorous or absurd as well. According to Yağiz (2013), learning idioms helps a student think

like speakers of the language and understand the thought processes that native speakers go

through when creating the language.

The third World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages is Connections. This is

where students are able to find the most meaning in their idioms learning experience. Students

are able to make connections between the languages themselves with idioms. They are able to

make connections between their culture and the culture of the target language. They are able to

make connections between idioms in the target language and the equivalent idiom (if any there is

one) in their language. They are also able to make connections between the figurative and literal

meanings of the expressions.

Once students have been able to find connections between their language and culture

using idioms, the student is able to compare those connections and really grow as a learner. The

fourth World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages is Comparisons.

The fifth World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages is Communities. Idioms

are a great way for students to feel that they have made a connection with another community.

They also give students something interesting to share with their families to bring the language

home to them. Nordmann, Cleland, and Bull (2014) believe that idioms are unreliable because

they are ever changing and should not be included in dictionaries or incorporated into
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curriculums. However, it’s the ever changing nature of these structures that brings people

together and makes them feel like they belong in a community. Growing up, my mother always

used uncommon idiomatic expressions. When I hear someone else say one of them, it

immediately results in storytelling from our childhoods and it brings us closer together because

we have a common experience rooted in language.

In review, idioms are a very important part of the language learning experience and

should not be overlooked. Idioms help students communicate better, learn about the culture,

make connections, make comparisons, and develop a sense of community. Vocabulary from the

idioms themselves can easily be incorporated into just about any unit. They can easily

complement another lesson and reinforce vocabulary while at the same time highlighting the

culture of the target language.

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Instructional Activities

All of the activities below have been separated by unit. Activity #1 would be taught

during the animals unit as it contains idioms with animal expressions, Activity #2 would be

taught during the body unit because the idioms contain body vocabulary. None of the activities

require that the students know the expressions in order to do them, so it would be possible to use

them as stand-alone cultural activities or as review at a later time when the vocabulary is not so

fresh in their minds.

Activities could also be used interchangeably with different idioms with some minor

adjustments.

Activity #1 – Animals Idioms

Put the following on the board as a bell ringer for students:

Discuss with your table members the following questions:

What are idioms?

What are some idioms that you use or you have heard before?

Using this as a bell ringer, allows students to make connections between what they already know

and the target language.

Before you begin the activity, discuss what an idiom is in English and ask students to

share some examples in English. You should make sure to discuss that the literal meaning is not

the same as the intended meaning. If you talk about any animal idioms, use them to segue into
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the animals idioms activity. Tell students that just like we have idioms that use animals in

English (use have a frog in my throat or raining cats and dogs as examples if necessary), they

have them in French as well.

When you are finished with your discussion, ask the students to go to the following

website and to read about the different idioms.

http://www.immersionplace.com/2014/04/05/french-expressions-involving-animals/

Allow student about 10 minutes to read through the website and to become familiar with

the different idioms. This may be done independently or with a partner. Afterwards, discuss with

students as a class the different idioms that they read.

When you are finished give students the following document:

Nom: ____________________________

Les Idiomes des Animaux

Using the website http://www.immersionplace.com/2014/04/05/french-expressions-

involving-animals/, choose six idiomatic expressions. Write the expression in French at the top
of the box and the English meaning at the bottom. Then, draw a picture of the literal meaning of
the expression. See teacher’s example.
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French: French:

English: English:
French: French:

English: English:
French: French:

English: English:
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Read the instructions together as a class and show the following example:

French: Avoir une force de cheval

English: To be very strong

This activity allows students to use the language both literally and figuratively in order to learn

vocabulary along with learning the expression. It also gives them the opportunity to express

themselves in a creative manner through art so that they are able to utilize multiple intelligences.

Show students the question at the bottom. Ask them to be thinking about what they can

tell about French culture based on the idioms they saw.

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Ask what French people might think about donkeys. What about horses?

Which animals come up repeatedly? Why do you think this?

These questions allow students to make connections between the languages and cultures and help

them develop comparisons. An exit ticket could be given asking students to tell one way that

French culture is similar to or different from their culture based on what they learned about their

idioms. Example: In France and the U.S., the horse is considered to be a strong, well-liked

animal.

Activity #2 – Body Idioms

Put the following on the board as a bell ringer for students:

Discuss with your table members the following questions:

What are idioms?

What are some French idioms that you remember?

These questions allow students to make connections between idioms they have learned in the

past and idioms in English.

Briefly discuss what idioms are and review some of the idioms you’ve discussed before.

Give students about ten minutes to read the following website:

http://www.immersionplace.com/2013/01/24/french-expression-involving-body-parts/

Discuss some of the idioms that they read about as a class.

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Allow students to work with a partner for the activity if they choose. Students will choose

six of body idioms from the website and make a video of them acting out either the literal or

figurative meaning of the phrases. They can record themselves saying the French and acting out

the literal meaning using their Chromebooks, smartphone, or Letrecap.com.

This activity provides students the opportunity to use the language both literally and

figuratively in order to learn vocabulary along with learning the expression. It also lets them use

the bodily-kinesthetic intelligence so they are able to learn using multiple intelligences.
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References

de Serres, L. (2011). Tendances en enseignement des expressions idiomatiques en langue

seconde : de la théorie à la pédagogie. Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 14 (2),

129-155.

Dio, C. (2004). La vie des mots. The French Review. 77 (3). 576-577. Retrieved from

http://www.jstore.org.lynx.lib.usm.edu/stable/25479395.

Fromkin, V., Rodman, R., & Hyams, N. (2014). An introduction to language (10th ed.). Boston:

Cengage.

Holsinger, E. (2013). Representing idioms: Syntactic and contextual effects on idiom processing.

Language & Speech, 56 (3), 373-394. doi:10.1177/0023830913484899

Nordmann, E., Cleland, A., Bull, R. (2014) Familiarity breeds dissent: Reliability analyses for

British-English idioms on measures of familiarity, meaning, literality, and

decomposability. Acta Psychologica, 149, 87-95.doi:10.1016/j.actpsy.2014.03.009.

Saban-Bezalel, R., & Mashal, N. (2015). Hemispheric Processing of Idioms and Irony in Adults

With and Without Pervasive Developmental Disorder. Journal Of Autism &

Developmental Disorders, 45 (11), 3496-3508. doi:10.1007/s10803-015-2496-4

Sicola, L. P. M. (2010). Cognitive Processing in Second Language Acquisition. : John

Benjamins Publishing Company. Retrieved from http://www.ebrary.com

Torres Castaño R. Horse Strong Muscle. [Vector Illustration]. Retrieved July 24, 2018 from

https://www.123rf.com/photo_22588776_horse-strong-muscle.html
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Yağiz, O., & Izadpanah, S. (2013). Language, culture, idioms, and their relationship with the

foreign language. Journal of Language Teaching & Research, 4 (5), 953-957.

doi:10.4304/jltr.4.5.953-957

Zyzik, E. (2011). Second language idiom learning: The effects of lexical knowledge and

pedagogical sequencing. Language Teaching Research, 15(4), 413-433.

doi:10.1177/1362168811412025