영어 관용어의 변이형 생성

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine how English variant idioms are produced and understood. To accomplish the purpose, this study is organized as follows: In the second chapter following the introduction, some ways of production of variant idioms based on substitution, addition or deletion of a definite article or indefinite article and the use of other determiners. In chapter three, the properties of variant idioms are discussed. In chapter four, this study is summarized. A variant idiom can be generated, without its original meaning being changed at the same time, by substitution, inversion, or deletion. And speakers often use variant idioms in order to make hearers surprise and to get unusual effects. Some variant idioms are syntactically frozen, so if they are syntactically altered, their figurative meanings are disrupted, in particular, most variant idioms cannot be generated by applying the tough-movement rules. As characteristics of a variant idiom the following are pointed out: It needs more time to be recognized, and it has the minimalization of meaning change, analyzability and inflexibility. Based on pragmatics and psycho- linguistics, the productivity of the variant idiom is operated on the basis of the degree of transparency, according to which variant idioms can be classified to three types, such as a completely transparent variant, an incompletely transparent one and a completely opaque one.