What are Idioms?

[nosuchmember]

What are Idioms?
     
A faulty idiom is an expression which, though correct in grammar and general meaning, combines words in a manner contrary to usage.

Idioms are established by custom, and cannot be explained by logical rules.

"I enjoy to read" is wrong, not because the words offend logic or grammar, but merely because people do not instinctively make that combination of words.

"I like to read" and "I enjoy reading" are good idioms.

    Faulty Idioms                         Correct Idioms
in the city Toledo                      in the city of Toledo
in the year of 1920                    in the year 1920
I hope you a good time              I wish you a good time
the Rev. Hopkins                       the Reverend Mr. Hopkins
stay to home                            stay at home
different than                           different from
independent from                      independent of
in search for                            in search of
remember of                            remember

Make sure that a verb or adjective is accompanied by the right preposition.

List of correct idioms:

accused of (a theft)                      accord with (a person)
accused by (a person)                  agree with (a person)
agree to (a proposal)                    enamored of
agreeable to                                entrust to
angry at (a condition)                   free from
angry with (a person)                   listen to
careful about (an affair)                part from (a person)
careful of (one's money)               part with (a thing)
comply with                                 pleased with
convenient to ( a person)              resolve on
convenient for (a purpose)             sympathize with
correspond to (things)                  take exception to
correspond with (persons)             wait for
dissent from                                wait on(a customer)

Avoid a compromise between two idioms.

For the idiomatic use of articles, "The United States" not "United States."





 
   

[elissaamsmart]

Do I misunderstand something?

You say:

A faulty idiom is an expression which, though correct in grammar and general meaning, combines words in a manner contrary to usage.

But according to Wikipedia: Idiom is a phrase or an expression that has a figurative, or sometimes literal, meaning. Categorized as formulaic language, an idiom's figurative meaning is different from the literal meaning.

You say:

I like to read

is an idiom

But as far as I know things like "In two shakes of a lamb's tail", "The 11th hour" and "Hit the nail on the head" are idioms.
I'm just wondering. I wrote critical thinking assignment on idioms and there was nothing of what you mentioned.

Clarify, please.

Thanks in advance

[nosuchmember]

Do I misunderstand something?

Clarify, please.

According to THE CENTURY COLLEGIATE HANDBOOK[page 63,Diction- The Exact Idiom]: A faulty idiom is an expression which, though correct in grammar and general meaning, combines words in a manner contrary to usage.

Idioms are established by custom, and cannot be explained by logical rules.

"I enjoy to read" is  wrong, not because the words offend logic or grammar, but merely because people do not instinctively make that combination of words. "I like to read" and "I enjoy reading" are good idioms.

Thank you, for giving me the opportunity to 'Clarify' this post.  Jan

[elissaamsmart]

Probably, we are talking about different types of idioms

I was referring to this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idiom

[nosuchmember]

Probably, we are talking about different types of idioms

There are many different types of English expressions:

1. Clichés

A little bird told me
A man's home is his castle

2. Idioms
A blessing in disguise
A dime a dozen
 
3. Jargon
HBTY: Happy Birthday to You
NBD: No Big Deal

4. Phrasal verbs
Drop back
Drop in/ by/ over

5. Proverbs
Absence makes the heart grow fonder
All good things must come to an end

6. Slang
Awesome
Chick- Another word meaning young female