International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
SJIF (2019): 7.583
Phraseology as an Independent Branch of
Linguistics
Sotvaldieva Hilola Musinovna1, Masharipova Anar Tadjibaevna2
1
Senior Teacher, Ferghana State University
2
Assistant, Fergahana State University
Abstract: This article discusses the section of linguistics phraseology namely idioms as analysis. Its meaning should be traced using
the method of compositional analysis. This method helps you detect meaning when necessary. In General, phraseological units, even if
they represent a certain pattern, do not generate new phrases. They are unique.
Keywords: phraseology, idioms, integrity, stability, separability, unique, meaning, analysis.
By phraseology we mean the branch of linguistics dealing manner. Lexical stability is usually accompanied by
with stable word- combinations characterized by certain grammatical stability which prohibits any grammatical
transference of meaning. Despite differences of opinion, changes;
most authors agree upon some points concerning the
distinctive features of phraseological units. Phraseology is Separability means that the structure of an idiom is not
the branch of lexicology specializing in word-groups which something indivisible, certain modifications are possible
are characterized by stability of structure and transferred within certain boundaries. Here we meet with the so-called
meaning. Phraseological units, or idioms, as they are called lexical and grammatical variants. To illustrate this point I
by most western scholars, represent what can probably be may give some examples: "as hungry as a wolf (as a
described as the most picturesque, colourful and expressive hunter)", "as safe as a house (houses)" in English.
part of the language’s vocabulary.
On the whole phraseological units, even if they present a
The basic units of analysis in phraseology are often referred certain pattern, do not generate new phrases. They are
to as phrasemes or phraseological units. Phraseological units unique. Interlanguage comparison, the aim of which is the
are (according to Prof. Kunin A.V.) stable word-groups with exposure of phraseological conformities, forms the basis of a
partially or fully transferred meanings ("to kick the bucket", number of theoretical and applied trends of modern
“Greek gift”, “drink till all's blue”, “drunk as a fiddler linguistic research, including the theory and practice of
(drunk as a lord, as a boiled owl)”, “as mad as a hatter (as a phraseography. But the question of determining the factors
March hare)”). While according to Rosemarie Gläser, a of interlanguage phraseological conformities as the main
phraseological unit is a lexicalized, reproducible bilexemic concept and the criterion of choosing phraseological
or polylexemic words. We can find the meaning of a equivalents and analogues as the aspect concepts is still at
phraseological unit by one of its components (when it is issue [5.267].
motivated). In cognitive linguistics tradition, idioms are
claimed to have conceptual motivation, on the other hand The analysis of special literature during the last decades
there are many phraseological units, the meaning of which shows that the majority of linguists consider the coincidence
cannot be found by knowing the meaning of one of its of semantic structure, grammatical (or syntactical)
components (when it is not motivated). Its meaning should organization and componential (lexeme) structure the main
be traced by using the compositional analysis method. This criteria in defining the types of interlanguage phraseological
method helps in need to discover the semantic meaning in conformities/disparities with the undoubted primacy of
the semantic field [2.143]. semantic structure.
Integrity (or transference) of meaning means that none of the Comparing the three approaches discussed above (semantic,
idiom components is separately associated with any functional, and contextual) we have ample ground to
referents of objective reality, and the meaning of the whole conclude that have very much in common as, the main
unit cannot be deduced from the meanings of its criteria of phraseological units appear to be essentially the
components; same, i.e. stability and idiomaticity or lack of motivation. It
should be noted however that these criteria as elaborated in
Stability (lexical and grammatical) means that no lexical the three approaches are sufficient mainly to single out
substitution is possible in an idiom in comparison with free extreme cases: highly idiomatic non-variable and free word-
or variable word-combinations (with an exception of some groups.
cases when such substitutions are made by the author
intentionally). The experiments show that the meaning of an According to the functional approach they are also regarded
idiom is not exactly identical to its literal paraphrase given as phraseological units because of their grammatical
in the dictionary entry. That is why we may speak about (syntactic) inseparability and because they function, in
lexical flexibility of many units if they are used in a creative speech as word-equivalents. According to the contextual
Volume 9 Issue 12, December 2020
www.ijsr.net
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
Paper ID: SR201204094925 DOI: 10.21275/SR201204094925 359
International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
SJIF (2019): 7.583
approach red tape, mare's nest, etc. make up a group of Lexical stability means that the components of set
phraseological units referred to as idioms because of the expressions are either irreplaceable (e.g. red tape, mare's
impossibility of any change m the 'fixed context' and their nest) or party replaceable within the bounds of
semantic inseparability. phraseological or phraseomatic variance: lexical (e.g. a
skeleton in the cupboard – a skeleton in the
The status of the bulk of word-groups however cannot be closet).grammatical (e.g. to be in deep water – to be in deep
decided with certainty with the help of these criteria because waters), positional (e.g. head over ears – over head and
as a rule we have to deal not with соmp1ete idiomaticity and ears), quantitative (e.g. to lead smb a dance- to lead smb a
stability but with a certain degree of these distinguishing pretty dance), mixed variants (e.g. raise (stir up) a hornets'
features of phraseological units. No objective criteria of the nest about one's ears- arouse (stir up) the nest of hornets).
degree of idiomaticity and stability have as yet been
suggested. Thus, e.g., to win a victory according to the Semantic stability is based on the lexical stability of set
semantic approach is a phraseological combination because expressions. Even when occasional changes are introduced
it is almost completely motivated and allows of certain the meaning of set expression is preserved. It may only be
variability to win, to gain, a victory. According to the specified, made more precise, weakened or strengthened. In
functional approach it is not a phraseological unit as the other words in spite of all occasional phraseological and
degree of semantic and grammatical inseparability is phraseomatic units, as distinguished from free phrases,
insufficient for the word-group to function as a word- remain semantically invariant or are destroyed. For example,
equivalent. Small hours according to the contextual the substitution of the verbal component in the free phrase to
approach it is literal meaning. If however we classify it raise a question by the verb to settle (to settle a question)
proceeding from the functional approach is a word-groups changes the meaning of the phrase, no such change occurs in
which are partially motivated is decided differently to raise (stir up) a hornets' nest about one's ears[4.249].
depending on which of the criteria of phraseological units is
applied [3.134]. The diachronic aspect of phraseology has scarcely been
investigated. Just a few points of interest may be briefly
There is still another approach to the problem of reviewed in connection with the origin of phraseology has
phraseology in which an attempt is made to overcome the scarcely been investigated. Just a few points of interest may
shortcoming of the phraseological theories discussed above. be briefly reviewed in connection with the origin of
The main features of this new approach which is now more phraseological units and the ways they appear in language. It
or less universally accepted by linguists are as follows: is assumed that almost all phrases can be traced back to free
Phraseology is regarded as a self-contained branch of word-groups which in the course of the historical
linguistics and, not as a part of lexicology. development of the English language have acquired
Phraseology deals with a phraseological subsystem of semantic and grammatical process of grammaticalization or
language and not with isolated phraseological units. lexicalization.
Phraseology is concerned with all types of set
expressions. The term lexicalization implies that the word-group under
Set expressions are divided into three classes: discussion develops into a word-equivalent, i.e. a
phraseological units (e.g. red tape, mare's nest, etc.), phraseological unit or a compound word. These two parallel
phraseomatic units (e.g. win a victory, launch a lines of lexicalization of free word-groups can be illustrated
campaign, etc.) and borderline cases belonging to the by the diachronic analysis.
mixed class. The main distinction between the first and
the second classes is semantic: phraseological units have There are some grounds to suppose that there exists a kind
fully or partially transferred meanings while components of interdependence between these two ways of lexicalization
of, phraseomatic units are used in their literal meanings. of free word-groups which makes them mutually exclusive.
Phraseological and phraseomatic units are not regarded It is observed, for example, that compounds are more
as word- equivalents but some of them are treated as abundant in certain parts of speech, whereas phraseological
word correlates. units are numerically predominant in others. Thus, e.g.,
Phraseological and phraseomatic units are set phraseological units are found in great numbers as verb-
expressions and their phraseological stability equivalents whereas compound verbs are comparatively few.
distinguishes them from free phrases and compound This leads us to assume that lexicalization of free word-
words. groups and their transformation into words or phraseological
Phraseological and phraseomatic units are made up of units is governed by the fewer phraseological units we are
likely to encounter in this class of words.
words of different degree of wordness depending on the
type of set expressions they are used in. (cf. e.g. small
Very little is known of the factors active in the process of
hours and red tape). Their structural separateness, an
lexicalization of free word-groups which results in the
important factor of their stability, distinguishes them
from compound words (cf. E.g. blackbird and black appearance of phraseological units. This problem may be
viewed in terms of the degree of motivation. We may safely
market).
assume that a free word-group is transformed into a
phraseological unit when it acquires semantic inseparability
Stability of use means that set expressions are reproduced
and becomes synchronically non-motivated.
ready-made and not created in speech. They are not
elements of individual style of speech but language units.
Volume 9 Issue 12, December 2020
www.ijsr.net
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
Paper ID: SR201204094925 DOI: 10.21275/SR201204094925 360
International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
SJIF (2019): 7.583
The following may be perceived as the main causes the framework of the English language and sometimes from
accounting for the less of motivation of free word-groups: the outside - from the point of view of the mother tongue of
the investigator. It is suggested here that the term
When one of the components of a word-group becomes idiomaticity should be interpreted as an intralingual notion
archaic or drops out of the language altogether the whole and also that the degree of idiomaticity should be taken into
word-group may become completely or partially non- consideration since between the extreme of complete
motivated. For example, lack of motivation in the word- motivation and lack of motivation there are numerous
group kith and kin may be accounted for by the fact that the intermediate group.
member-word kith dropped out of the language altogether
except as the component of the phraseological unit under All the three approaches are sufficient to single out the
discussion. This is also observed in the phraseological unit extreme cases: highly idiomatic phraseological units and
under discussion. free word-groups. The status of the bulk of word-groups
possessing different degrees of idiomaticity cannot be
When as a result of a change in the semantic structure of a decided with certainty by applying the criteria available in
polysemantic word some of its meanings disappear and can linguistic science.
be found only in certain collocations. The noun mind, e.g.,
once meant 'purpose' or 'intention' and this meaning survives The distinguishing feature of the new approach is that
in the phrases to have a mind to do smth., to change one's phraseology is regarded as a self-contained branch of
mind, etc. linguistics and not as a part of lexicology. According to this
approach phraseology deals with all types of set expressions
When a free word-group used in professional speech which are divided into three classes: phraseological units,
penetrates into general literary usage, it is often felt as non- phraseomatic units and border-line cases
motivated. To pull (the) strings (wires), e.g., was originally
used as a free word-group in its direct meaning by References
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become non-motivated if its connection with the [7] KaramatovaK.M.,Karamatov X.S. Proverbs, maqollar,
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of the whole is not deducible from the meaning of the
components. Moreover, it seems grammatically and
functionally self-contained and inseparable too. In the
saying quoted above the noun broom is always used in the
plural; as a member-word of the phraseological unit it
mostly used in the singular. The phraseological unit a new
broom is characterized by functional inseparability. In the
saying new brooms sweep clean the adjective new functions
as an attribute to the noun brooms, in the phraseological unit
a new broom (e.g. Well he is a new broom!) the whole
word-group is functionally inseparable.
The final criterion in the semantic approach is idiomaticity
whereas in the functional approach syntactic inseparability is
viewed as the final test, and in the contextual approach it is
stability of context combined with idiomaticity of word-
groups. The concept of idiomaticity is not strictly defined.
The judgement as to idiomaticity is passed sometimes within
Volume 9 Issue 12, December 2020
www.ijsr.net
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
Paper ID: SR201204094925 DOI: 10.21275/SR201204094925 361
