SEMINAR THE WORD AND ITS MEANING

  Exercise 38. Classify the following words according to the type of motivation.

         Footballer morphological, purr Phonetic, unmask morphological, back (of a chair)
figurative meaning, tigress)     morphological , bottleneck figurative meaning, heart (of the
country) figurative meaning, crash Phonetic, head (of a nail) figurative meaning, undecipherable
morphological, mini-skirt morphological, foot (of the stairs) figurative meaning, rustle Phonetic,
lifelike morphological, shriek Phonetic, half-witted morphological, face (of a clock) figurative
meaning, chessman morphological, raincoat morphological, humming Phonetic, buzz Phonetic,
scream Phonetic, rumble Phonetic, review morphological, root (of a word) figurative meaning,
inexhaustible morphological, subway morphological.

There are three types of motivation:

1)    Phonetic , the sound form of the word helps us to understand its meaning, e.g. bang,
bump, hiss, cuckoo, etc.

2)    morphological, the morphemic composition of a word helps to understand its meaning,

e.g.  ex+ noun  = former …; re+ verb = do again; verb+er = agent, doer of the action.

3)    figurative meaning of a word becomes clear through its direct meaning, e.g. the leg of the
table, the foot of the mountain, the eye of the needle.

         Exercise 39. Read the explanations of the meanings the words below used to have. Say what
meanings they have nowadays and define the type of semantic changes.      

         Arrive – to come to shore, to land; - to reach a place (generalization)

         glad – bright, shining (about the sun, gold,  armour);
pleased; delighted - Generalization or Degradation of meaning
         gossip – good parent; conversation or reports about other people, typically involving
details that are not confirmed as being true - Degradation of meaning
         marshal – manservant attending horses;
an officer of the highest rank in the armed forces - Elevation of meaning
         lady – the woman who kneads bread;
a woman - Generalization
         knave – boy;
a dishonest person - Degradation of meaning.
         lord – bread-keeper;
someone or something having power, authority, or influence; a master or ruler.-
Elevation of meaning
         producer – the one who makes something (some “product”);

a person, company, or country that makes, grows, or supplies goods or commodities

for sale.
an oil producer - Generalization
a person responsible for the financial and managerial aspects of making of a movie or
broadcast or for staging a play, opera, etc.
a film producer - Specialization

a person or thing competing with another for the

         rival – the one who lives across the river;
same objective or for superiority in the same field of activity. - Degradation of meaning
fiction – a thing that is invented, imagined, not real;

literature in the form of prose, especially short stories and novels, that describes
imaginary events and people. - Specialization
voyage – a long journey;
a long journey involving travel by sea or in space. - Specialization
paper – the thin material people write or draw on;
material manufactured in thin sheets from the pulp of wood or other fibrous
substances, used for writing, drawing, or printing on, or as wrapping material.
Elevation of meaning
fame – common talk;
the state of being known or talked about by many people, especially on account of
notable achievements. - Elevation of meaning

rumour – good reputation; a currently circulating story or report of uncertain or doubtful

truth. . - Degradation of meaning
barn – a place for storing barley;
a large farm building used for storing grain, hay, or straw or for housing livestock.
pen – a feather;
an instrument for writing or drawing with ink, typically consisting of a metal nib or
ball, or a nylon tip, fitted into a metal or plastic holder. Elevation of meaning

represent (someone or something) in a photograph

picture – a representation made with paint.
or picture. Or a painting or drawing. - Generalization
1.Specialization, or narrowing of meaning

   e.g. hound (in O.E. any dog, now – a special breed of dogs for hunting)

          fowl (in O.E. any birds, now – domestic birds).

2.Generalization, or widening of meaning

   e.g. ready (in O.E. – ready for a ride, now – ready for any activity).

3.Elevation of meaning (getting better, going higher)

    e.g. queen (in O.E. – woman)

           knight (in O.E. – young servant).

4.Degradation of meaning (getting worse, lower)

   e.g. villain (in O.E. peasant, now – scoundrel)

          boor (in O.E. peasant, now – rude, clumsy person).

5. Transference of meaning. The name of one thing is used to name some other things.

    Transference is further subdivided into metaphor, metonymy and euphemism.

a)     Transference of meaning based on likeness is called a metaphor. Metaphors can be

based on likeness of form ( a head of cabbage), of position (the foot of the mountain),
function (Head of the Department), size, quantity (ocean of troubles, storm of applause),etc.
Sometimes a combination of several features makes up the foundation for a metaphor (a leg
of a table – function, position, shape). Metaphors may involve transition from proper names
to common ones, e.g. a Don Juan, Apollo, Vandals, Hooligans.

b)    Transference of meaning based on associations of contiguity (being together) is called

metonymy. We can use the name of a container for the thing it contains (Will you have
another cup?), instrument for the agent (His pen knows no compromise), the place for the
people who live or work there ( Kharkiv greets the guests. The Kremlin agrees to the treaty),
the name of a person for the things s/he made (He reads Byron), the name of a part for the
whole (Who’s the moustache?)

c)     Transference of meaning dictated by social conventions, norms, rules of behavior. A

word or a word combination is used instead of the other word that is offensive, rude, or
taboo.

e.g. to die: to perish, to pass away, to join the silent majority, to meet one’s maker, to be with
the angels, to cross the Great Divide, etc.

toilet: WC, bathroom, the necessary facilities, powder room, ladies/ gents, public
conveniences, cloakroom, throne room, porcelain collection, Windsor Castle, etc.

Exercise 40. Explain the logic of metaphoric transference in the following collocations.

 To jump to conclusions- Робити поспішні висновки make a hasty judgment before learning or
considering all the facts
, to spread propaganda, , росповсюджувати пропаганду - an organized spreading of often
false ideas or the ideas spread in such a way
to boil over with rage, кипіти від люті - To express or feel an emotion, typically anger, very
intensely
to fish for compliments, ловити компліменти- to try to get people to say nice things about one
to break the law, порушувати закон  to do something illegal.
to hold one’s tongue, тримати язик за зубами- remain silent
to catch an idea, вловлювати думку- An idea which engages or captures the attention
to fly into a rage; впадати в лють - become suddenly or violently angry
hot rage, a thin excuse, лють- не виправдання- unrestrained or violent anger,
clever hands, розумні руки -  displaying sharp intelligence or mental alertness
blooming health, квітуче здоров'я - attractively healthy and full of energy
a sour smile, кисла усмішка- A fake smile
bitter memories, гіркі спогади - it has some happy aspects and some sad ones. 
sweet dreams, солодкі мрії Said to someone before they fall asleep, wishing them a good
sleep.

black envy, чорна заздрість -  a feeling of unhappiness over another's good fortune
together with a desire to have the same good fortune
burning shame; пекучий сором - profound humiliation, great embarrassment.
a wave of pain, хвиля болю- physical suffering or distress, as due to injury, illness, etc. 
drive of hunger, порив голоду to want to eat
 chains of frost, ланцюги морозу
at crack of dawn, на світанку very early in the morning
an army of ants, армія мурашок
seeds of evil. насіння зла a person who is dishonest, evil, or unprincipled by nature 
 a)     Transference of meaning based on likeness is called a metaphor. Metaphors can be
based on likeness of form ( a head of cabbage), of position (the foot of the mountain),
function (Head of the Department), size, quantity (ocean of troubles, storm of applause),etc.
Sometimes a combination of several features makes up the foundation for a metaphor (a leg
of a table – function, position, shape). Metaphors may involve transition from proper names
to common ones, e.g. a Don Juan, Apollo, Vandals, Hooligans.

Exercise 41. Explain the meaning and comment on the etymology of the words below.

Astrakhan, badminton, boston,  boycott, cardigan, cashmere, champagne, china, colt, damask,
diesel, Ford, hooligan, jersey, mackintosh, Madeira, ohm, pompadour, sardines, sandwich,
silhouette, tweed, raglan, volt, watt.

         Exercise 42. Explain the reasons for using the following euphemisms and say what they
denote.

          Public comfort station – to avoid the word toilet , to breathe one’s last- – to avoid the verb to die,
in a delicate position - To be pregnant, the departed – a dead person, growth – to avoid using «tumor»
and «swelling» -ракова пухлина
, to refresh oneself – to go to the toilet, unmentionables-underwear.
1. , narrow house-The grave, to remove- instead of «get rid of»- позбутися, dickens-used for
emphasis, or to express annoyance or surprise when asking questions.
"what the dickens is going on?"
, intoxicated - affected by alcohol or drugs, call girl- a female prostitute with whom an
appointment can be made by telephone, memorial park-cemetery, graveyard, to go around
together-A relationship between two person(have an affair,), to abstract  smth from smb - To take
something without permission,  social disease-venereal disease, green carder-A Mexican
citizen who has a green card to work in the United States(instead of Immigrant), to
misrepresent the facts instead of to lie, deflation-to fart reduction of the general level of prices in an
economy., economically disadvantaged individuals-Poverty-stricken or very poor.

c)     Transference of meaning dictated by social conventions, norms, rules of behavior. A

word or a word combination is used instead of the other word that is offensive, rude, or
taboo.

e.g. to die: to perish, to pass away, to join the silent majority, to meet one’s maker, to be with
the angels, to cross the Great Divide, etc.

toilet: WC, bathroom, the necessary facilities, powder room, ladies/ gents, public
conveniences, cloakroom, throne room, porcelain collection, Windsor Castle, etc.
SEMINAR PHRASEOLOGY

Exercise 67. Complete the idioms in these sentences with one of the words given below.

 clanger        shot        ocean        plate        block        handle        pie

1.     All the promises these politicians make! It's just a _____________ in the sky. 

2.     The small amount of money donated is just a drop in the _____________ compared with the
vast sum we need. 

3. You really dropped a ___________when you criticised the Americans last night; that man
opposite you was from New York! 

4.  I can't do that job as well; I've got enough on my ____________   as it is. 

5.  When I told her she just flew off the ______________ and shouted at me. 

6.  His father was a gambler too. He's a real chip off the old_____________.

7.  I wasn't really sure; I guessed it; it was just a_____________ in the dark.

Exercise 68.  Arrange the following phraseological units functioning like nouns into groups reflecting
the most typical patterns of their formation: 1) N + N; 2) N's + N; 3) N + prep + N;  4) N + and + N; 
5) N + prep + N’s + N;  6) N + prep + pronoun + N;  7) Adj + N.

          Cold reason; black ingratitude; lord and master; the last straw; an old bird; a new broom; a
mare's nest; the early bird; an old song; a snake in the grass; bag and baggage; a slip of the pen; a
queer bird; a piece of somebody's mind; Judas kiss; a wolf in sheep's clothing; maiden name; the
apple of somebody's eye; blank verse; Hercules' labour; the sword of Damocles; Solomon's
judgement.

Exercise 69. Replace the words in brackets in the following sentences with a suitable expression
from the list below.

on the house - free of charge

like a bear with a sore head - to be in a bad mood that causes you to treat other people badly and
complain a lot
call it a day - to stop what you are doing because you do not want to do any more or think you have
done enough
to give a good hiding - If you give someone a hiding, you punish them by hitting them many times
to talk shop - to talk about work
not to have a clue - to not know anything about something or to have no idea what to do about
something
out of the blue - happens unexpectedly
pull your socks up - encourages one to get up and achieve something, try extra hard to do it if you
really have to
to get one’s goat - to upset or irritate someone
can't make head or tail of it -This idiom means that you are unable to understand something (or
someone) mainly because it is puzzling or unclear.
to ring a bell - to awaken a vague or indistinct memory
to put one’s foot in it - to say something by accident that embarrasses or upsets someone
to give the sack - to dismiss (someone) suddenly from a job
for donkey's years-a very long time
to keep it quiet - to say nothing about something 

)     phraseological fusions, e.g. tit for tat. They represent the highest stage of blending, are not
motivated nowadays, are specific for every language and cannot be literally translated;

b)    phraseological unities , e.g. to know where a shoe pinches, to rise to the bait, etc. They are
clearly motivated, some of them are easily translated and even international;

c)     phraseological combinations, e.g. to meet the demands, to make friends. They are not only
clearly motivated but also contain one component used in its direct meaning (demands, friends).

1. I don't mind helping Charles with his English, but what (annoys me) gets me goat is the way he
seems to take my help for granted.

2. The news that the Prime Minister was going to resign came   quite (unexpectedly) out of the
blue.  

3. Well, I think we'd better (stop working) call it a day     now.

  We’ve done as much as we can for one day.

4. What's wrong with Mr. Barker this morning? He's (so irritable) like a bear with a sore head.

5. I don't think I've met her, but her name (sounds familiar) rings a bell.

6. Have you seen Mary? I've been looking for her all morning. -  Sorry, John I (don't know) don’t
have a clue, I'm afraid.

7. Right everybody, place your orders. The drinks are (free) free of charge.

8. I hate going to parties with groups of teachers. They seem to spend most of the evening (talking
about their work) talking shop.

9. By the way, you've heard about Tom, haven't you? He's been  (dismissed from his job) given the
sack.
10. I wonder what Julia's doing these days? I haven't seen her (for a long time) for donkey's years.

11. The child was   (beaten) given a good hiding by his father for telling lies.

12 . What's this supposed to mean?  I (can't understand a word of it) can't make head or tail of it.

13.  Incidentally, Rita and Jim have decided to get married. But (don't tell anyone)  

keep it quiet   — it's supposed to be a secret.

14. You really (blundered) put your foot in it when you asked Pam how her cat was. Didn't you
know it got run over last week?
15.  You're going to have to (work much harder) pull your socks up if you want to pass the exam.

Exercise 70. There are many comparisons used in English to make the language more expressive
and clear. Below are thirty of the most common ones. Complete each of them with a suitable word or
words. Choose from the following:

a bat chalk from cheese mustard the nose on your face

brass a lord life the grave
a berry a fiddle a feather a fox
a bee a pancake a hatter a rock
a bell a daisy the hills toast
a cucumber gold a church mouse two peas in a pod
a doornail nails a picture clockwork
a post lead    
 

  1.  As mad as a hatter       

2. As flat as a pancake
3. As dead as a doornail
4. As heavy as . lead    
5. As light as a feather
6. As regular as clockwork
7. As blind as  a bat
8. As different as chalk from cheese
9. As clear as  a bell
10 . As plain as   the nose on your face
11 . As like as  two peas in a pod.    
12 . As cunning as a fox
13 . As hard as nails
14 . As busy as a bee
15 . As keen as mustard
16.  As poor as    a church mouse
 17.  As steady as  a rock
18.  As deaf as  a post
19. As fit as  a fiddle
20. As pretty as a picture
21. As bold as brass
22. As drunk as a lord
23. As cool as a cucumber
24. As warm as toast
25. As old as the hills
26. As fresh as a daisy
27. As large as life
28. As silent as the grave
29. As good as gold
 30. As brown as a berry
Exercise 71. Replace the words in brackets in the following sentences with a suitable colloquial
expression from the list below.

to get butterflies in one’s stomach - you are anxious and have a nervous feeling in your stomach
to blow one’s own trumpet -to talk about oneself or one's achievements especially in a way that
shows that one is proud or
to hold one’s tongue-remain silent.
to let the cat out of the bag - to allow a secret to be known, usually without intending to
pig-headed -If you describe someone as pig-headed, you are critical of them because they refuse to
change their mind about things, and you think they are unreasonable.
to pull one’s leg - deceive someone playfully; tease someone.
an out-and-out -in every respect; absolute, complete
not to say 'Boo’ to a goose - they are very timid and nervous. This expression might be used to
describe someone who is very shy.
for a song - very cheaply
as right as rain -you mean that they are completely well or healthy again,
smell a rat - you begin to suspect or realize that something is wrong in a particular situation
cheesed off -Angry, fed up, annoyed
down the drain - it is spoiled or wasted
to keep a straight face -to not smile or laugh
to get on like a house on fire -to denote a quick establishment of a close friendship between two
people. 

1. I see John's (boasting) blowing his own trumpet again. I've just heard him telling

everyone he's the best tennis player in the County.

2. We were hoping to keep our engagement a secret, but my mother (told everyone about it) let the
cat out of the bag.

3. I always    (feel nervous) get butterflies in my stomach before an interview. 

4.  We all found it difficult (not to laugh) to keep a straight face when we noticed that our boss had
a brown shoe on his left foot and a black one on his right.

5. Well, that's £5 (wasted) downed the drain.  I told you that play wasn't worth seeing!

6. I must say that I found it hard to (remain silent) hold my tongue when he started saying all those
horrible things about foreigners.

7. You're not frightened of Mr. Biggs, are you? He (is very timid really) doesn`t say 'Boo’ to a
goose.

8. I believed Ian when he told me he'd lost his job, but I later found out from Ginger  that he was only
(joking) pulling his leg .

9. You look a bit (fed up) cheesed off, John. What's the matter?

10. The holiday was (a complete) an out-and-out disaster. So many things went wrong that it would
take me all day to tell you about it.

11. I got a 1981 Jaguar the other day (very cheaply) for a song.

The owner was going abroad, so he just wanted to sell it quickly.

12. My wife will never admit that she's wrong, even when she knows she is. She's so 

(stubborn)  pig-headed .

13. Just keep him at home today, Mrs. Brown, and he'll be (perfectly all right) as right as rain by
tomorrow.

14. I really like my mother-in-law. We (have a really good   relationship) get on like a house on
fire.   
15. I thought she was the new secretary, but I began to (become suspicious) smell a rat when I
found her going through coat pockets in the  cloakroom.                                                    

Exercise 72. Arrange the following phraseological units into three  groups: 1) phraseological
combinations; 2) phraseological unities; 3) phraseological fusions. Translate them into Ukrainian.

a)     phraseological fusions, e.g. tit for tat. They represent the highest stage of blending, are not
motivated nowadays, are specific for every language and cannot be literally translated;

b)    phraseological unities , e.g. to know where a shoe pinches, to rise to the bait, etc. They are
clearly motivated, some of them are easily translated and even international;

c)     phraseological combinations, e.g. to meet the demands, to make friends. They are not only
clearly motivated but also contain one component used in its direct meaning (demands, friends).

phraseological combinations;
2) phraseological unities;
3) phraseological fusions

1) to get cold feet   - нервуватись,   дрижаки 2) Hobson's choice – вибір без

хапати   3 вибору 3

3) to come clean  -виводити на чисту 4) to have pins and needles in one's

воду                                                  leg – віддчуття поколювання у
якійсь частині тіла після онеміння

3
5) to face the music -зіткнутися лице в лице з 6) а fly in the ointment – ложка
проблемою     3                                          дьогтю в бочці з медом

7) to have a sweet tooth - 8) to wash one's dirty linen in public -

солодкоїжка                                       публічно прати брудну білизну,
влаштовувати розборки

2
9) to pull one's leg -     взяти на баса 10) to plough the sands-
насміхатися, глузувати з кого-
небудь         3                                 
ні за
Даремно,
цапову
марно
душу

3
11) play fast and loose   - грати не за 12) a bolt out of the blue грім із ясного
правилами – нечесно і неба
хитро          3                              
3
13) to go to the wall   -зіткнутися з проблемою 14) a hot potato – коли ніхто не хоче
працювати з чимось

3
15) to win the wooden spoon – виграти але 16) to smell a rat –пахне змовою
бути на останнньому місці      3                 

17) a fly on the wheel - переоцінює власний 18) a green house

вплив – носити корону    3                           

19) a skeleton map -карта, яка показує лише 20) to get out of the wood – вийти
основні відомості про землю, місце сухим із води 3
тощо                                            

21) а skeleton in the cupboard –скелет у 22) the seamy side – темна сторона
шафі     2                           медалі

1
23) to shoot a sitting bird      To raise the middle 24) high and low злети і падіння
finger               3                   
2
25) to be in two minds        - нерішучість        26) high and dry - знедоленою і
3                              безпорадною.
3

27) to join the majority      - приєднатися до 28) to fly high – бути піднесеним,
більшості                2                      
1
29) to kick the bucket  - померти, склеїти 30) heads or tails Орел або решка
ласти                  3                       3

31) bag and baggage –все що ти 32) dog days –жарко як у пеклі, дуже
маеш   1                                        спекотні дні

3
33) red tape - 34) green years – юні літа
бюрократія      3                                            

35) to cut to the quick  - сказати як відрізати, 36) Greenroom - A backstage room in
сипати сіль на a theater that an actor can use
рану                                            while off stage – зелена кімната

3
37) in a nutshell         у двох 38) a mare’s nest- щось що не існує,
словах             3                                  нісенітниця

1
39) to be in the red – бути повинним гроші 40) donkey's years –ціла вічність
банку, марнотрат,
боржник                3                                      3

41) bag of bones      -кожа да 42) wet blanket - зануда

кості    2                                              
3
 

Exercise 73.  Classify the following phraseological  units  into:

a) nominating; b) nominative-communicative; c) communicative;

d) interjectional.
 

To try one's hand at something; a great deal; a stony heart; to the last drop of blood; not to lift a
finger; as brave as a lion; by George!; at long last; a bull in a china shop; a fish out of water; hunger
is the best sauce; out of a clear sky; Indian summer; a dog in the manger; to hang in the balance; to
live from hand to mouth; to the bitter end; holy smoke!;  with all one's heart; what can’t be cured
must be endured; a bed of roses; the king of beasts; by fits and starts; next door; to show one's true
colours; flesh and blood; far and wide; to die a dog's death; in the long run; jack of all trades; to stir
up a nest of hornets; hang it all!; all one’s geese are swans; odd fish; to shed crocodile tears; to
cause pain; blank wall; Dutch courage; like a shot; to know on which side one's bread is buttered; at
sixes and sevens; at one's feet; from top to toe; to milk the ram; double dealing.

Exercise 74. Answer the following questions. Explain the meaning of the phraseological units.

1.     Apart from little boys, what else can come in short pants?

2.     When might you be asked to hold your tongue?

3.     I may have a pain in any part of my body, but what might I be a pain in?

4.     If I haven’t got a leg to stand on, do I necessarily need crutches?

5.     What do some people work their fingers to? And what do they keep their nose to?

6.     What kind of things do we do by ear, by heart, by word of mouth and by hand?

7.     Who is more likely to use more elbow grease, your doctor or your boss? Why?

8.     If I’m beside myself, am I a twin?

9.     There are no flies on Jane. Does this mean she sprays herself regularly?

10.  How might you hit the nail on the head?

11.  Why might you want to turn a blind eye to something?

12.  Someone who’s broke hasn’t got two pennies to ……….  . What?

13.  What, apart from food, might we wish to take with a pinch of salt?

14.  Is it a formal occasion if I get all shirty?

15.  Is it only the greengrocer who knows his onions?

16.  Why would you probably not be grateful if I gave you a piece of my mind?
17.  Why shouldn’t you want to get into hot water?

18.  If my mind turns to another kettle of fish, is it because I’m hungry?

19.  Am I uncomfortable if I am full of beans?

20.  If I’m making a great effort to do something, what part of my body do I put into it?

21.  What would you be doing if you were flogging a dead horse?

22.  What stands to reason?

23.  What does the dreamer have in the clouds?

24.  At the tips of what is it good to have all the facts when you are supporting your point of view?

25.  What might you say off the record? Does it have anything to do with MTV or the Olympics?