Phraseology

western scholars, represent what can probably be described as the

most picturesque, colourful and expressive part of the language’s vocabulary.
Phraseology- is a collection of nation’s customs, traditions and prejudices, recollections of its past history, scraps of folk songs and fairy- tales.

Phraseolog

one finds in this amazing picture gallery: dark horses, white

elephants, bull in chine shops and green-eyed monsters.
They can characterized by double sense. A certain picture is made, but the actual meaning of the haul unit is different.

major criteria for distinguishing between phraseological units and free word-groups:

semantic and structural.
To carry coals to Newcastle means «to take» something to a place where it is already plentiful and not needed.
This cargo ship is carrying coal to Liverpool.

of its components.
To skate on thin ice (to be on

a dangerous situation)
To have one’s heart in one’s boots (to be deeply depressed)
A wolf in a sheep’s clothing (a dangerous enemy who plausibly poses as a friend)

other is used in a transferred meaning: to lose one’s

temper, to fall in love

phraseological units and contrasting them to free word-groups.
To give somebody

the cold shoulder means to treat somebody coldly, to ignore or cut him.
A warm shoulder or a cold elbow make no sense at all.

additional components can be itroduced.
The big white elephant (when using

the white elephant in its phraseological sense) or about somebody having his heart in his brown boots.

the latter, they sum up the collective experience pf the

community.
Hell is paved with good intentions
Give advice. Don’t judge a tree by its bark
Give warning. If you sing before breakfast, you will cry before night
Admonish. Liars should have good memories
Criticize. Everyone calls his own geese swans
The function of proverb is communicative.

a number of important features, which can therefore be approached

from different points of view.
The traditional and oldest principle for classifying phraseological units is based on their original content and might be alluded to as «thematic». On this principle, idioms are classified according to their sources of origin, «source» referring to the particular sphere of human activity, of life, of nature, of natural phenomena, etc.

swim- to fail or succeed
In deep water- in trouble
In low

water, on the rocks- in strained financial circumstances
To be in the same boat with somebody- to be in situation in which people share the same difficulties and dangers

Phraseological units are word-grours with a changed meaning.

Phraseological fusions are word-grours with a completely changed meaning can not be deduced
To be good at something
To have a bite
To come to a sticky end
To be a good hand at something

is based on their ability to perform the same syntactical

functions as words.
Verbal. to make a song and dance about smth., to get the upper hand, to sit pretty.
Substantive. Dogs life, white lie, tall order.
Adjectival. cool as a cucumber, nervous as a cat, weak as a kitten.
Adverbial. In cold blood, for love or money.