Suppose we have to construct a pun. As soon as our translation is figurative (i.e. has an idiomatic background), we would have no problem at all in making a play on any of the metaphor's components. Example:

Это неправильно говорится: «Дело - не медведь, в лес не уйдет». Дело и есть медведь, уходить ему незачем, оно облапило и держит. Дело человеку - барин. (Горький, Дело Артамоновых)

It is not true that 'Business is no bear, it won't go anywhere.' Business is a bear, and there's no reason for it to go. It's got too good a hold on us. Man is a slave of his business!

Here is an example of an attempt to translate the English proverb "Make hay while the sun shines". This proverb was used in speech being innovated grammatically and lexically: 'to make hell while the sun shines'. The lexical innovation ('hell' instead of 'hay') presents a problem in translation. And life shows that the translation practice does not exclude the following way of solving this problem. Example:

I positively refuse to understand those who anywhere and everywhere wish "to make hell while the sun shines."

Я решительно отказываюсь понимать людей, которые везде и повсюду стремятся к тому, чтобы, "пользуясь благоприятны» ми обстоятельствами, натворить как можно больше бед".

True enough, the translator cannot use here the Russian proverb "Куй железо пока горячо" but... we can use its structure to make the 'transposed' translation figurative, that is, to make a solid metaphor out of it.

The Russian proverb consists of two parts: "(1) Куй железо (2) пока горячо". The 'transposed' translation also consists of two parts: (1) пользуясь благоприятными обстоятельствами (2) натворить как можно больше бед.

The process of our translation would be as follows: 'to make hell while the sun shines' (Transposition :) "пользуясь благоприятными обстоятельствами натворить как можно больше бед" (Restructuring by means of using the Russian proverb's structure :) "Ковать железо пока горячо" - "делать что-л. пока возможно" "творить как можно больше бед пока возможно" (Idiomatization by way of making a rhymed metaphor:) "вредить безбожно пока возможно". Thus:

I positively refuse to understand those who anywhere and everywhere wish "to make hell while the sun shines."

Я решительно отказываюсь понимать людей, которые везде и повсюду стремятся к тому, чтобы "вредить безбожно пока возможно".

The conclusion is that one should better not stop at the stage of 'transposition'. One should move farther, till the end of the translation process. As a poet said, "The inn that shelters for the night is not the journey's end."

See the following example of a translation from Russian into English, which is based on an American proverb's structure:

Russians have a proverb «Всяк кулик свое болото хвалит»which says that every snipe praises its own bog.

It is easy to see that the translation process was as follows: "Всяк кулик свое болото хвалит" - (Transposition :) 'Everybody speaks well of one's own home [or the like]' - (Restructuring and Idiomatization by way of using the structure of the proverb 'Every cook praises his own broth') 'Every smb (smth) praises his (its) own smth' - 'Every snipe praises its own bog.'

The method of making a metaphor based on a "ready-made" phrase (or two), is both productive and substantial. It is substantial to the extent that it does not necessarily need rhyming a metaphor based on an English phrase. Russian proverb "Москва не сразу строилась" could be translated as 'Moscow was not built in a day', that is, they say, it could be constructed "according to the pattern" of the English proverb 'Rome was not built in a day'. In fact, they pointed to the method of making the proverb's translation based on an English saying (i.e., "Москва не сразу строилась"-'Rome was not built in a day' - 'Moscow was not built in a day').

Some translators might say that to convey the subject-logical content of the information is what we should really want. And some others might say that we can consequently translate, for example, the proverb "Little pitchers have long ears" as "Дети любят слушать разговоры взрослых". However, the emotive-and evaluating content of the information must not be ignored and should be translated. And one can see that "Дети любят слушать разговоры взрослых" does not convey any emotive evaluation. Besides, this translation does not sound proverbial.

The question is what would you feel if you happen to hear the statement "Дети любят разговоры взрослых.

Let us make this translation figurative and evaluating: 'Little pitchers have long ears' (Transposition :) "Дети любят слушать разговоры взрослых" (Idiomatization on the basis of Russian phrases:) "У этих деток слишком длинные уши" or: "Бойтесь детей у них на макушке любопытные ушки". Thus, we have based our first translation on the Russian phrase "у кого-л. слишком длинные уши" for the purpose of conveying negative overtones? And we based our second translation (a) on the Russian phrase "y кого-л. ушки на макушке", (b) we also added "Бойтесь детей" as a resume and a negative exaggeration bringing positive reaction, (c) and we used the internal addition "любопытные" (which is particularly used in the Russian phrase "Любопытной Варваре HOC оторвали"). As a result, we have got "Бойтесь детей у них на макушке любопытные ушки" which is a cause-and-effect relation statement: "Бойтесь детей [because] у них на макушке любопытные ушки". (This can be compared with the metaphor 'Who knows -- maybe rain and maybe snow, maybe yes and maybe no' which is also a cause-and-effect relation statement.) And no one can make an experiment and check one's possible emotive reaction while comparing the following:

Original: Little pitchers have long ears.

Translation variants:

(1) Дети любят слушать разговоры взрослых. (2) Бойтесь детей, у них на макушке любопытные ушки. (3) У [этих] деток слишком длинные уши.

Here is an example of a good and illustrative translation from Russian into English. The translator had managed to make the proverb's translation figurative (by means of utilizing the English phrases 'to be brave as a lion' and 'to be like a lamb') which served, then, as a solid basis for her making a pun (and for conveying irony):

Люблю парня за ухватку. Сразу видно, что молодец среди овец. (Ю. Герман, Я отвечаю за все)

"I like a good chap for his brave ways'. I can tell right away that you'd be brave as a lion with a lamb" /11, 331/.

The linguistic means to be used in the metaphorical translation of proverbs are lexical and grammatical colloquialisms.

I. K. Sazonova /12, 6/ suggested the following examples of the different kinds of "stylistic colouring" which are (a) neutral, (b) bookish and (c) colloquial:

Sazonova's examples:

(a) Чтобы не было недоразумений, пойди, пожалуйста, туда и узнай, в чем дело.

(b) Во избежание недоразумений пойди, пожалуйста, туда и выясни, в чем дело.

(c) Сбегай туда и узнай, пожалуйста, что там, а то как бы чего не вышло.

Translations:

(a) Would you please go -and see what is wrong there before something happens.

(b) In order to avoid misunderstanding, would you please be so kind as to clarify the situation there.

(c) Go find out what's wrong, or there may be trouble.

The Russian colloquial-style example presents the said means (lexical: the verb "сбегать", the phrase "как бы чего не вышло"; grammatical: the subordinate clause "что там"). The translation of this example contains English colloquial means (lexical: 'trouble'; grammatical: 'go find out-', 'what's', 'or there may be').

Let us compare now the stylistic coloring of the two translations (given earlier); "пользуясь благоприятными обстоятельствами, натворить как можно больше бед" and "вредить безбожно пока возможно". One can see that their stylistic coloring differs. On the one hand, the words "пользуясь обстоятельствами" sound bookish. On the other hand, the word "безбожно" is a colloquialism and so is the word "пока" (compare: "Коси коса пока роса", "Куй железо пока горячо").

We may also compare the two translations (see this Task): "Business is no bear, to run away to the forest" and "Business is no bear, it won't go anywhere". The first translation has no colloquialisms and its stylistic coloring is neutral. The second translation employs them and all of them are grammatical: "won't" is used instead of the neutral "will not", to say nothing1 of the double negation "won't go anywhere".

It is common knowledge that English (and Russian) proverbs may be not only rhymed:

Birds of a feather flock together. (Рыбак рыбака видит издалека.)

Well begun is half done. (Доброе начало полдела откачало.)

but also arranged rhythmically:

God helps those who help themselves. (На бога надейся, а сам не плошай.)

Once bitten twice shy. (Пуганая ворона куста боится.)

Making our proverbs' translations arranged rhythmically or/and rhymed is also a productive method. Example:

- И какая странная идея пришла в голову этому Привалову... Вот уж чего никак не ожидал. Какая-то филантропия...

- Это нам на руку: чем бы дитя ни тешилось, лишь бы не плакало. (Мамин-Сибиряк)

"Besides, what has gotten into Privalov? Who would think of it? Philanthropy!"

"He" s playing into our hands. As the saying goes, whatever toy or play makes the baby gay..."

And such translations as "Leave the child its toy -- as long as it's amused" or "It does not matter what you do to humor your child as long as it does not cry" (etc.) speak for themselves. They do not sound proverbial.

The analysis of translators' works shows that this method is frequently neglected by or remains unknown to a number of translators. Here is just one example of how such 'difficult' proverbs happen to be translated. Let us see some of the published translations of the proverb "Это-цветочки, ягодки впереди":

(1) It was only the beginning; the rest was still to come. /13, 45/

(2) That is mere blossoms, we'd like to show you the fruit and how it grows. /14, 105/

(3) This is only child's play to what is ahead of us. /15, 91/

We have to say (in all fairness) that the last (3) translation compensates the lack of rhythm (and rhyme) in it considerably by using two English expressions: (1) "to be child's play" and (2) "to be (or: lie) ahead (of smb)". The phrase 'to be ahead' has a neutral coloring. Its synonym 'to be in store (for smb)' is a bit more idiomatic to suit our aims:

"This is only child's play to what is in store for us."

Now, if we ensure proper rhythm in it, the translation may sound proverbial:

"It's child's play to what's in store."

This translation seems almost satisfactory. Yet, we can do more. We can try to make it rhymed:

"It is child's play: it's not as bad compared to what lies ahead."

Stop! That won't do. The words 'compared to' are bookish. They spoil the beans. Let us make another try:

"It's child's play: it's not as bad as what lies ahead."

The stylistic means are correct here. But the rhythm leaves much to be desired, to put it mildly. Besides the translation is too long. Let us make still another try:

"It's-only child's play to what is on the way."

Now, we can call it a day. The translation is all right. In other words, we have managed to arrange rhythm and rhyme.

We wouldn't say that these translation variants are absolutely tiptop. Yet, they are better than those quoted above. And they can be an example of several methods of translating used in complex: rhythm and/or rhyme, colloquialisms and English phrases. All of these taken together help to provide our translation with the necessary idiomatic background, that is, to make it figurative.

A rhythmically arranged translation of a proverb might be still in need of a preliminary 'introduction' like "as the saying goes", "as we in Russia say", etc. (Such an 'introduction' is, in fact, an "appeal" to the listener or reader: "Please understand that this is said figuratively!"). And a rhymed translation may nоt need this at all.

"А ларчик просто открывался" (which is a quotation from the fable "Ларчик" И. А. Крылова) is a stylistic device termed an epigram. Such quotations from writers' works have become proverbs. Consequently, this permits us to treat epigrams as proverbs in the process of translation.

This means 1hat our translations of epigrams should be rhymed and have rhythm as proverbs often should (and be brief as proverbs should, too, because proverbs are used mostly in monologues and dialogues and not in author's narration). And this is why we have to foresee the possibility of translating epigrams in the form of two-line rhymed verses.

Нельзя ли для таких прогулок подальше выбрать закоулок?

Could you not choose, when forth you sally, some more remote and proper alley?

...is the translation of the epigram made as a verse and not proverb-like. (It is too long in space to be used in one's interpreting, say, a conversation or speech without difficulty.) We have to make it sound brief and, thus, proverbial. For instance, the variant:

"It's no place for your parades. It's no place for promenades."

...may satisfy us because the epigram really means "Never choose this place for your promenades" or "It's not a proper place for your promenades," or the like. However, this epigram sounds sarcastic ("Нельзя ли...") and this effect should be reproduced in our translation:

"It's no place for your parades, nor for Sunday promenades."

Another specific point in translating epigrams is that 'transposition' itself may not convey the idea of the epigram in full for the reason that a Russian listener takes in not merely what an epigram says but what is behind it, what it means being a small part of a bigger context.

One of K. S. Stanislavsky's ideas was that an actor (i.e. a translator, in our case) should know well not only the words he had to say (i.e. the meaning of the epigram's components,, in our case) but also what events had taken place behind the stage (i.e. the situation that had given life to the epigram) prior to the moment he started acting accordingly. And this may be applicable to our translating epigrams more often than not.

Hence, our proverb-like translation should better convey the highlights of the general situation in which the epigram gets its specific meaning. For instance, life shows that one might translate the epigram:

"Раззудись, плечо! Размахнись, рука!"

...as (a) "Don't hustle, don't bustle, But strain every muscle!"

This is sure to convey the idea of the epigram's components, of the words ("Strain every muscle") neglecting the situation of 'cutting hay' as is actually described in the whole verse (and which the English listener, unlike the Russian one, will never presuppose nor understand upon hearing the epigram's words only). This is why we suggest the variant:

(b) "Swing and sway -- Cut the hay!"

We could not ignore the bigger context ('hay-cutting') which is always presupposed by the Russian people when they use this epigram.

Classification of translations

As far as the results of our translation process are concerned, they can be classified as follows.

(1) Translation by an English absolute monoequivalent. /16, 85/

Example:

время - деньги - time's money

(2) Translation by an English relative equivalent.

Example:

семь бед - один ответ - we might as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb

(3) Translation by a synonymous equivalent.

In the original: выносить сор из избы.

In translation: to tell tales out of school;

(4) Translation by a translator's equivalent.

(a) Being an innovated English proverb, example:

Ларчик открывается просто.

It's easy to open this poke and see the pig.

(b) Based on English phrases or/and their components; example:

-- Молодец! -- сказал Цветков.-- Люблю парня за ухватку. Сразу видно, что молодец среди овец. (Ю. Герман, Я отвечаю за все)

"Good chap," Tsvetkov said. "I like a good chap for his brave ways. I can tell right away that you'd be brave as a lion with a lamb."

(c) Based on an English proverb's structure; example:"

Всяк кулик свое болото хвалит.

Every snipe praises its own bog.

(d) Arranged rhythmically or/and rhymed; example:

На войне, чтобы обмануть врага, чтобы нанести ему неожиданный удар, придется совершать марши подлиннее и потяжелее, чем этот. Это - цветочки, а ягодки будут впереди. (А. Бек, Волоколамское шоссе)

In war, to surprise the enemy, and to deal him a blow from an unexpected quarter, we will have to make much longer and more difficult marches than this one. It's only child's play to what is on the way.

(e) By metaphorical explanation; example:

Вот уж воистину голодной лисе всё куры снятся!

This is really a case оf a hungry fox dreaming about chickens.

Translating by English equivalents

Translating by English equivalents (being relative more often than riot) seems to be the most productive way of making our proverbs' translations figurative.

When using this method, translators and interpreters have to observe that an equivalent is properly selected from the dictionary, that is, the chosen equivalent:

(a) Should be able to convey the Russian proverb's indices for interpretation: meaning, usage, overtones and style;

(b) It should particularly answer the obligatory requirement that its meaning could be understood even by those who hear the English proverb for the first time.

(c) Besides, it is preferable that the equivalent itself should not be archaic,

(d) And its image should be as close to that of the Russian proverb as possible.

(e) The equivalent should not have undesirable connotations.

• Part II. 2 Practical research of using phraseological units in the English language

2.1 Aims and tasks of the practical research

In order to confirm the hypothesis of our course paper and to make a summary we have made a practical research of using phraseological units in the English language. We have chosen some resources which reflect phraseological subsystem of a language: fiction and colloquial speech.

The aim of the practical investigation is to confirm the significance of phraseological units in the English language and to reveal some features of their notion, formation and etymology.

We have researched novels of A. Christie, J. Galsworthy, Ch. Dickens, L. P. Hartley, A. Huxley, Th. Dreiser and others.

2.2 Practical research of phraseological units

THE MYSTERIOUS MR. QUIN

(by Agatha Christie)

He did not reply, and the Countess continued to look dreamily across the bay.

And suddenly Mr. Satterthwaite had a strange and new impression of her. He saw her no longer as a harpy, but as a desperate creature at bay fighting tooth and nail. He stole a sideways glance at her. The parasol was down; he could see the little haggard lines at the corners of her eyes. In one temple a pulse was beating.

It flowed through him again and again--that increasing certitude. She was a creature desperate and driven. She would be merciless to him or to anyone who stood between her and Franklin. But he still felt he hadn't got the hang of the situation. Clearly she had plenty of money. She was always beautifully dressed and her jewels were marvelous. There could be no real urgency of that kind. Was it love? Women of her age did, he well knew, fall in love with boys. It might be that. There was, he felt sure, something out of the common about the situation.

Her tete-a-tete with him was, he recognized, a throwing down of the gauntlet. She had singled him out as her chief enemy. He felt sure that she hoped to goad him into speaking slightingly of her to Franklin. Mr. Satterthwaite smiled to himself. He was too old a bird for that. He knew when it was wise to hold one's tongue.

He watched her that night as she tried her fortunes at roulette. Again and again she staked, only to see her stake swept away. She bore her losses well, with the stoical sang-froid 2 of the old habituй. Then with a little graceful shrug of the shoulder she turned away.

She was looking unusually striking in a dress of gold tissue with an underlying note of green. The famous Bosnian pearls were looped round her neck, and long pearl earrings hung from her ears.

at bay- in a difficult or dangerous position, forced to make a fierce defense

He had an aspect of a man found out and held at bay. (Ch, Dickens) He seemed to see his wife -- with her yellow hair flowing down her bare shoulders, and her great dark eyes -- standing like an animal at bay. (/. Galsworthy] Instead of the print he seemed to see his wife, standing like an animal at bay. (J. Galsworthy)

ill at- ease, anxious, uncomfortable

The newcomer was fidgeting with his tie and seemed ill at ease. (A. Christie) After their talk she had no excuse for feeling ill at ease with Goodrich, and she knew the remark was even flatter than the landscape. (L. P. Hartley)

out of one's element/plate- not in a suitable or satisfying atmosphere or surroundings

I feel out of my element when people begin talking about economics. (A. Huxley) Fleur feels so out of her plate that she wants me to take her round the world. (Galsworthy)

in deep water(s)- undergoing difficulty or misfortune

"Well," I said feeling myself being led by Giovanni into deep and dangerous water, "I guess people wait in order to make sure of what they feel." (J. Baldwin) I have not suffered as you have. But -- I have been in rather deep water too, in another way. (E. Voynich)

In (a) tight corner(s)- in a dangerous or difficult situation

She knew how he behaved in such tight corners: sincere embarrassment, polite but insincere "sincerity". (E. Waugh)

At home- at one's ease, as though in one's own house

"I'm just resting, doctor. You don't mind?" "No, make yourself at home." (Ger. Green) Hunt became himself again. He gave us beer, made us at home. (C.P. Snow)

At ease = well at ease, in a state of freedom of anxiety, embarrassment or awkwardness

Sit down and be at ease for a little while; we'd simply like a chat with you. (A. Wesker) One reason why Harold was not at ease with Alec was because he distrusted the quality of imagination. (L. P. Hartley)

In one's element- in a suitable or satisfying atmosphere or surroundings

Look at them -- that's them in their element. (A. Wesker) Vance was in his element here, as Hurst-wood would have been in former days. (Th. Dreiser)

Tooth and nail - with the utmost effort, fiercely

The mining companies'll fight tooth and nail to prevent any clauses in the bill interfering with their profits (Prichard) Instantly the fiddler grins and goes at it tooth and nail. (Ch. Dickens)

Hammer and tongs (colloq)- with might and main, with great energy, noise or violence

He tired easily now. No longer could he do a fast twenty rounds, -hammer and tongs, fight,' fight, fight, from gong to gong. (Lindsay) In his usual energetic manner Jones went after every new prospect hammer and tongs. (H. C. W .)

With might and main - with all one's physical force, with all one's strength

Such people there are living and flourishing in the world-faithless, hopeless, charity less; let us have at them, dear friends, with might and main. (W. Thackeray) In the smaller public houses fiddles with all might and main were squeaking out the time to staggering feet. (Ch. Dickens)

Times without/out of number - again and again, repeatedly

And he and she had agreed times without number that novelty was the salt of life, the essence of interest and drama. (J . Galsworthy)

Get the hang of it (colloq.)- understand the general idea or meaning, the way of doing smth or the way in which smth is used

She began to get the hang of those little things which the pretty woman who has vanity invariably adopts. (Th. Dreiser) "One feels at sea coming home into all this." "You? You get the hang of things so quick." (J. Galsworthy)

put one's finger on - point out

On October 20 -- a day on which 4 570 new cases were reported Mayor Hylan put his finger on what was wrong with the handling of the epidemic. (Ger. Green) "You've put your finger on it," said Lefty. "What are you going to say about the famous unity of theory and practice?" (/. Murdoch) His mind was vexed by a new horror. One day he might fall in love; perhaps he was in love already; perhaps this inexplicable glow he felt within him whenever she was near, was what people called "love". (Gordon)

make neither head nor tail of (collog.)- be unable to understand smth. or find any meaning in smth

The message which had been left on my desk was so badly written that I couldn't make head or tail of it. (H. C. W.) Then there are those new styles of barometers, the long straight ones. I never can make head or tail of those. (Jerome)

fall in love with smb or smth - begin to love, come to feel love

One of them had fallen in love with a Swiss boy; so I gathered from the low, intense, and troubled conversation she was having with her friend. (J. Baldwin) I hadn't seen him for months -- only once since the night Pyle fell in love. (G. Greene)

take a fancy/liking to smb or smth(collog.)- become fond of

"But to go back to Alec? I think he is rather taken with you." "Please?" she said. "He's taken a fancy to you," he said, very slowly and distinctly. (L. P. Hartley) "You know, Chris, I think she took a fancy to you, too." "Oh, rot!" "Honestly, I do!" (C. Isherwood)

fall for smb (Amer. colloq.)- take a liking to, be attracted to

Though her name had long been familiar to him as daughter of Edgar Hartley, the well-known lawyer, that was the first time he had ever seen her. And from .that very moment, he told himself, he had fallen for her. (Gordon) He is so frightfully handsome, they'll fall for him like a row of ninepins. (W'. S. Maugham) lose one's heart to smb- fall in love with

Tess's heart ached. There was no concealing from herself the fact that she loved Angel Clare, perhaps all the more passionately from knowing that the others had also lost their hearts to him. (Th. Hardy)

have a soft spot for (coiloq.)- like, have a friendly feeling for smb or smth

The foreman didn't mind. He had a soft spot for Nick, (W. J. Ball)

make/take one's choice- pick out from a number, show what one wants or likes by taking

Make a careful choice! (A. Huxley)

hold one's tongue/peace/mouth (coiloq.)- be silent

"Come! Hold your tongue!" she cried in sharp reproof. (Ch. Dickens)

keep smth quiet- keep in secret

Keep quiet about this to Margaret of course. (K. Amis) But, frankly, neither old man Gatling nor T. C. likes the way you're keeping them in the dark. (Ger. Green)

keep one's mouth shut/closed (colloq.)- keep in secret

He wondered why he didn't tell Margaret about the embrace he'd seen during the arty week-end; always kept her mouth shut when told to. (K. Amis) Mimi's motionless expression was one of unhappiness, and he felt miserably guilty that he hadn't kept his trap shut -- or at least hadn't opened it in the right way. (A. Sillitoe) But we didn't argue with her, when politics came up among the senior Marches, we usually avoided trouble and kept our mouths shut. (C. P. Snow) You're pretty good at keeping your mouth shut, aren't you? (C. P. Snow)

let the cat out of the bag (colloq.)- tell a secret

Her father kissed her when she left him with lips which she was sure had trembled. From the warmth of her embrace he probably divined that he had let the cat out of the bag. (J. Galsworthy) There was much speculation as to the purpose of the constant meeting between representatives of the two firms until one of them let the cat out of the bag referring, in the course of a casual conversation with a friend, to the possibility of a merger. (F. T. W.)

blow the gab/gaff (slang)- talk, prattle, twaddle

One of the French officers, after he was taken prisoner, asked me how we had managed to set the gun there; but I was not going to blow the gaff. (F. Morris)

spill the beans (slang)- make known, tell

Harold didn't always spill the beans at once; he would bide his time and adopt a sphinx-like air. (L. P. Hartley) Listen, I'll go to jail if I let bastards like Stacey spill the beans on me and get away with it. (F. Hardy)

DIALOGUE

A: Will you do me a favor?

B: Only too glad to be able to do something for you. I don't remember you ever having asked me to do anything, so far.

A: I heard you were going to Moscow. I've taken a fancy to the new TV sets on sale there. My people were all for my going to Moscow myself to buy it but...

B: You've been too busy with your paper. I suppose you didn't know how difficult it would all be when you took up this theme. As a matter of fact Smirnov gave it up as a bad job and is jolly glad he got out of it before it was too late.

A: I don't care two pins about what Smirnov thought of it. I'm sure this work will do me the world of good. I'm ready to put up with any difficulties in order to carry through with it, and besides the paper is as good as done.

B: And now for business. What kind of TV set interests you?

A: Oh, it nearly slipped my mind. It must be a "Rubin" and no other.

B: I'll do everything in my power to get it for you.

A: Oh, thanks so much. I knew all along I could rely on you as a friend.

(1) to do somebody a favor (to do somebody a good turn) -- to do somebody a service

He flung out of the house in a fury. Damn it, he raged, wincing, what kind of man is he to behave like God. Almighty! It's as if he had done me the favor, allowingme to do his work! (A. Cronin)

(2) so far (as yet) -- up to now, all the while up to now

Hm! May I ask what you have said so far? (B. S h a w)

Thirty years ago five doctors gave me six months to live, and I've seen three of them out so far. (D. Cusack)

So far you are right. (W. S. M a u g h a m)

(3) to take a fancy to (for) somebody (to take a liking to somebody, to take to somebody) -- to become fond of, to like (often followed by immediately)

I met this young man in the train just now, and I've taken a fancy to him already.

Mr. Short himself had taken a liking to George. (G.Gordon)

(4) to be all for -- strongly in favor of, to want it to be so, definitely to want something

Mother, I'm all for Hubert sending his version to the papers. (J. Galsworthy)

I'm ready to welcome what you call half the truth the facts. -- So am I (J. Priestley)

(5) as a matter of fact -- in fact, in reality; to be exact, really

Haven't you finished? -- As a matter of fact, we haven't begun. (A. C r o n i n)

I've been meaning to have a word with you as a matter of fact. (G r. Greene).

(6) not to care two pins about (not to care a hang, fig, hoot, etc.) -- to care nothing

I don't care two pins if you think me plain or not.(W. S. M a u g h a m)

Caroline does not care a hang for woods at any time of the year.(A.Christi e)

(7) to put up with -- to bear, to endure, to tolerate

If only he could be happy again she could put up with it. (J. Galsworthy)

She's my sister. We put up with each other. (I. Murdoch)

(8) as good as -- practically, almost, nearly

You'll be as good as new in six months or dead in twelve. (D. C u s a c k)

(9) to slip (out of) one's mind (memory) -- to forget

Perhaps you really have a friend called Merde and it slipped your mind. (J. Wain)

(10) all along -- from the very first, from the very beginning (it implies over a period of time' or 'during that period')

It was luck you needed all along. (K. Amis)

And he realized that all along, at each moment, she had known what was going on in his mind. (M. Wilson)

CONCLUSION

Hypothesis of the course work is confirmed, aim and tasks are achieved. We have considered English phraseological units as a part of vocabulary. They can be defined as a reproduced and non-motivated word unit built up according to the model of word-groups of the English language. They are different from free word-group under semantic criterion, because the actual meaning of idioms is figurative (transferred) and is opposed to the literal meaning of a word-combination from which they are derived.

The transference of the initial word-group can be based on simile, metaphor, metonymy, and synecdoche.

Phraseological units can be classified according to the degree of motivation of their meaning: fusion, unities and collocations. Smirnitsky worked out a detailed structural classification of phraseological units, he points out two tops units which he compared with affixed words and compounds words Arnold suggested classification according to the part-of-speech. He distinguishes the following groups: noun phraseologisms denoting an object, a person living being; verb phraseologisms denoting an action, a feeling, a state; adjective phraseologisms denoting a quality; adverb, preposition and interjection phraseological units.

According to their origin idioms can be divided into native and borrowed. The main sources of borrowing are: terminological and professional basis, British literature, British traditions and customs, superstitions and legends, historical facts and events, phenomena and facts of everyday life.

Mostly idioms were borrowed from Latin and French languages. This can be explained by historical events and relationship of English and Latin, and by territorial nearness of Britain and France.

Phraseological units are word-groups that cannot be made in the process of speech; they exist in the language as ready-made units. They are compiled in special dictionaries. The same as words phraseological units express a single notion and are used in a sentence as one part of it. We can mention such dictionaries as: The Penguin Dictionary of English Idioms, L.Smith “Words and ldioms”, W. Freeman “A coincide dictionary of English idioms”, V.Collins «A Book of English ldioms» etc. In these dictionaries we can find words, peculiar in their semantics (idiomatic), side by side with word-groups and sentences. In these dictionaries they are arranged, as a rule, into different semantic groups.

This paper has discussed the nature of idiomaticity versus, nonidiomaticity in learner language and compared and contrasted nonidiomaticity with error. The complementary nature of generated language and formulaic, conventionalized language in discourse has been discussed and the gradational nature of idiomatic language has been delineated. The metaphorical nature of much idiomatic language has been emphasized and the central importance of metaphorical multiword units in language use has been insisted upon.

At the end of my research the following conclusions can be made .The origin of idioms is closely connected with people's mentality .The present day English can't be considered full of value without idiomatic usage, as the use of idioms is the first sign of a certain language's developing. Idiomatic sentences enrich a language and the knowledge of idioms signal that the speaker knows the language on the level of a native speaker. The belles-lettres investigated by us revealed a great number of idiomatic sentences used by prominent writers in their works to make their language more expressive and colorful. And we concluded that even languages belonging to different families may have similar or hemi similar idioms and those which differ dramatically can be guessed within the context. So idioms are integral part of language which makes our speech more colorful and authentically native.

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