English Lexical Terms

Letter I

Idiom — The term idiom is one of the most ridiculous grammatical classifications of the traditional English structure. This is because an idiom is ANY combination of words which, when put together, have a different meaning than the sum total of each individual word. Therefore, literally ANY type of sentence, phrase, clause, or term CAN be classified as an “Idiom”. It is specifically for this reason, that this term is NOT used in The Common Tongue. Instead, the word “Idiom” is only used adjectivally to indicate whether any other sentence, phrase, clause, etc. is “Idiomatic” or not.
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Additionally — the way that the term is used by teachers and those who make videos and lessons about English — makes it seem that “Idioms” are some separate thing — apart from different types of phrases. However ANY phrase CAN be idiomatic. But very often, phrases which so-called “teachers” CLAIM are idiomatic are NOT. They are Metaphorical. That is why I say that “There Is No Such Thing As An Idiom.” Meaning that there is no such thing that can be called an Idiom which is ONLY and idiom and not some other type of phrase. It is literally not possible!

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Idiomatic Phrase — An idiomatic phrase is any type of phrase — Adjectival, Adverbial, Verb, Noun, or Prepositional — Which has a different meaning that the literal meaning of the words combined. For example: To “Pull (Something) Off” = (to be) Successful At Accomplishing Something when it was not expected to be successful — or when it was very difficult to be successful.
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Nearly all of what are thought of as Idiomatic Phrases are actually Metaphorical. However, the people who are classifying them as Idiomatic simply do not know or do not comprehend the Metaphorical Nature of the idiomatic phrase (which they will almost always mistakenly call, simply, “an idiom” [see above definition of “Idiom”)
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Even the example used above, probably, had a logical metaphorical meaning — However that metaphor has been lost to time.

Interjection — A word, phrase, or any kind of expression which is used to express a feeling, thought, opinion, etc. — and is not meant to prompt further comment or discussion about what was expressed. Many “commands” can also be classified as interjections, of a sort.

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  - Video Lesson — coming soon!

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