Idioms are phrases that are difficult to understand and translate, making them a challenge for language learners. They add color to a language and are often an important part of a culture. Some idioms are also regional vernacular speech, such as the American idiom.
An idiom is a turn of phrase that may seem incomprehensible to someone unfamiliar with the language in which it is spoken. As a general rule, idioms are also very difficult to translate, if not very indirectly. Idioms are extremely difficult to learn and many language learners cite them as one of the most challenging parts of fully understanding the language and culture. Because idioms are used so frequently and widely, several companies create idiomatic dictionaries listing idioms and their proper usage for language learners.
If someone were looking at the words of an idiom by themselves, they might have trouble understanding the meaning of the sentence. For example, many English speakers say that someone “kicked the bucket” when he died. This particular use of the language isn’t taken literally, but most English speakers understand it, along with thousands of other idioms. In other cases, an idiom may refer to a cultural body of knowledge such as literature, which can confuse someone who is not steeped in that culture.
Popular sayings are often idioms, such as “get the cat out of the bag.” In this sense, a cat is not literally let out of the bag and the listener understands that the speaker is referring to revealing a secret. The user is often unaware of the roots of the idiom, as it has been so deeply integrated into the culture of the speaker.
Many idioms are colorful and curious, and their origins are impossible to trace. William Shakespeare is suspected to have added several hundred to the English language, but countless more are steadily acquired and dropped over time. These figures of speech add color to a language, making it more lively and fun to use. They are also often an important part of a national culture, which can be very alienating to people who are not from that culture.
Some people also use the term “idiom” to refer to a kind of vernacular speech that is unique to a region or people. For example, some might speak of “the American idiom,” referring to the way Americans use English. While this form of English is not quite a separate dialect, it has diverged radically from British English, making it very different. This use of the word is a reference to its root, the Greek idiousthai, “to make one’s own.”
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