GlobalLab
Idioms: Alive and Kicking Today?
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Investigation
Goal
- To collect idioms that are actively in use today.
- To investigate the relevance of a person’s age on his/her use of idioms.
Research question
The younger the speaker, the fewer idioms used.
Equipment
- Dictionary(ies)
- Phraseological dictionaries
- Anthologies of idioms
- Collections of idioms
Why use data from multiple participants?
The collaborative nature of this investigation will improve both the quality and quantity of data compiled. This data will allow us to determine which idioms are in use at present and in which cultures they are in circulation.
Investigation Protocol
- Collecting material. For 10 days, pay attention to what you and the people around you are saying; write down sayings and expressions that sound like idioms.
- Using a phraseological dictionary (online or from your local or school library), check that the expressions you recorded are, in fact, idioms.
Note: Do not confuse idioms and proverbs. Proverbs are often full sentences and usually impart moral or practical advice. Idioms, on the other hand, are short, pithy statements that have meaning beyond the literal definition of each word. An idiom may be a part of a proverb. - If you can’t find it in an academic dictionary the expression may still be an idiom— perhaps a new one. Try an online search to explore whether this saying might be an emerging idiom.
- Select an idiom you want to investigate in this project
- Complete and submit the Report Form.
- Share your findings and participate in the discussions.
Safety tips
No specific safety guidelines