"What is an Idiom?": A Literary Guide for English Students and Teachers
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- čas přidán 5. 06. 2024
- What is the definition of idiom? What are some examples of common idioms? In this short lesson, Creative Writing Professor Sindya Bhanoo answers these questions using examples from everyday English and the works of Agatha Christie and William Shakespeare. The video is designed to help high school and college English students identify and analyze the idioms they encounter in literature classes.
Spanish subtitles are now available for this video. To access these subtitles, click on the settings icon in the video.
The video is sponsored by the School of Writing, Literature, and Film at Oregon State University. For more discussions of literary topics and essay writing tips, please subscribe to the free SWLF CZcams Channel or visit liberalarts.oregonstate.edu/w...
Timestamps
0:00 Idiom Definition and Examples
0:49 Idioms in Literature
2:28 Idiom Word Origin and Cultural Specificity
3:54 Non-English Idioms
4:17 Idioms Conclusion
Below are a few more videos in the series. Please drop us a comment letting us know what literary terms you would like us to explore in future videos!
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"What is a graphic narrative? (Part II)": • "What is a Graphic Nov...
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"What is a setting in literature?": • "What is a Setting?": ...
"What is onomatopoeia?": • "What is Onomatopoeia?...
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"What is an allusion?": • "What is an Allusion?"...
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"What is an ars poetica?": • "What is an Ars Poetic...
"What is a motif?": • "What is a Motif?": A ...
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"What is literature?": • "What is Literature?":...
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"What is a soliloquy?": • "What is a Soliloquy?"...
"What is tone in literature?": • "What is Tone in Liter...
"What is close reading?": • "What is Close Reading...
"What is the difference between mood and tone?": • "What is the Differenc...
"What is a trope?": • "What is a Trope?": A ...
"What is an idiom": • "What is an Idiom?": A...
If you enjoyed this video lesson, let us know by liking it, offering a comment on your favorite or least favorite idiom, or suggesting other literary terms that you'd like to see covered. Thanks so much!
Thanks for the lesson. They're are some commonly used one's too.
“ in a pod”
“Once in a blue moon”
“In the seventh sky ”
“Locking horns with someone ”
Thanks so much, Nia! These are some excellent examples of idioms!
Thanks for the explanation!! very well done. Per your request, these are 'old' idioms in Spanish:
- Dime con quien andas y te dire quien eres (Tell me who you hang out with and I will tell you who you are....) Kind of obvious but means let me observe the people you like to be with and I can deduct what kind of person you are ...lol
- Al mal escribano le estorban las barbas (bad writers get frustrated with their beard)... meaning, someone who has not enough skills to complete a task would blame anything as an excuse for their mediocre attempt..
- El que mas te quiere te hara llorar... (the one that loves you the most will make you cry...).. Like Mom not allowing her daughter to go out to a party because it's not safe... the 14 year old girl cries the whole weekend because of it but Mommy does it because she cares..
- La letra con sangre entra... (this is definitely old. People learn anything if they are punished... straight translation: 'With blood, letters enter' ( letters as the alphabet that enters your brain or memorized).. yep.
Wow, thanks so much for sharing these great examples, Poke A Brain! Our favorite is "Al mal escribano le estorban las barbas"--that one will stay definitely stay with us.
Thank you so much
As a english literature student this type of videos are very useful for academics 🙏🔥keep it up guys ❤️
Thanks so much for your continued support, Nishanta! We're so happy to hear you enjoyed the new video!
The cat's pajamas
Hair of the dog
Three sheets to the wind
ln over my head ???
Piece of cake
My plate is full
Excellent examples, Katiekay! Thanks for keeping the conversation going!
we don't want to open a 'can of worms'
isn't a bad idiom
And you've just made a great litote there, Jason! (see our "What is Understatement?" video). Thanks for keeping the conversation going!
Meaning of a piece of Cake
The meaning of that is "a piece of cake," which is to say, simple. This is an everyday American idiom with conflicting origin stories (some fairly disturbing).