Snowy Girl: IDIOM & SYMBOL REFERENCE

a. Idiom

What is idiom? Idiom comes from the Greek idios, which means personal. Idiom originally meant "speech peculiar or proper to a people or country." In linguistic, idiom is the meaning that you are expected to understand is different from what the words should mean. We need idioms because they were coined to communicate a specific and usually quite precise meaning for which there is no exact word. Idioms are a type of figurative language that plugs the gaps in our vocabulary.

Where do idioms come from? Idioms often come from jargon. 'Jargon' is the language that any group of people who work together in a particular subject develop for themselves. Sometimes these expressions 'escape' into the general language, often with their meaning considerably changed. However, the modern idiom means almost the opposite - something which is very hard to get to understand.

Why we should learn idiom? Because you will not understand English until you do. Some British sports commentators seem to speak only in idioms. While learning idioms is difficult because of their non-literal meaning, it will give you a much richer understanding of the English language and culture.

Why are idioms used? Idioms are a part of language (and not just a part of English). They give a meaning more vividly and often more briefly than a long literal explanation would do. Also because there is such a huge number of idioms to choose from, a person's choice of idioms tells you much about that person's character and origins.

Types of idiom :

1. Idiom Penuh

Idiom penuh adalah idiom yang unsur-unsurnya secara keseluruhan sudah merupakan satu kesatuan dengan satu makna, atau dengan kata lain idiom penuh merupakan ungkapan/idiom yang unsur-unsur pembentuknya telah kehilangan makna leksikanya.

For example :

- Gulung tikar = Bangkrut

Analisis makna leksikalnya :

· Gulung memiliki arti lipatan benda

· Tikar memliki arti anyaman pandan

- Kambing hitam = Orang yang dituduh atau bersalah

Analisis makna leksikalnya :

· Kambing memiliki arti nama hewan.

· Hitam memiliki arti salah satu jenis warna

2. Semi Idiom

Semi idiom atau idiom sebagian adalah idiom yang salah satu unsur pembentuk masih memiliki makna leksikalnya.

For example :

- Lapangan hijau = Lapangan sepak bola

Analisis makna leksikalnya :

· Lapangan memiliki arti tempat atau tanah yang luas

· Hijau memiliki arti salah satu jenis warna

- Koran kuning = Koran sensasi

Analisis makna leksikalnya :

· Koran memiliki arti surat kabar atau berita

· Kuning memiliki arti salah satu jenis warna

b. Symbol Reference

What is symbol reference? As we know, symbol reference is two words that have meaning. Symbol means something that represents something else. And reference is the relationship of one linguistic expression to another, in which one provides the information necessary to interpret the other. So, symbol reference is the symbolic relationship that a linguistic expression has with the concrete object or abstraction it represents.

On Indonesian Dictionary by WS Poerwadarminta said that symbol is like sign, portrait, expression, badge, and etc, which say something or have specific purpose.

This is example of symbol references.