Abstract
Idioms have been traditionally described as fixed expressions, highly restricted in their realization. Corpus and experimental studies, however, have shown that they are more variable than previously thought. The issue of idiom syntax has received a renewed interest, since it also addresses the problem of how idioms are mentally stored. Another relevant topic is the role played by literal plausibility of idioms, which refers to the likelihood of an idiomatic expression for a plausible literal interpretation. In this research, we addressed both topics, by means of three cross-modal priming experiments, where canonical idioms and variants (i.e., passive form and left dislocation) were followed by words related to the idiomatic meaning of sentences (break the ice-embarrassment) or literal meaning of single words (break the ice-cold). The results seem to indicate that idioms do not have a special status in terms of syntactic variability: they behave like literal sentences and do not lose their idiomatic interpretation if manipulated. Moreover, data reveal processing differences between literally plausible and implausible idioms. The results are discussed within current theories about idiom representation.
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We thank the anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on a previous version of the manuscript. University of Salerno.
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Appendix
Appendix
We report all idioms in their citation form and targets. For literally plausible idioms, we report the corresponding English idiom, when it exists, or the paraphrase of the idiomatic meaning (in brackets). We also report the literal meaning of the expression (in italics). In many cases, the English idiom corresponds exactly to the Italian (e.g., break the ice). For literally implausible idioms, we report the corresponding English idiom, when it exists, or the paraphrase of the idiomatic meaning (in brackets). We also report a word-by-word English translation (in italics), which does not correspond to a literal meaning of the expression (literally implausible idioms do not have a literal meaning by definition). The last constituent of each literally implausible idiom (and its translation) is underlined, since the target adopted in the Experiment 3 is related to its meaning.
Literally plausible idioms | Targets Exp 1 & 2 | Targets Exp 3 |
|---|---|---|
Vuotare il sacco (to spill the beans) | confessione | zaino |
To empty the sack | confession | backpack |
Perdere il filo (to lose the thread) | confusione | corda |
To lose the thread | confusion | cord |
Guardarsi allo specchio (to examine one’s conscience) | coscienza | riflesso |
To look at oneself in the mirror | conscience | reflection |
Prendere per il collo (to force) | costretti | viso |
To grab by the neck | obliged | face |
Prendere un granchio (to make a gross mistake) | errore | pesce |
To take a crab | error | fish |
Rimboccarsi le maniche (to roll up one’s sleeves) | impegno | camicia |
To roll up one’s sleeves | dedication | shirt |
Perdere il treno(to miss the boat) | occasione | stazione |
To miss the train | occasion | station |
Grattarsi la pancia (to idle) | ozio | ombelico |
To scratch one’s belly | laziness | navel |
Uscire dal tunnel (to solve a difficult situation) | problema | buio |
To come out the tunnel | trouble | dark |
Trovare la chiave (to find a solution) | soluzione | serratura |
To find the key | solution | lock |
Ingoiare la pillola (to suck it up) | sopportato | farmaco |
To swallow the pill | suffered | medicine |
Pugnalare alle spalle (to stab in the back) | tradito | schiena |
To stab in the back | betrayed | back |
Vedere le stelle (to see stars) | dolore | cielo |
To see the stars | ache | sky |
Tirare la corda (to push it) | esagerato | spago |
To pull the rope | exaggerate | twine |
Tagliare la corda (to cut the cord) | fuga | elastico |
To cut the cord | getaway | elastic |
Rompere il ghiaccio (to break the ice) | imbarazzo | freddo |
To break the ice | embarrassment | cold |
Contare le pecore (to count sheep) | insonnia | pastore |
To count sheep | insomnia | shepherd |
Vedere la luce (to be born) | nascita | torcia |
To see the light | birth | torch |
Gettare la spugna (to throw in the towel) | rinuncia | detersivo |
To throw the sponge | sacrifice | detergent |
Tirare la cinghia (to tighten one’s belt) | risparmio | pantaloni |
To tighten the belt | saving | trousers |
Incrociare le braccia (to strike) | sciopero | gambe |
To cross the arms | protest | legs |
Aprire gli occhi (to open one’s eyes) | scoperta | sguardi |
To open the eyes | discovery | gazes |
Prendere un bidone (to get a scam) | truffa | spazzatura |
To grab the trashcan | fraud | garbage |
Alzare il gomito (to lift one’s elbow) | ubriaco | braccio |
To lift the elbow | drunk | arm |
Literally implausible idioms | Targets Exp 1 & 2 | Targets Exp 3 |
|---|---|---|
Mandare a monte (to screw up) | abbandono | vetta |
To send tomountain | abandonment | peak |
Farsi il callo (to be used to) | abitudine | piede |
To make thecallus | habit | foot |
Dare ai nervi (to get on one’s nerves) | arrabbiato | muscoli |
To give to thenerves | angry | muscles |
Montarsi la testa (to get a big head) | buffone | collo |
To assemble thehead | buffoon | neck |
Andare in bestia (to go berserk) | furioso | tigre |
To go inanimal | furious | tiger |
Riposare sugli allori (to rest on one’s laurels) | inoperoso | ulivi |
To rest onlaurels | idle | olive trees |
Spremersi le meningi (to rack one’s brains) | pensieroso | cervello |
To squeeze thebrains | thoughtful | brain |
Campare d’aria (to be very poor) | povero | vento |
To live ofair | poor | wind |
Stare in pensiero (to be worried) | preoccupato | idee |
To be inthought | troubled | ideas |
Farsi una ragione (to suck it up) | rassegnato | torto |
To make areason | resigned | wrongdoing |
Venire alle mani (to come to blows) | rissa | dita |
To come tohands | brawl | finger |
Finire in bellezza (to end something on a high note) | successo | eleganza |
To end inbeauty | success | elegance |
Passare la misura (cross the line) | eccessivo | lunghezza |
To cross themeasure | excessive | length |
Battere la fiacca* (to loaf about) | fannulloni | fiumi |
To beat the sluggish | slacker | rivers |
Perdere la testa (to go nuts) | impazzita | nuca |
To lose one’shead | crazy | nape |
Prendere una cotta (to have a crush on) | innamorato | crudo |
To take acooked | enamoured | raw |
Soffiare il posto (to took someone’s job) | lavoro | spazio |
To blow theplace | work | space |
Bruciare le tappe (to rush into things) | maturo | maratona |
To burn thestages | mature | marathon |
Tirare le cuoia** (to kick the bucket) | morto | scheletro |
To throw the leather | died | skeleton |
Ingannare il tempo (to pass the time) | noia | istante |
To cheat thetime | boredom | instant |
Rischiare le penne (to risk life and limb) | pericolo | uccelli |
To risk one’stails | danger | birds |
Spaccare il minuto (to be on time) | puntuale | attimo |
To break theminute | punctual | moment |
Fare un colpo (to pull a job) | rapina | schiaffo |
To made theshot | robbery | slap |
Mozzare il fiato (to take one’s breath away) | stupito | respiro |
To cut off thebreath | amazed | breath |
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Mancuso, A., Elia, A., Laudanna, A. et al. The Role of Syntactic Variability and Literal Interpretation Plausibility in Idiom Comprehension. J Psycholinguist Res 49, 99–124 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10936-019-09673-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10936-019-09673-8