1 Introduction 1
1.1 Idioms,language and the language learner 1
1.2 Purpose of this study 4
1.3 Data and methodology 6
1.4 Idioms:a working definition 7
1.5 Organization of the book 11
2 Idioms Research:Different Approaches 14
2.1 Introduction 14
2.2 Semantic approaches 15
2.2.1 C.F.Hockett 15
2.2.2 A.Makkai 17
2.2.3 T.F.Mitchell and A.Healey 20
2.2.4 Summary 21
2.3 Syntactic approaches 21
2.3.1 J.J.Katz＆P.Postal 22
2.3.2 U.Weinreich 23
2.3.3 B.Fraser 24
2.3.4 Summary 28
2.4 Psycholinguistic approaches 29
2.4.1 The idiom-list hypothesis 31
2.4.2 The lexical representation hypothesis 32
2.4.3 The direct access hypothesis 32
2.4.4 The compositional model 33
2.4.5 Summary 35
2.5 Other approaches 36
2.5.1 J.Str？ssler 36
2.5.2 C.Fernando 40
2.5.3 R.Moon 44
2.6 Summary 46
3 Theoretical Framework 49
3.1 Introduction 49
3.2 Systemic Functional Linguistics:theoretical claims 50
3.2.1 A semantic-functional approach to language 50
3.2.2 Language and social context as semiotic systems 55
3.3 Metafunctions and English idioms 60
3.3.1 English idioms and the ideational metafunction 61
3.3.1.1 The grammar as a theory of experience 61
3.3.1.2 Idioms as complex packages of information 63
3.3.2 English idioms and the textual metafunction 76
3.3.2.1 Textual resources 76
3.3.2.2 Idioms:organizing text and signaling information 81
3.3.2.3 Idioms and cohesion 88
3.3.3 English idioms and the interpersonal metafunction 96
3.3.3.1 The interpersonal metafunction 96
3.3.3.2 Interpersonal resources across strata 102
3.3.3.3 English idioms and the interpersonal metafunction 104
3.4 Summary 106
4 Idioms and Interaction:Enacting Role Relations 108
4.1 Introduction 108
4.2 English idioms as markers of interaction 109
4.2.1 Idioms and communicative situations 111
4.2.2 Personal pronouns in idioms 115
4.3 Indicating status and power relationship 120
4.3.1 Status,power and the choice of idioms 121
4.3.2 Idioms and intimacy 125
4.4 Creating informal context 126
4.5 Negotiating meanings together 137
4.5.1 Idioms in relexicalization and repetition 137
4.5.2 Idioms and collaborative discourse 144
4.6 Summary 151
5 Idioms as a Membershipping Device 153
5.1 Introduction 153
5.2 Language and identity 154
5.3 English idioms:variation and manipulation 160
5.3.1 Lexical variations 161
5.3.2 Structural variations 164
5.3.2.1 Passivization 164
5.3.2.2 Embedding 166
5.3.2.3 Nonfinite uses 167
5.3.2.4 Nominalization 167
5.3.2.5 Transformation to adjectives 169
5.3.2.6 Other cases 170
5.3.3 Forms of idiom manipulation 172
5.3.4 Summary 181
5.4 Manipulation of idioms as a membershipping device 182
5.4.1 Establishing common ground 184
5.4.2 Furthering solidarity:humour and punning 193
5.5 Summary 198
6 Idioms and Appraisal:Encoding Attitudinal Meanings 200
6.1 Introduction 200
6.2 Modality and attitudinal meanings 203
6.2.1 Modality and English idioms 205
6.2.1.1 Modalization idioms 207
6.2.1.2 Modulation idioms 209
6.2.1.3 Summary 211
6.2.2 Attitudinal meanings and English idioms 211
6.2.2.1 Affect 212
6.2.2.2 Judgment 214
6.2.2.3 Appreciation 216
6.2.2.4 Graduation and engagement 217
6.2.2.5 Summary 221
6.3 Idioms and the sources of attitudes 222
6.3.1 Idioms and shared evaluation 223
6.3.2 Subversion of evaluation 230
6.3.3 Grammatical metaphor and evaluation 233
6.4 Discourse structure and evaluative idioms 237
6.5 Summary 241
7 Conclusions and Suggestions 243
7.1 Introduction 243
7.2 Summary and discussions 244
7.3 Pedagogical implications 250
7.4 Suggestions for future research 254
7.5 Concluding remarks 256
Referenees 257
Name Index 284