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HYPERBOLE IN IDIOMS
AND OTHER SET EXPRESSIONS
Róbert Balaško, Pavol Polonec
The motivation for the research
• idioms are rather interesting and challenging for
language learners to master
▫ contradict the principle of compositionality
▫ interconnected with other figures of speech
• hyperbole – the unnoticed stylistic device
The objective of our research
• To shed some more light on the stylistic device
of hyperbole, the single greatest thing in
the history of the universe
• To analyse the form of exaggeration in terms of:
▫ other stylistic devices involved in its realisation
▫ things being exaggerated (activities, behaviour,...)
The hypotheses
1. Idioms are (almost) impossible to interpret
literally because they might employ various
other stylistic devices, e.g. metaphor or simile.
2. They are used almost exclusively in colloquial
style, so there might be groups of idioms
exaggerating human qualities, behaviour etc.
During the research process we...
...collected and analysed
the representative language material
to be dead to the world
in one’s heart of hearts
• to work like a horse / slave
▫ a nice example of a simile
▫ exaggeration of hard effort
• to be knee-high to a grasshopper
▫ metaphorical expression
▫ exaggerates one’s age
▫ humorous
Only if I avoided the chainsaw like
the plague...
Having a millstone around the neck is
not very funny.
What could possibly be more trouble than
a cartload of monkeys?
Let’s not be like all those bulls in china
shops.
Some other notable idioms
• to cry for the Moon
▫ hardly translatable
▫ employs poetic symbolism
• to be dressed to kill
• to be waiting for ages
▫ hyperbole only
During the research process we...
...classified the individual
examples into several groups
Hyperbole expressed in form of…
symbolism (2%)
simile (8%)
metaphor (34%)
other styl. dev. (56%)
Hyperbole exaggerating...
action (44%)
state (40%)
human qualities (5%)
period of time (5%)
others (7%)
During the research process we...
...drew the conclusion
• the most frequent stylistic device – metaphor
▫ cliché subjectivity of interpretation
• human qualities are the least common subject
of exaggeration in idioms
▫ the most common action / state
THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION
SPECIAL THANKS GOES TO
PaedDr. Alena Štulajterová, PhD. for her methodical help and advice
WE’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR QUESTIONS
List of sources
• Images ▫ [grasshopper]
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6fYu4ybkntA/TIR9KJqHrHI/AAAAAAAAEBA/x4q3OlK-Z7s/s1600/knee-high-as-a-grasshopper-5x7.jpg
▫ [sleeping log] http://www.brainlesstales.com/images/2011/Sep/sleeping-like-a-log.jpg
▫ [millstone] http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uaf0S1tQ83s/TpcLt-LWAYI/AAAAAAAABT0/qCyVKniWGGs/s1600/millstone.jpg
▫ [monkeys]
▫ http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee202/gazrap/monkeysforhiresamplepage-compress-version2.jpg
▫ [bull] http://www.wallpaperist.com/wallpapers/Cartoons/Family-Guy/Bull-in-a-china-shop-1600-1200.jpg
▫ [teeth]
▫ http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2010/127/e/3/Armed_to_the_teeth_by_ebubba.png
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