Representation Of Variables In English Semi-fixed Idioms In English-chinese Learner’s Dictionaries

Not all idioms are fixed, and there are some semi-fixed idioms which undergo some internal variation, leaving one or two open slots to be filled or one fixed constituent to be internally modified. As a matter of fact, these semi-fixed idioms account for a large number in English. Thus, a better understanding of the semi-fixed idioms, for EFL learners, attributes to the acquisition of English idioms in a more efficient way. The variable is a critical feature of the semi-fixed idioms and the understanding of variables of semi-fixed idioms benefits the understanding and use of semi-fixed idioms for EFL learners. English-Chinese learner’s dictionaries(ECLDs),as one of the major reference sources for Chinese EFL learners, are expected to include semi-fixed idioms and present variables of semi-fixed idioms. However, so far the current treatment of the representation of variables of the semi-fixed idioms in the dictionaries is still not efficient enough to meet the EFL learners’ needs. In view of the deficiencies in the existing ECLDs, this thesis aims at making an attempt to propose feasible ways to represent variables of semi-fixed idioms in ECLDs to better satisfy EFL learners’ needs and make ECLDs more users-friendly.The thesis first explores the characteristics and the classification of semi-fixed idioms. Second, a survey including a diagnostic test and a questionnaire is conducted to know Chinese intermediate-advanced EFL learners’ needs of variables of semi-fixed idioms. Next an investigation into the existing representation of variables of semi-fixed idioms in current ECLDs is carried out. Then a corpus-based study on the frequency of semi-fixed idioms is done. Finally, some proposed samples of representation of variables of semi-fixed idioms of different frequency counts and categories are demonstrated and illustrated.The major findings in this thesis can be summarized as follows: 1) Intermediate and even advanced learners need to look for variables of semi-fixed idioms in the dictionary, which helps them better master and use the idioms appropriately. 2)Decomposable semi-fixed idioms in English mainly can be divided into two main types: Category 1 slot in the preposition-noun position; Category 2 slot in the verb-noun position according to their position of variation. 3) Variables needs to be displayed in accordance with different categories of semi-fixed idioms: as for Category 1, the information about the noun that is used as the prepositional object should be represented in view of the collocational pattern preposition+noun; while the semi-fixed idioms belonging to Category 2 can be supplied with variables in line with the collocational pattern verb+noun. 4) The ways of representation of variables of semi-fixed idioms differ owing to the difference of the frequency counts between the semi-fixed idioms. The variables embedded in the constructional definition or the example is a commonly used way for the semi-fixed idioms of low frequency, while the semi-fixed idioms of comparatively higher frequency can be supplied with variables in a combining way or even in a special column.