[b-greek] IDIOMS

From: Wayne Leman (wleman@mcn.net)
Date: Wed Dec 27 2000 - 13:34:48 EST


Ted asked:

> Does TOUTO GAR CARIS EI... (1 Pet. 2:19) qualify as an idiom? It is
> translated "For this is commendable... "

I don't think it fits definition #1 that Steven Craig Miller posted, where
the entire expression has a different meaning from the sum of the meaning of
the individual parts. Instead, what we likely have here is simply a standard
process of semantic broadening of the meaning of XARIS. Idioms typically
have words which have nothing to do with the actual meaning of the idiom,
such as:

"It's raining cats and dogs."

There is nothing about cats or dogs that has anything to do with raining.
Idioms are just conventionalized (by society) expressions which have
meanings very different from the meanings of any of the words which make up
the idioms.

Wayne

----
Wayne Leman

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