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A Study of the Problems of Learning and Translating Idioms
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Idioms are a very important part of the English language: you are told that if you want to go far (succeed) you should pull your socks up (make a serious effort to improve your behaviour, the quality of your work, etc.) and use your grey matter (brain).1 Learning and translating idioms have always been very difficult for foreign language learners. The present paper explores some of the reasons why English idiomatic expressions are difficult to learn and translate. It is not the aim of this paper to attempt a comprehensive survey of the vast amount of material that has appeared on idioms in Adams and Kuder (1984), Alexander (1984), Dixon (1983), Kirkpatrick (2001), Langlotz (2006), McCarthy and O'Dell (2002), and Wray (2002), among others. The paper concentrates on idioms as a learning-translation problem; it makes no claim to be comprehensive or academically rigorous. Leech (1989) defines an idiom as follows: “An idiom is a group of two or more words which we have to treat as a unit in learning a language. We cannot arrive at the meaning of the idiom just by adding together the meanings of the words inside it. E.g.John and Mary usedto be hardup (='They had very little money'.)”(P.186) To be more exact, an idiom is a sequence of words which is semantically and syntactically restricted, so that they function as a single unit. From a semantic point of view, the meanings of the individual words cannot be summed to produce the meanings of the idiomatic expression as a whole. Thus, fly off the handle, which means lose one's temper, cannot be understood in terms of the meanings of fly, off, or handle. The idiom phrase hot air, which means empty or boastful talk, is neither hot nor air; with hot air we are dealing with a set phrase where the meaning cannot be suggested on the basis of the two constituent words. The idiomatic meaning of spill the beans in So who spilt the beans (=told the secret) about her affair with David? has nothing to do with beans or with spilling in its literal sense. The foreign-language learner is left trying to figure out where and how the beans were spilt. From a syntactic viewpoint, the constituent parts of an idiom often do not permit the usual variability they display in other contexts. The point to be emphasized here is this: most idioms do not lend themselves easily to manipulation by speakers and writers; they are invariable and must be learned as wholes, but concord ofnumber, person and gender in the idiom phrase is still necessary, i.e. the verbs must be put into the correct form, and pronouns must agree with their antecedents: I don't give a hoot for her opinion! 2 • She doesn't give a hoot for my opinion! etc.)║He won, but only by the skin of his teeth2• She won, but only by the skin of her teeth• Iwon, but only by the skin ofmy teeth,I had to run for the train, and caught it by the skin of myteeth, etc.║He kept pullingmy arm, throwing me off my balance 2 • She kept pulling his arm, throwing him off his balance • We kept pullingher arm, throwingher offher balance, etc.2 The present paper is divided into five parts, as follows: Part I: An Overview; PART II: Learner’s Difficulties with Idioms; PART III: Some Pedagogical recommendations and Suggestions about Idioms; Part IV: Activities to Practice Idiomatic Expressions; Part V: Summary and Conclusion.

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Publication Date
Fri Oct 31 2025
Journal Name
مجلة واسط للعلوم الانسانية
A Socio-Pragmatic Study of Identity Crisis in Fadia Faqir’s Willow Trees Don't Weep
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The current study explores the theme of ‘identity crisis’ in Fadia Faqir’s Willow Trees Don't Weep (2014) from a socio-pragmatic perspective. The study aims to examine the identity crisis using socio-pragmatic tools, delineate the aspects of identity crisis and showcase the social factors that shape the main character’s identity crisis. To conduct this study, an eclectic model incorporating Searle's (1969) taxonomy of speech acts, Prince et al.’s (1982) hedges and Grice’s (1975) conversational implicature will be used. The analysis reveals that only representative and expressive speech acts are utilized, with the representative speech act of stating being the dominant one. For hedges, modal verbs are the dominant ones. O

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Publication Date
Sat Mar 30 2019
Journal Name
Iraqi Journal Of Chemical And Petroleum Engineering
Estimation of rock strength from sonic log for Buzurgan oil field: A Comparison study
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It is very difficult to obtain the value of a rock strength along the wellbore.  The value of Rock strength utilizing to perform different analysis, for example, preventing failure of the wellbore, deciding a completion design and, control the production of sand.  In this study, utilizing sonic log data from (Bu-50) and (BU-47) wells at Buzurgan oil field.  Five formations have been studied (Mishrif, Sadia, Middle lower Kirkuk, Upper Kirkuk, and Jaddala) Firstly, calculated unconfined compressive strength (UCS) for each formation, using a sonic log method.  Then, the derived confined compressive rock strengthens from (UCS) by entering the effect of bore and hydrostatic pressure for each formation.  Evaluations th

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Publication Date
Sun Dec 03 2017
Journal Name
Al-khwarizmi Engineering Journal
A theoretical study for increasing production of electric power from Iraqi steam power plants.
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This article conclude a theoretical study for the possibility to produce additional electric power from Iraqi steam power plants by  cutting – off high-pressure feed water heaters .  Three separated steam power plants which Dura , south –Baghdad and Nasria were studied . The investigation showed the possibity of increasing the electric power from 10 to 15% for Dura and Nasria , whereas 6% for south – Baghdad . According to the nowadays of operation to Iraqi steam power plants , the results showed that by cutting–off high  pressure feed water heaters we can generate additional electric power about 250 MW during 3-4 hrs. daily. In addition, the fuel consumption can be reduced in comparison with diesel generat

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Publication Date
Mon Dec 30 2013
Journal Name
Iraqi Journal Of Chemical And Petroleum Engineering
A Study of Water Flux through Forward Osmosis Membrane Using Brine\Fresh Water System
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The present work aims to improve the flux of forward osmosis with the use of Thin Film Composite membrane by reducing the effect of polarization on draw solution (brine solution) side.This study was conducted in two parts. The first is under the effect of polarization in which the flux and the water permeability coefficient (A) were calculated. In the second part of the study the experiments were repeated using a circulating pump at various speeds to make turbulence and reduce the effect of polarization on the brine solution side.
A model capable of predicting water permeability coefficient has been derived, and this is given by the following equations:
Z=Z0 +C.R.T/9.8(d2/D2+1) [Exp. [-9.8(d

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Publication Date
Wed Oct 21 2026
Journal Name
Journal Of Baghdad College Of Dentistry
Interleukine-6 Level in Saliva of Patients with Chronic Periodontitis: A Case-Control Study
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Background:Periodontal diseases are infectious diseases in which periodontalpathogens trigger chronic inflammatory and immune responses. Interleukine-6 is a multifunctional cytokine playing a central role in inflammation and tissue injury.The aim of the study IS to determine the level of Interleukin-6(IL-6) in saliva of patients with chronic periodontitis compared to healthy subjects. Materials and Methods:The total subjects of the present study is 60, divided into 3 groups; 20 patients with chronic periodontitis with pocket depth(PD ≥4 mm)(group I), 20 patients with pocket depth(PD <4 mm) with clinical attachment loss (group II), and 20 healthy controls with pocket probing depth (PPD ≤ 3 mm) without clinical attachment loss (g

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Publication Date
Mon Sep 01 2025
Journal Name
Journal Of Language Teaching And Research
A Pragmatic Study of Nonverbal Communication in Johnny Depp Versus Amber Heard’s Public Trial
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Depp and Heard's trial has reaped significant attention due to the domestic violence allegations directed towards each other. This paper sheds light on the repressed narrative beyond the mere words spoken aloud. It delves into an overlooked aspect, i.e., nonverbal communication. Previous studies focused on one or two categories of nonverbal communication. Therefore, the current study investigates the types and sub-types of nonverbal communication exhibited by both rivals within the courtroom setting. To examine the credibility and repressibility of nonverbal communication, the researchers have carefully watched (28) videos representing the whole trial's event. Some nonverbal communication was traced through the whole (28) videos fro

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Publication Date
Sat Sep 30 2023
Journal Name
Iraqi Journal Of Chemical And Petroleum Engineering
Desulphurization of Simulated Oil Using SAPO-11 with CNT's as Adsorbent: A Kinetic Study
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In this study, sulfur was removed from imitation oil using oxidative desulfurization process. Silicoaluminophosphate (SAPO-11) was prepared using the hydrothermal method with a concentration of carbon nanotubes (CNT) of 0% and 7.5% at 190 °C crystallization temperature. The final molar composition of the as-prepared SAPO-11 was Al2O3: 0.93P2O5: 0.414SiO2. 4% MO/SAPO-11 was prepared using impregnation methods. The produced SAPO-11 was described using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms). It was found that the addition of CNT increased the crystallinity of SAPO-11. The results showed that the surface area of SAPO-11 cont

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Publication Date
Thu Jul 08 2021
Journal Name
Turkish Online Journal Of Qualitative Inquiry (tojqi)
Civil Protection of Rights contiguous to Author’s Royalty in Iraqi Law A comparative study
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Publication Date
Wed Dec 11 2024
Journal Name
Journal Of Emergency Medicine, Trauma And Acute Care
Mobile application to develop nurses’ knowledge of pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation: A quasi-experimental study
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Background: Traditional teaching methods of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) are not effective for most learners today. They may lead to lack of retention of survival skills and poor outcomes. Various methods are adopted to provide optimal, effective, and attractive teaching methods. Application (app)-based teaching can be used as an alternative way for learners to develop their knowledge and skills. Despite the large number of professional and nonprofessional trainee members, the high quality of CPR is still not fulfilled. Technology-based learning can prove to be an effective way to teach medical subjects such as pediatric cardiac resuscitation, which require an optimal teaching environ

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Publication Date
Tue Jul 01 2025
Journal Name
Kirkuk Journal Of Medical Sciences
Socio-Demographic Characteristics of Individuals Seeking Non-Surgical Aesthetic Procedures: A Cross-Sectional Study
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