ENGLISH IDIOMS AS A LINGUISTIC PHENOMENON: A SEMANTIC AND STRUCTURAL APPROACH

Abstract

Idioms represent one of the most distinctive and expressive elements of the English language. Unlike free word combinations, idiomatic expressions usually possess meanings that cannot be fully understood from the literal meanings of their individual components. This article examines English idioms as a linguistic phenomenon from semantic and structural perspectives. Particular attention is paid to the relationship between literal and figurative meaning, the degree of semantic transparency, and the grammatical organization of idiomatic expressions. The study also considers the role of context in interpreting idioms and demonstrates how structural patterns influence their use in communication. English idioms are shown to contribute significantly to the expressiveness, naturalness, and cultural richness of the language. The analysis suggests that a comprehensive understanding of idiomatic expressions requires attention not only to their lexical meaning but also to their structural form, contextual environment, and pragmatic function.