“Idioms”
Who knows what
an idiom is?
What is an Idiom?
An idiom is:
 an expression in the usage of language that is peculiar to
itself either grammatically or in having a meaning that cannot
be derived from the conjoined meaning of its elements.
OR
 A word or phrase that can be used in two ways, that means
two different things.
What are
examples of an
idiom?
(Word or phrase)
English examples of Idioms
Bend Over Backwards = go out of your way for someone.
Cat got your tongue = keeping quiet.
Keep your eye on it = Watch something closely
Knock your socks off = get so enthused and excited.
Feel like a million dollars = feel wonderful.
Play it by ear = not knowing what to expect and deciding what
to do as you go along.
All thumbs = clumsy and awkward
ASL examples of Idioms
 TRAIN GONE SORRY = missed the opportunity
 TOUCH FINISH = already been there
 TEND THEIR = his/her way to do something
 MY-GUTS-TELL-ME = I have a strong feeling about this
Idiomatic Meaning Shifts
 When a sign changes meanings, it also shifts in the dimension
of the movement of the sign.
 (This shift can be made either to increase or decrease a rate.)
• Examples)
• The sign WRONG when signed with a lax half-twist means
“unexpectedly”
• “Unfortunately” can be derived from the sign SAD
Why are idioms
important in
communicating?
Idioms
What are they good for?
English Idioms and ASL Idioms
 Idioms define a language and are a part of daily
speech. They convey meaning quickly and are often
easy to use and learned early on by native speakers.
Idioms are also an important part in the culture of
language users. Idioms are pivotal in learning a new
language. A learner of a second language is
informally considered "advanced" when and if he/she
masters the use of idioms.
ASL idioms help Deaf children
understand English idioms better
although it is a challenge for Deaf
children to understand idioms in
ASL or English.