Arista Febriliani Hadi arista.febriliani@yahoo.com
ENGLISH EDUCATION PROGRAM LANGUAGE AND ARTS DEPARTMENT
STKIP SILIWANGI BANDUNG
ABSTRACT
The objectives of the research entitled “An Analysis of English Idiomatic Expressions Used by Main Actors and Actresses in “Accepted” Film Dialogues” were to find out the total numbers English idiomatic expressions used by McMordie in the film “Accepted” film and to find out the most and the least frequently type of
English idiomatic expressions used by McMordie in the “Accepted” film. In this research the researcher used qualitative method. The instrument of the research was document analysis which was form English film script of “Accepted”. The subjects of the research were the whole dialogues actors and the actresses which were divided into 61 scenes. The data collected by downloading from internet. The collected data were analyzed by using McMordie’s theory(1988). The results of data analysis showed that: the total number of idiomatic expressions found in Accepted was 269 which were divided into six types of English idiomatic expressions as follow: Idioms with nouns and adjectives (14,86%), Idioms with prepositions (8,19%), Phrasal verbs (66,91%),
Verbal idioms (5,20%), Idioms with key words from special categories (3,34%), Idioms with comparisons
(1,5%). The results of this research showed that type idiomatic expressions the most frequently used in the film was Phrasal verb (66,91%) and type idiomatic expressions the least frequently used in the film was Idioms with comparisons (1,5%).
Key word : Analysis Idiomatic Expressions, Type of idioms
A.
BACKGROUND
According to McArthur (1992:571) “Language is the concern of linguistics, the systematic or scientific study of language, and those who practice it are linguistic”. Language as a system of communication has literal and figurative meanings. While the literal meaning is imaginative description or a special effect. Such a meaning characterizes notions like metaphors, similies, proverbs and idioms. Language used in daily speech, film, communication. Some people love watching and enjoying film as media of entertaintment. Nowdays, Film has become people’s consumption and film has become one of the biggest business in the world. Due to this fact, film has industries have grown rapidly especially in
Hollywood.
In linguistics idiom is part of lexicon.
According to Makkai (2011:215) “An idiom is a complex expression whose meaning does not logically follow from the individual meanings of its constituents”. One of the important aspects in mastering English language is a fluent use of idioms.
Idiom is an important part of every language.
Therefore, as a language learner, knowing idioms is useful. One of the keys to speaking like a native is
1 the ability to use and understand casual expressions, or idioms. And mostly, it used in informal situations such as in conversations with our friends. Usually
English learners is not translated well in idiom. Most of them translate it word by word and sometime they even reliase when they use idiom. For example “I feel like a thousand dollars” They mean a thousand dollars is money. Whereas it means that 1happy.
Therefore, idiom is raised by the researcher as subject research.
B.
LITERATURE REVIEW
1.
Linguistic
Linguistics is usually defined as the science of language or alternatively, as the scientific study of language (Lyons, 1981:37). The word lingusistics was used for the first time in England in 1837, and has been derived from the Latin lingua that means
‘language’. In linguistic idiom is part of lexicon. It was supported by Wikipedia.
In most theories of linguistics, human languages are thought to consist of two parts: a lexicon, essentially A catalogue of a given

language's words (its wordstock), and a grammar, a system of rules which allow for the combination of those words into meaningful sentences. The lexicon is also thought to include bound morphemes, which cannot stand alone as words
(such as most affixes). In some analyses, compound words and certain classes of idiomatic expressions and other collocations are also considered to be part of the lexicon. Available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexicon [March, 4
2013].
2.
Sociolinguistic
According to Hudson (1980:1) as cited in Lyons
(1981:267) “Sociolinguistic is the study of language in relation to society.” On the other hand, tend to be very much concerned with language variation. While
Spolsky (1998) in Jendra (2010:10), “Sociolinguistics is the field that studies the relation between language and society, between the uses of language and the social structures in which the users of language live.”
According to Jendra (2010:9) “Sociolinguistics is a branch of linguistics that take language as an object of study , in a way that is usually distinguished from how syntax, sematics, morphology, and phonology handle it.”
3.
Idiom
Why does idiom exist? As new concepts of a language are developed and new expressions are needed by human, these are the most possible reason why do idioms exist. An idiom is a figurative expression that can be interpreted literally but that takes non literal meaning when used in a specific context. Seidl and McMordie (1988:13) define idiom as a number of words which, when take together, have a different meanings of each words.
4.
Criteria of Idiom
The most commonly accepted of the criteria for defining idioms included some or all of these criteria
(Fernando and Flavell, 1981:17 cited in Grant
2003:21). First, the meaning of an idiom is not the result of the compositional function of its constituents. Second an idiom is a unit that either has a homonymous literal counterpart or at least individual constituents that are literal, though the expression as a whole would not be interpreted literally. Third, idioms are transformationally deficient in one way or another. Forth, idioms constitute set expressions in a given language. Fifth, idioms are institutionalized.
5.
Type of idiom
2
Every language has its own pattern in forming new idiom. McMordie (1988:58) tries to divide types of idioms based on the forms. In this case, he tries to divide it into eight types of idioms which are identified as: Idioms with nouns and adjectives, idiomatic pairs, idioms with preposition, phrasal verbs, verbal idioms, idioms from special subject, idioms with key words from special categories, and idioms with comparisons.
Idioms with nouns and adjective
In this case idiom devided into two patterns. The first is noun phrase and the second is adjective. a.
Noun phrase e.g : A piece of cake = a very easy task
to do successfully. b. Adjective + noun
e.g : Small talk = trivial, unimportant
conversation.
Idiomatic pairs
In this part idiom divided into five patterns. a.
Pairs of adjectives e.g : Sick and tired = bored or annoyed with
someone or something. b.
Pairs of nouns
e.g : Man to man = openly and sincerely. c. Pairs of adverbs
e.g : More or less = approximately, roughly;
practicaly. d. Pairs of verbs
e.g : Live and let live = be tolerant toward others
of different opinions. e. Identical pairs
e.g : Step by step = one step at a time.
Idioms with prepositions a.
Behind the scenes = not seen by the public, without public knowledge. b.
For fun = not being serious. c.
Above board = legal without secrecy; (a person) correct, honest. d.
On target = having the right answers, idea, approach to a problem. e.
After hours = after the normally permitted business hours.
Phrasal verbs
A particular difficulty experienced by learners is the correct handling of expressions consisting of verbs in combination with prepositions or adverbial particles.

Example : a.
Sit in on = demonstrate protest by occupying a building, by sitting on the floor and refusing to move. b.
Take off = leave the ground. c.
Come on = begin.
Verbal idioms
Example : a.
Beat someone on his own game = Fight back with the same methods, only better. b.
Come in handy = prove to be useful. c.
Take someone under one’s wing = protect help care for or guide someone. d.
Still the show = Receive more attention. e.
Stay put = remaind in the same place; not move.
Idiom for special subject
Example : a.
Banking
A standing order = one’s rent, subscriptions. b.
Business
Runs at a profit or runs at a loss = It makes or
loses money. c.
Buying and selling
Shop a round = compare prices at different shops. d.
Health, illness, death
Be taken ill (with something) = get sick e.
Motoring
Rev up the engine too much = increase the speed
of revolutions of the engine by accelerating f.
Politics and government
Act of Parliament = It must be presented,
discussed and amended three times. g.
The Stock Exchange
A strong market = share prices are rising. h.
Telephoning
Give someone a buzz = telephone someone i.
Travel
A package holiday = a holiday booked through a
travel agent which includes travel. j.
Work and industrial relations
Collective bargaining = negatiation by the union on behalf of the workers.
Idiom with key words from special categories
In this case, idiom devided into five pattern. a.
Animals
A busy bee = a busy, active person who moves quickly from task to task. b.
Colours
Black and blue = having bruises on the body after an accident, fight etc. c.
Numbers, size, measurement
A back number = an earlier issue of a publication or newspaper
3 d.
Part of the body
Stab someone in the back = be disloyal to a friend when he does not expect it. e.
Time
Day by day = as each day passes.
Idioms with comparisons a.
As fit as a fiddle = in good physical condition, active. b.
Drink like fish = drink large quantities of alcohol, especially beer.
6.
Film
Film is a kind of audio visual art, where dialogues work together with visual images, and music.
(Chang, 1992:71)
C.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
1). Research Method
This research used descriptive qualitative approach.
This method is considered to be relevant to this research since it involved the collection of data for the purpose of describing the existing phenomena.
One aim of the qualitative research is to extract the meanings of the phenomena.
According to Crowl (1996:10) “Qualitative research methods are used to examine questions that can best be answered by verbally describing how participants in a study perceive and interpret various aspects of their environment”.
2). Instrument of the Research
Instrument is a tool or implement, especially something used in performing an action, e.g. in scientific work (McMillan, 2001:189). In this research, the instrument was document analysis which was form English film script of “Accepted”.
Film’s script was used to analyze English idiomatic expressions were used by researcher.
3). Research Subjects
This part consists of population and sample.
“Population is entire group of people, object or event that all have at least one characteristic in common, and must be defined specially an unambiguously”
(Burn, 1995:62).
From opinion above, the researcher deal that population is the whole dialogues actors and the actresses which were divided into 61 scenes.
According to Burn (1995:62), sample is any part of population regardless whether it is representative or not. The sample of this research is the entire populations.

4). Data Collection
The data of the research were collected by downloading via internet all the conversation between actors and actresses in the “Accepted” film.
The process of collecting the data was conducted in
December 10, 2012.
5). Data Analisis
Data analysis is an important step in every research because in this step the researcher has to decide what kinds of techniques of analysis that are going to be chosen in conducting the study.
According Maxwell (1996:77) the main categorizing strategy in qualitative research is coding. According
Richards (1987) in Burns (1995:291) as cited in
Kuswara (2007:27) states that are three stages in coding, as follows:
1.
The first stage in coding is to develop a list of coding categories. Then a short name is assigned to each and number to each subcategory.
2.
In the margin of the transcript file, the data can now be coded by the appropriate code
3.
After coding the texts in the transcript file, data coded to each category were collected together.
Based on statement above the researcher conducted certain steps in analyzing the data, they are:
1.
Each sentence from the dialogue is placed side by side.
2.
Each types of idiom is coded in order to ease the type identification and to facilitate the frequency of each type. The used codes of each type idiom were described in table 1.
Table 1
Codes of Idiom Types
McMordie (1988:58)
Code Types of Idioms
Idioms with nouns and adjectives
Idiomatic pairs
Idioms with preposition
Phrasal verbs
Verbal idioms
Idioms from special subjects
Idioms with key words from special categories
Idioms with comparison
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
4
3.
Each phrase or sentence in the dialogue is grouped into its category of the appropriate type.
4.
In analyzing the type of idiom used in this research, the researcher used McMordie’s theory
(1988:58).
5.
Analyzing the comparison of all types being used to choose the most frequently type used among them, the researcher used percentage category based on Multihajz’s formula, in Mustofa
(2006:34) as cited in Kuswara (2007:29) as follows: 𝐟
P = 𝐧
X 1OO%
P = percentage f = frequency of type of idiom n = number of idiom
6) Research Procedures
The researcher collected and analyzed data by doing some research procedures as follows:
1.
Watching film of “Accepted”.
2.
Analyzing idiomatic expressions.
3.
Identifying the type of idiom used.
4.
Calculating percentage category.
5.
Drawing conclusion.
D.
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
Accepted film had 61 speech event whereas there are
269 idiomatic expression.
The researcher arranged those types based on the most frequency use of individual types, they are describes as follows:
1.
Phrasal verbs
Phrsal verb is the first most frequently used types by researcher. This types was used is 180 times or about
66,91% of all types.
2.
Idiom with nouns and adjectives.
Idiom with nouns and adjectives is the second most frequently used types by researcher. This types was used is 40 times or about 14,86% of all types.
3.
Idioms with prepositions.
Idiom with preposition is the third most frequently used types by researcher. This types was used is 22 times or about 8,19% of all types.
4.
Verbal idioms
Verbal idiom is the fourth most frequently used types by researcher. This types was used is 14 times or about 5,20% of all types.
5.
Idioms with key words from special categories.
Idioms with key words from special subject is the fifth most frequently used types by researcher. This types was used is 9 times or about 3,34% of all types.

6.
Idioms with comparisons.
Idiom with comparison is the least frequently used types by researcher. This types was is 4 times or about 1,5% of all types.
For further analysis, the researcher describes the eight types of idiom used in analysing idiomatic expressions of “Accepted” film’s script based on frequency of each individual type in table 2.
Table 2
Total Number of Idiomatic Expressions
No Types of Idiom
Idiomatic expressions
Percentage
1
Idioms with nouns and adjectives
40 14,86 %
0 0% 2 Idiomatic pairs
3
4
Idioms with prepositions
Phrasal verbs
5 Verbal idioms
6
7
Idioms from special subjects
Idioms with key words from special categories
22
180
14
0
9
8,19%
66,91%
5,20%
0%
3,34%
8
Idioms with comparisons
Total
4
269
1,5%
100%
E.
CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
Conclusions
1.
The types of English idiomatic expressions used in the “Accepted” film regarding to McMordie’s theory are Idioms with nouns and adjectives,
Idioms with prepositions, Phrasal verbs, Verbal idioms, Idioms with key words from special categories, Idioms with comparisons and the total numbers English idiomatic expressions used in the
“Accepted” film is 269 English idiomatic expressions.
2.
The most frequently type used by researcher is phrasal verb (66,91%).
3.
The least frequently type used by researcher is
Idioms with comparisons (1,5%).
Suggestions
In line with the above conclusion, there were several suggestions recommended to the upcoming research, they are included as follows:
1.
Learning idioms is a never ending process in our
2.
Idioms have been existed for a long time ago and
3.
For further research, the researcher should use
F.
life so that learners should use and apply idioms in everyday conversation or at least use it in individual activity. the numbers of it have been increased. In order to increase idiom vocabularies, learning idioms should not only bordered by keeping and reading idiom dictionary but also practicing and trying to find a new vocabulary of idioms from other sources. more other theory of idioms so that it will improve our knowledge of the variant theory concerning about idioms. It is also recommended that other research should analyzed the idioms not only the type of it but also specific idioms related to our life.
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