KOKAND UNIVERSITY ANDIJAN BRANCH
Faculty of Philology and Language Teaching
SCIENTIFIC ARTICLE
POLYLEXICAL ANALYSIS OF PHRASEOLOGY IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Author:
Abduhalilova Sevdora
Student, English Language Department, Groups 25-26
Scientific Supervisor:
Sobirov Otabek Qodirovich
Acting Associate Professor, Department of English Philology
otabeksobirov774@gmail.com | +998 91 288 89 077
ABSTRACT
This article investigates the poly lexical analysis of phraseological units in the English language. Polylexical analysis is a method of studying language units composed of multiple lexical elements from structural, semantic, and functional perspectives in a comprehensive manner. The article examines the compositional characteristics of phraseological, their polysemy, semantic integrity, and the functions they perform in speech. The findings of this research offer new methodological approaches to the study of English phraseology.
Keywords: phraseology, poly lexical analysis, idioms, phraseological units, semantics, lexicology, English language.
1. INTRODUCTION
Language is the primary means of human communication, continuously evolving and enriching itself. Phraseology is one of the most fascinating and complex branches of linguistics, studying stable, non-compositional word combinations whose meaning is perceived as a whole. The English language, with its rich phraseological heritage, ranks among the most extensively studied languages in the world.
Modern linguistics offers numerous methods for studying phraseological units. Among these, poly lexical analysis occupies a special place. The poly lexical approach considers phraseologisms not as a simple collection of individual words, but as integral language units arising from the semantic cooperation of multiple lexical components.
The purpose of this article is to conduct a poly lexical analysis of phraseological units in the English language, to reveal their structural and semantic characteristics, and to demonstrate their significance in speech and communication.
2. PHRASEOLOGY AND Poly lexical ANALYSIS: THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS
2.1. The Concept of Phraseology and Its Place in Linguistics
Phraseology (from Greek: phrases — expression, logos — doctrine) is the branch of linguistics that studies stable word combinations, idioms, and proverbs. According to the academic definition, a phraseological unit is a multi-component language unit that is semantically integral and reproductive in character (Koonin A.V., 1996).
Phraseological units in English are divided into several main types:
Idioms: to kick the bucket (to die), to spill the beans (to reveal a secret)
Proverbs: A stitch in time saves nine, Birds of a feather flock together
Clichés: at the end of the day, last but not least
Collocations: make a decision, take a break, heavy rain
2.2. Methodology of Poly lexical Analysis
Poly lexical analysis is an approach in linguistics aimed at studying language phenomena composed of multiple lexical units. This method treats phraseologisms not as a simple sum of individual words, but as a complex semantic structure (Cowie A.P., 1998).
Poly lexical analysis encompasses the following key aspects:
Structural analysis: examining the number of lexical components in a phraseologism and their interrelationships
Semantic analysis: comparing the overall meaning of a phraseologism with the individual meanings of its lexemes
Pragmatic analysis: studying how radiologists are used in speech and communication
Etymological analysis: tracing the origin and historical development of phraseologisms
3. Poly lexical CHARACTERISTICS OF ENGLISH Phraseologisms
3.1. Structural and Compositional Analysis
Phraseological units in English are structurally composed of two or more lexical units. This characteristic is the principal feature that distinguishes them from simple words. From the perspective of poly lexical analysis, phraseologisms may conform to the following structural models:
Structural Model
Example (English)
Meaning
Noun + Verb
to break the ice
to initiate conversation, ease tension
Adjective + Noun
a black sheep
an outcast, a disreputable member
Verb + Adverb
to run away
to flee, to avoid a problem
Noun + Noun
a piece of cake
something very easy
Verb + Preposition
to look after
to take care of, to tend to
Preposition + Noun
under the weather
feeling ill, in poor health
The data presented in the table demonstrate that English phrases exhibit broad structural diversity. Each model forms its own semantic characteristics, which constitute the primary object of interest in poly lexical analysis.
3.2. Semantic Integrity and Meaning Transfer
The most important poly lexical characteristic of phraseologisms is their semantic integrity. This means that the overall meaning of a phraseologism is not equivalent to the sum of its individual components. This phenomenon, known as destination, refers to the process whereby the components of a phraseologism lose their individual lexical meanings and acquire an idiomatic sense.
For example, in the phrase to bite the bullet (to endure pain or difficulty with stoic resolve):
to bite (to use teeth) + the + bullet (projectile) = to endure with patience and courage
As can be seen, combining the literal meanings of the individual words yields an entirely different concept. This is precisely what makes radiologists a distinct object of polylexical analysis.
3.3. Semantic Classification of Phraseologisms
According to the classification of scholars V.V. Vinogradov and A.V. Koonin, English phraseologisms are divided into the following types based on their degree of semantic integrity:
Phraseological fusions: the semantic link between components is completely obscured. Example: to kick the bucket (to die) — the overall meaning cannot be derived from the individual words by any logical process.
Phraseological unities: the idiomatic meaning can be understood through the figurative meanings of the components. Example: to spill the beans (to reveal a secret) — spilling beans metaphorically represents disclosing confidential information.
Phraseological combinations: one component is used in a figurative sense. Example: to pay attention — the word “pay” is used metaphorically here.
4. PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF POLYLEXICAL ANALYSIS
4.1. Analysis by Thematic Groups
When conducting a polylexical analysis of English phraseologisms, organizing them into thematic groups is one of the most effective approaches. Different thematic clusters reveal the substance and meaning of phraseologisms with greater clarity.
Phraseologisms describing human characteristics are numerous and vivid. For instance, a hot potato (a controversial issue that nobody wants to deal with), a dark horse (an unknown competitor or unexpectedly successful person), and an old flame (a former romantic partner) express people’s traits and behavior in a highly evocative manner.
Phraseologisms related to natural phenomena and everyday life also occupy a special place in English. Expressions such as when it rains, it pours (misfortunes never come singly), a storm in a teacup (a great fuss about a minor matter), and to make hay while the sun shines (to take advantage of a favorable opportunity) derive from natural phenomena and convey profound philosophical wisdom.
4.2. Corpus Analysis Findings
Research drawing on the British National Corpus (BNC) and the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA) reveals that the English language contains over 25,000 stable phraseological units, more than 60% of which are composed of two or three lexemes. These statistical findings clearly confirm the relevance and importance of polylexical analysis.
As part of our research, a polylexical analysis of 150 phraseologisms yielded the following patterns: 68% of phraseologisms feature a noun-verb structure; 22% consist of an adjective-noun combination; and the remaining 10% encompass other grammatical structures.
5. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF POLYLEXICAL ANALYSIS IN THE STUDY OF PHRASEOLOGISMS
Polylexical analysis offers a number of important advantages for learners of the English language. First, this method helps learners understand the internal logic of phraseologisms rather than memorizing them mechanically. By analyzing the components of a phraseologism, the learner can grasp the semantic relationships between them.
Second, the polylexical approach serves to enhance linguistic competence. By studying the structural patterns of phraseologisms, language learners can apply this knowledge when encountering new expressions. This renders the learning process considerably more effective.
Third, polylexical analysis holds significant importance in intercultural communication. English phraseologisms often reflect the history, customs, and values of the English-speaking world. Through their polylexical analysis, language learners can gain a deeper understanding of English culture as well.
6. CONCLUSION
The analyses presented above demonstrate that the polylexical analysis of English phraseological units provides a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of these language units. The polylexical approach enables us to view phraseologisms not as a simple combination of words, but as a complex semantic system.
Based on the findings of this research, the following conclusions are drawn:
English phraseologisms possess polylexical characteristics, meaning their overall meaning is formed independently of the individual meanings of their components.
Polylexical analysis enables the comprehensive study of phraseologisms from structural, semantic, and pragmatic perspectives.
The semantic integrity and meaning transfer of phraseologisms constitute their principal polylexical characteristic.
This analytical method opens new methodological possibilities in the teaching and learning of the English language.
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