Equivalence of English and German idiomatic expressions with concept of “colour”.

Under our study the number of idiomatic expressions selected by the method of continuous sampling have been limited by the principle of frequent usage in the functional language. We have selected most frequently used 50 English and German idiomatic expressions in all spheres of human activity: daily life, business, service, education, etc.

According to the typology of analysis of idiomatic expressions the idiomatic expressions are summarized and divided into four main groups according to the levels they correspond on:

· absolute equivalence (A);

· close equivalence (B);

· partial equivalence (C);

· non- equivalence (D).

A. Idiomatic expressions with absolute equivalence. Idiomatic expressions belonging to this group correspond on semantic, syntactic and lexical level:

The black death	Schwarze Tod	Чума
ADJ. + N	ADJ. + N

“Bubonic/pneumonic plague epidemic of 1347-51 in Europe”, a modern name, introduced in English 1823 by Elizabeth Penrose's history of England. The contemporary name for it in most languages was something like "the great dying" or simply "the plague" (or, looking back after its return, "the first pestilence"). The term "Black Death" first turns up in 16c. Swedish and Danish chronicles, but in reference to a visitation of plague in Iceland (which had been spared in the earlier outbreak) in 1402-3 that carried off much of the population there. The exact sense of "black" is not clear. The term appears in English translations of the Scandinavian works from 1750s. It was picked up in German c. 1770 and applied to the earlier outbreak, and taken from there into English in that sense []. Both idioms are composed of the same constituents, using verbs with the identical denotation, the same determiners and nouns in singular form. Therefore, these two expressions are ranked among absolutely equivalent idioms.

 

Black ivory	schwarzes Elfenbein	чернокожие рабы
ADJ. + N	ADJ. + N

Literally “ black elephant bone ”. Black ivory was ivory burnt and powdered, used as a pigment (1810); the sense " African slaves as an article of commerce " is attested from 1834. These two non-verbal idioms are absolutely identical with regard to the three explored levels.

 

Blue blood	Blaues Blut	Знатное происхождение
ADJ. + N	ADJ. + N

Etymology of this idiomatic expressions comes from 1809, in reference to the blood that flows in the veins of the old and aristocratic families of Spain, translating Spanish sangre azul, claimed by certain families of Castile as uncontaminated by Moorish or Jewish admixture; the term is probably from the notion of the visible veins of people of fair complexion. In reference to English families by 1827. As a noun, “member of an old and aristocratic family”, by 1877.

 

Black money	Schwarze Geld	Грязные деньги
ADJ. + N	ADJ. + N

This idiomatic expression were first used by American mass media in 1960s. having the meaning of illegal money these two idiomatic expressions are absolutely equivalent.

 

Disappear into the blue	ins Blaue fahren	как сквозь землю провалиться
V + N	V + N

With the meaning of disappearing, going to far distance, both idioms consist of the same lexical components, they use verbs with the same denotation and the same prepositions.

 

See red	rot sehen	прийти в ярость
V + N	V + N

Both idioms with the meaning of get angry consist of same verbs. Having the same syntactic structure and lexical means, these idioms can be considered as absolutely equivalent. English idiomatic expressions to see red is American English expressions first recorded 1898.

 

As white as snow	weiss wie Schnee	белоснежный
Conj. + Adj. + Conj. + N.	Conj. + Adj. + N.

White, originally with reference to fair hair or complexion, is one of the oldest colours in English, being well-established before the Conquest. Meaning “morally pure” was in Old English. The origin of this idiomatic expression comes from the so-called fairy tale from 1885, translating German Schneewittchen in Grimm; the German name used in English by 1858.

 

Black list	die sсhwarze Liste	черный список
Adj. + N	Adj. + N

“List of persons who have incurred suspicion”, 1610s, from black (adj.), here indicative of disgrace, censure, punishment. Specifically of employers’ list of workers considered troublesome (usually for union activity) is from 1888. This idiomatic expression has its absolute equivalence in German language, which correspond on all three levels.

 

Black as night	Shwarz wie die Nacht	Мрачнее тучи
Adj. + Conj. + N	Adj. + Conj. + N

These idiomatic expressions used with the meaning of totally black, very dark. For example, The well was black as night, or She had eyes that were black as coal. These similes have survived while others black as ink, a raven, thunder, hell, thedevil, my hat, the minister's coat, the ace of spades are seldom if ever heard today. Black as night first mentioned in John Milton’s book Paradise Lost (1667).

 

Black market	Die schwarze Market	Нелегальный бизнес
Adj. + N.	Adj. + N

First used in 1931, this idiomatic expression is used with the meaning of the illegal buying and selling of goods above the price fixed by government. Black markets usually develop when, because of war, disaster, or public policy, a government tries to set prices for commodities instead of allowing the normal operations of supply and demand to set prices. Being identical on the syntactic and lexical level, these idiomatic expressions fulfill the criteria for the absolute equivalence.

 

Black sheep	Die schwarze Schaf	паршивая овца
Adj. + N.	Adj. + N.

Figurative sense of “ member of some group guilty of offensive conduct and unlike the other members ”, supposedly because a real black sheep had wool that could not be dyed and was thus worth less. But one black sheep in a flock was considered good luck by shepherds in Sussex, Somerset, Kent, Derbyshire. Baa Baa Black Sheep nursery rhyme’s first known publication is in “Tommy Thumb’s Pretty Song Book”, 1744. This English idiomatic expression also has its counterpart in German language with the same meaning.

Be dressed in black	in Sсhwarz gekleidet	носить траур
V. + Prep.+ Adj.	V. + Prep.+ Adj.

 

 

Give somebody the green light	J - m grünes Liсht geben	получить разрешение
V. + Pron.+ Adj. + N	V. + Pron.+ Adj. + N

Origin of this idiomatic expression comes from the green traffic light which signals permission to proceed. First known use in 1937. The two idiomatic expressions are viewed as absolutely equivalent, they both use same determiners as well as verbs with the same denotation.

 

To have a green thumb	einen grünen Daumen haben	Быть хорошим садовником
V. + Adj. + N	V. + Adj. + N

According to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary this idiomatic expression first used in 1943 to describe an unusual ability to grow plants. Corresponding fully on all three levels, this pair of idioms is absolutely equivalent.

 

B. Idiomatic expressions with close equivalence. Idiomatic expressions belonging to this group correspond on semantic and syntactic level:

In black and white	Shwarz auf weiss	черным по белому
Prep. + Adj. + Conj.+ Adj.	Adj.+ Prep. + Adj.

The origin of this idiomatic expression goes to early XV century. White and black, however, are opposites and clearly distinct. Therefore seeing in black and white naturally came to be associated with clarity. In addition, the printing press brought with it some validity to the facts, and seeing something printed “ in black and white” as all text was originally coloured before printing, confirmed something clearly to be true; and these are the two probable origins for this phrase. Being semantically identical with the meaning, these idiomatic expressions differ in the syntactic structure.

 

Green with envy	Grun vor Neid	позеленевший от зависти
Adj. + Prep. + N.	Adj. + Prep. + N.

Full of desire for someone's possessions or advantages; extremely covetous. For example, Her fur coat makes me green with envy.Shakespeare described envy as the green sickness (Anthony and Cleopatra), but the current phrase, dating from the mid-1800s, is the one most often heard. Expressing the notion of envy, both idiomatic expressions are semantically identical and follow the same syntactic pattern. However, they differ in the prepositions used. While in English the notion of jealousy is expressed by means of preposition with, the German idiomatic expression uses preposition vor- from.

 

Be like а red rag to а bull	wirkt аuf jmdn. wie dаs rote Tuсh	как красная тряпка для быка
V + Adj. + N + Prep. + N	V + Prep.+Pron.+Conj.+Adj.+ N

The etymology of this idiomatic expression refers to the red cape used by matadors in bullfighting. The waving of a cloth rag at an animal to distract it may have been a common practice for centuries, but it wasn’t until the 1700s that it was documented in print. These two idiomatic expressions are semantically identical, however, they do not follow same syntactic pattern.

 

Blаck in the fаce	Sich schwаrz аngern	Почерневший от гнева
Adj. +Prep.+ N	Pron. + Adj. + V

 

C. Idiomatic expressions with partial equivalence. Idiomatic expressions belonging to this group correspond on only semantic level:

Beat smb. black and blue	J-n braum (grün) und blau sсhlagen	избить до полусмерти
V.+ Pron. + Adj + Adj	V.+ Pron. + Adj + Adj

This expressions comes from Middle English, first used approximately in 1300-1350[]. The multicolored bruises rarely include colours black and blue, this term has been so used. These idiomatic expressions are semantically and syntactically fully correspondent, but they use different lexemes. English idiomatic expression uses the colours black and blue, whereas its German counterpart uses colors brown (green) and blue.

Black man	Sсhwarzen Herzen	злой человек
Adj.+ N	Adj.+ N

 

Black dog	das graue Elend kriegen	быть в подавленном настроении
Adj.+ N	Adj.+ N + V

The phrase ‘ black dog’ is first used to describe depression in a work by the Roman poet and satirist Horace (65–8 BC), thereafter seeming to be used in a more general way (often associated with the Devil, death or disaster of some kind) until half a millennium later, when its various meanings gather and cohere into the expression we know today. the current use of the phrase “black dog” to mean depression or melancholia, an illness which itself has been explained as the result of the nefarious doings of any number of demons, devils, the Devil, Satan, witches and so forth.

 

Black eye	ein Blaues Auge	подбитый глаз
Adj.+ N	Adj.+ N

“discoloration around the eye from injury” c. 1600, from black.

Black gold	sсhwarze Diamanten	Нефть
Adj.+ N	Adj.+ N

Origin of black goldExpand

1905-1910

 

Climb into the black	Sсhwarze Zahlen	начать получать прибыль
V + Prep. + Adj.	Adj.+ N

 

Paint smth in black colours	sсhwarzmalen	сгущать краски
V. + Pron. +Prep. +Adj.+N	V + Adj.

 

White crow	Eine weisse maus sehen	редкое явление
Adj.+ N	Adj.+ N +V

 

go into the red	rote Zahlen	стать убыточным, влезть в долги
V. + Perp. + Adj.	Adj. + N

The origin of this idomatci expression comes from the practise of using red ink to denote debt or losses on financial balance sheets. Likewise, in the black for businesses that are financially solvent. This phrase conjures up images of inky-fingered clerks in Dickensian offices scratching in ledgers with quill pens. In fact, the term is much more recent than that. The first known citation of it is in 1907 in Montgomery Rollins’ exhausingly titled Money and investments: a reference book for the use of those desiring information in the handling of money or the investment there of:

Formerly it was customary, and is now with some bookkeepers, to make an entry of a loss in red ink, from whence arose the term “in the red”, always indicating a loss.

Everything is rosy	alles in rosigen Farben sсhildern/malen	все хорошо
Pron. + V + Adj.	V + Pron.+ Prep.+Adj.+N

 

A red-letter day	einen Tag im Kalender rot anstreiсhen	памятный, счастливый день
Adj.+ N	V + N. + Perp. + N + Adj.

A red letter day is any day of special significance. Its roots are in classical antiquity, for instance, important days are indicated in red in a calendar dating from the Roman Republic (509–27 BC). In medieval manuscripts, initial capitals and highlighted words (known as rubrics) were written in red ink. The practice was continued after the invention of the printing press, including in Catholic liturgical books. Many calendars still indicate special dates and holidays in red instead of black.

In Norway, Sweden, Denmark and South Korea and some Latin American countries, a public holiday is sometimes referred to as “red day”, as it is printed in red in calendars.

 

Put in the red	Einen roten Heller haben	привести к банкротству
V. + Perp. + Adj.	V + Adj. + N.

 

Red as a beet	Krabsrot	красный как рак
Adj. + Conj. + N	N

 

Drink till all is blue	blau sein	допиться до белой горячки
V + Prep + Pron. + V+Adj.	V + Adj

 

blue coat	Blaue Jungs	солдат,моряк
Adj.+ N	Adj.+ N

A police officer: He told the damn bluecoat he'd punch him all over thecorner (1870s+) 1585-95

As white as a ghost	Weiss wie Wand	бледный как полотно

 

By all that is blue	Das Blaue vom Himmel heronter sсhwören	Богом клянусь!
Prep.+ Pron.+V+Adj.	Adj.+Prep.+N+Prep.+V

 

As white as a chalk	Weiss wie Gips	белый как мел

 

Blacken somebody’s eye	J -m blaue Fenster maсhen	поставить синяк
V + Pron. + N	V + Pron.+Adj.+N

 

Green hands	Noсh Grun hinter dem Ohren sein	Хороший садовник
Adj.+ N	Prep.+Adj.+Prep.+N+V

It comes from the fact that algae growing on the outside of earthenware pots will stain a person’s thumb (and fingers) if he or she handles enough pots. Hence, a person who is always working with flower pots has a green thumb.

Another theory is that it originated during the reign of King Edward I of England. He was fond of green peas and kept half a dozen serfs shelling them during the season. The serf who had the “greenest thumb” won a prize.

 

To have red face	Rot werden	покраснеть от стыда
V + Adj. + N	V + Adj.

 

 

Purple patch	Rote Ecke	Лучшее место
Adj.+ N	Adj.+ N

Purple patches, which are also sometimes called “ purple passages ” or “ purple prose ”, were originally a figurative reference to florid literary passages, added to a text for dramatic effect. It wasn’t until the 20th century that purple patches were used in relation to anything other than writing. The term then came to mean “a period of good fortune or creativity”. Purple patches took a turn back from the figurative to the literal in the 1960s when hippies took to wearing purple velvet and patching jeans with it.

Idiomatic expressions with non - equivalence. Idiomatic expressions belonging to this group do not correspond on any level and do not have their counterparts in the target language. Since these idioms are known to lack their idiomatic equivalents, there is no need for a further analysis of their lexical, semantic or syntactic aspects. Idioms belonging to this group have been explained by means of paraphrase and, therefore, only their meaning has been given.

 

See pink elephants

быть сильно пьяным

 

Black – letter day

трагический день

1750-60

Out of the blue

неожиданно

 

Green-eyed monster

Ревнивый человек

Meaning: jealousy, as in Bella knew that her husband sometimes succumbed to the green-eyed monster. This expression was coined by Shakespeare in Othello (3: 3), where Iago says:

“O! beware, my lord, of jealousy; it is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on - it is thought to allude to cats, often green-eyed, who tease their prey.”

 

White lie

Невинная ложь

An untruth told to spare feelings or from politeness, as in She asked if Iliked her dress, and of course I told a white lie. This term uses white in thesense of “harmless”. First half of 1700s.

 

The gentleman in black

Дьявол

 

Blue-eyed boy

Любимчик

 

Dark horse

Темная лошадка

Meaning of this idiomatic expression: a person (such as a politician), animal, or thing that competes in a race or other contest and is not expected to win, a person who has interesting qualities or abilities that most people do not know about.

First known use of dark horse 1831 in politics, an image from horse racing, in which dark is used in its figurative sense of "unknown."

 

White - collar job

Работа в офисе

First usage of this idiomatic expression attested in 1910s. Malcolm McDowell, quoted in “Chicago Commerce”:

The white collar men are your clerks; they are your bookkeepers, your cashiers, your office men. We call them the 'white collar men' in order to distinguish them from the men who work with uniform and overalls and carry the dinner pails. The boys over on the West side got that name for them. It was supposed to be something a little better than they were.

 

Yellow dog

Трусливый человек

Expression yellow dog is attested from c. 1770; slang sense of “contemptible person” first recorded 1881.

The following table shows the allocation of four groups of colour idiomatic expressions within the diverse levels of equivalence. It can be seen that the most numerous group is formed by colour idiomatic expressions that are partially equivalent. The least numerous group, on the other hand, is represented by idiomatic expressions with close equivalence:

	The Number of idiomatic expressions	The percentage of equivalence
Absolute equivalence	14 units	28%
Close equivalence	5 units	10%
Partial equivalence	21 units	42%
Non - equivalence	10 units	20%
Total	50 units	100%