Free word groups and phraseological units

Shakespearean phrases and changes in them

In Modern English Language there are a lot of phraseological expressions, which have the main function is to heighten the aesthetic aspect of the language. A lot of phraseological units appeared in connection with traditions, customs and English popular belief, but also with actual, legendry and historical facts, but also we must not forget that the majority of phraseological expressions appeared from poems of famous writers.

The phraseological expressions from poems of the popular English classical writer William Shakespeare are considered as one of the most important origin, which improved the English language. Their total amount is near one hundred. We give the examples of the most popular phraseological expressions of William Shakespeare or Shakespearean phrases: the be-all and end-all («Macbeth») – то, что заполняет жизнь, всѐ в жизни; eat somebody out of house and home («King Henry IV») – разорить человека, живя на его счет; a fool's paradise («Romeo and Juliet») – призрачное счастье, мир фантазий; give the devil his due («King Henry V») – отдавать должное противнику; the green-eyed monster («Othello») – «чудовище с зелеными глазами», ревность; the observed of all observers («Hamlet») – центр всеобщего внимания; paint the lily («King John») – «подкрашивать цвет лилии», e.g. пытаться улучшить или украсить что-либо, не нуждающееся в улучшении и украшении; the seamy side («Othello») – неприглядная сторона, изнанка чего-либо; the wish is father to the thought («King Henry IV») – желание порождает мысль, люди охотно верят тому, чего сами желают etc.
William Shakespeare was the greatest dramatist, whose novels were of great importance in forming of the English literary language. The most active process in XVI-XVII centuries was the creation of phraseological expressions. So W. Shakespeare was one of the writers whose phraseological expressions continue to be used.
M.M. Morozov, a researcher of Shakespeare’s works, writes «It is wonderful that the majority of the Shakespeare phraseological expressions are continued to be used in Modern English language».
The researches write that it is very hard to assign when the transformation of Shakespearean phrases into phraseological units appeared. In their opinion the transformation appeared in works of different authors. They used Shakespearean phrases in their works, and changed something in his phrases.
In Modern English language some Shakespearean phrases were changed. Some examples of such changes we could show in the following way.
The Shakespearean phrase at one fell swoop («Macbeth») – одним ударом, одним махом, в один момент nowadays is used in contracted form at one swoop, as a result appeared quantitative variants. Quantitative variants are formed with reduction or adding some elements in phraseological expressions.
They go quick, one after another – five of them vanished already at one swoop (S. O'Casey).
We need to note that the American variant of the phrase is in one fell swoop.
Mr. Strongfort had decided, he said, to teach me everything in one fell swoop.
(W. Saroyan).
Also were changed the next phraseological expressions:
Shuffle off this mortal coil («Hamlet») – покинуть этот бренный мир, свести счеты с жизнью nowadays is used as (this) mortal coil – «мирская суета»
Out of joint – пришедший в расстройство was used as the time is out of joint («Hamlet»).
The phrase to wear one's heart upon one's sleeve for daws to peck at («Othello») – выставлять напоказ свои чувства; душа нараспашку in Modern English is used in contracted form: to wear one's heart upon one's sleeve.
We could give the example of Shakespearean phrase with the addition of elements, more honoured in the breach than in the observance – чаще нарушается, чем соблюдается. This phraseological expression was created by William Shakespeare in the poem «Hamlet», but without the second preposition in. This preposition was added later, and as a result quantitative variants appeared.
Shakespeare combined the set phrase more honoured in the breach than the observance with the word custom. In Modern English language the combinatory power of this Shakespearean phrase is widely used, and the phrase could refer to everything that is violated.
In the course of time a lot of Shakespearean phrases started to have their own lexical variants: take for instance, applaud (or cheer) to the echo – шумно, восторженно аплодировать, устроить овацию (applaud to the echo – Shakespearean phrase; «Macbeth»); cram (ram or thrust) something down somebody's throat – навязывать кому-либо (your own opinion, your point of view etc.) (thrust something down somebody's throat – Shakespearean phrase; «Titus Andronicus»); get (have, take or catch) somebody on (upon) the hip – держать кого-либо в руках; быть хозяином положения, иметь кого-либо в своей власти.
In contamination of two Shakespearean phrases gild refined gold and paint the lily appeared the new set phrase gild the lily, which is considered as a variant of the phraseological expression paint the lily.
The Shakespearean phrase the better part of valour is discretion («King Henry IV») – одно из украшений храбрости – скромность in Modern English language is used with changed word order: discretion is the better part of valour.
We could give more examples with changed word order:
Somebody’s memory is green – что-либо еще свежо в чьей-либо памяти in Modern English is used as something is green in somebody’s memory;
as night follows day – неизбежно, неотвратимо, как смена дня и ночи nowadays was changed to follow as night the day;
give somebody pause – приводить в замешательство, ставить в тупик, заставить кого-либо призадуматься, не разрешить сомнений was changed to give pause to somebody.
The set phrase lay it on with a trowel – преувеличивать, пересаливать; грубо льстить; хватить через край (в похвалах) was used in passive voice by W. Shakespeare:
Сelia: Well said: that was laid on with a trowel («As You Like It»).
In Modern English this phraseological unit is used in active voice:
She continued to flatter him... She got a little private amusement by seeing how much he should swallow. She laid it on with a trowel (W.S. Maugham).
In the phraseological expression buy golden opinions – заслужить благоприятное, лестное мнение о себе, вызвать восхищение in Modern English the verb win is used instead of the verb buy.
be food for worms – быть пищей для червей, быть мертвым, похороненным the word food was changed to the word meal. And nowadays the phraseological expression sounds as to be meat for worm;
set a stone rolling – вступать на опасный путь nowadays changed to put a stone rolling;
the devil can cite (quote) scripture for his purpose – proverb «черт, если нужно может и на священное писание согласиться».
The set phrase the milk of human kindness – «бальзам прекраснодушия», сострадание, доброта, сердечность
Lady Macbeth: ...yet do I fear thy nature: It is too full o' the milk of human kindness... («Macbeth»). In Modern English language this phraseological unit is used in appreciation, but also jocularly and ironically.
Besides a man with the milk of human kindness in him can scarcely abstain from doing a good-natured action, and one cannot be good-natured all around (G. Eliot).
Sellers said privately that Rossmore was the most extraordinary character he had ever met – a man just made out of the condensed milk of human kindness... (M. Twain).
We know that all these phraseological expressions appeared in XV-XVI centuries, and it is logical that they must be changed in whole course of their existence. Because any language is changed, something becomes unpopular, something disappears, some words change their meaning and something new was appeared.
+We need to mention that a lot of Shakespearean phrases were changed, some of them changed their word order, some words in these phraseological expressions were changed, and also some prepositions were added. But their meaning was not changed. This means that all these expressions would never disappear; they also would be changed for improving the English language.