{"id":366,"date":"2012-02-02T09:00:57","date_gmt":"2012-02-02T14:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/?p=366"},"modified":"2014-08-01T16:06:59","modified_gmt":"2014-08-01T20:06:59","slug":"knowledge-is-light-idioms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/knowledge-is-light-idioms\/","title":{"rendered":"Knowledge is Light Idioms"},"content":{"rendered":"

Idioms are expressions or phrases that have figurative* meaning that is different from the literal** meaning of the words that make up the expression or phrase.\u00a0 Generally idioms require some foundational information or experience within a culture to understand their meaning.\u00a0 Most of the time idioms are so culturally dependent that the same idioms do not exist in the same form in more than one culture or language.\u00a0 There are times when the metaphoric*** meaning of an idiom can be figured out just by thinking about the phrase, while other times the meaning of an idiom only becomes clear through the repeated hearing and usage of the phrase or if someone explains it.\u00a0 There are an estimated 25,000+ idioms in the English.\u00a0 That\u2019s a lot of idioms!\u00a0 It would take a whole lifetime to learn all of these idioms – not even native speakers of English know all of these idioms.<\/p>\n

Today we will look at a few of these 25,000 idioms by reviewing a group of idioms that all have to do with the idea of knowledge being connected to light.\u00a0 Often in English there is a metaphoric connection between light, knowledge, and understanding.\u00a0 Alternatively, the concept of darkness is often connected to a lack of understanding and ignorance.<\/p>\n

Here are a group of idioms (each is in quotes) related to the idea that \u2018knowledge is light\u2019 and one idiom about the opposite, \u2018darkness is ignorance.\u2019\u00a0 The meaning of the idiom is next to each one.<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cto see the light\u201d –>\u00a0 to come to understand or know
\n2.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cto see ____ in a whole new light\u201d –>\u00a0 to see something in a new way
\n3.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cit dawned**** on me\u201d\u00a0 –> to have understanding come to you
\n4.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cbeyond the shadow of a doubt\u201d\u00a0 –> to have certain knowledge
\n5.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cto be plain as day\u201d –>\u00a0 to be obvious or clear
\n6.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cto be in the dark\u201d –>\u00a0 to be ignorant or uniformed
\n7.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cto shed some light on\u201d\u00a0 –> to clarify or make something known<\/p>\n

Learning idioms take practice.\u00a0 Each idiom has it\u2019s own unique meaning and if you change one or two words in the idiomatic phrase often the entire idiom no longer has the same meaning or any meaning at all.\u00a0 Below are example sentences using each of the idioms I introduced above.\u00a0 These sentences will hopefully help you better understand the meaning of these idioms and how to use them in everyday conversations.<\/p>\n

1. After not being able to pay his credit card bill for the third month in a row, Bill finally saw the light<\/em> and began to spend less money.
\n2. After having my first child I saw<\/em> the job of parenting in a whole new light<\/em>.
\n3. One day it dawned on me<\/em> that I was not going to be happy working as a secretary my whole life.\u00a0 That is when I decided to go back to school.
\n4. My audition went incredibly well.\u00a0 I am sure, beyond a shadow of a doubt<\/em>, that I will be asked to play the star role in the school play.
\n5. It is<\/em> plain as day<\/em> to me that Karen and Tom need to break up.\u00a0 They are always fighting.\u00a0 Why don\u2019t they see this themselves?
\n6. My mom is<\/em> completely in the dark<\/em> about our plans for her birthday party this weekend.\u00a0 It is going to be a great surprise!
\n7. I wish the professor would shed some light<\/em> on what the final exam will look like.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know how to prepare for the test.<\/p>\n

Once you feel confident that you know how to use these idioms you might try working them into your vocabulary.\u00a0 I think of idioms as adding \u2018flavor\u2019 to everyday speech; it can make what you say more interesting.\u00a0 Using idioms correctly also shows you have a solid command of English vocabulary.<\/p>\n

* figurative = words or phrases that depart from the most common meaning to take on a new meaning
\n** literal = words in their usual or most basic sense
\n*** metaphorical (metaphor) = when one thing represents or is a symbolic for something else
\n**** \u2018dawned\u2019 is verb related to the noun \u201cdawn\u201d which is the word for the first appearance of light in the sky before you can see the sun<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

Idioms are expressions or phrases that have figurative* meaning that is different from the literal** meaning of the words that make up the expression or phrase.\u00a0 Generally idioms require some foundational information or experience within a culture to understand their meaning.\u00a0 Most of the time idioms are so culturally dependent that the same idioms do…<\/p>\n

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