Biblical idioms in English -- Behind beliefs, Unit4

Biblical idioms in English

-- Behind beliefs, Unit4

The Bible has abundant idioms.

Idioms are part of language.

English idioms are mostly from the Bible , the Greek mythology & Shakespeare’s works.

Examples

三个臭皮匠， 顶个诸葛亮泥菩萨过河， 自身难保挂羊头，卖狗肉

Forbidden fruit

Apple of Adam

A living dog is better than a dead lion.

禁果喉结

好死不如赖活

Step1 Fast reading

1. What is an idiom?

2. Which language was the Bible first written in?

3. Which idiom is often used to describe children?

step2 Further reading

Task1 Read Para 3-5 & answer the following questions:

1.Why does the Bible have a lot of idioms?

2.What are the features of Biblical idioms?

3.How many idioms are mentioned in this part?

The features of Biblical idioms (Para3-5) :

a. Biblical idioms originally had

straightforward and clear meanings.

b. Many idioms from the Bible use animals to create an image.

c. Another focus of Biblical idioms is often food or things related to food.

How many idioms are mentioned in this part?

feet of clay

a little bird told me

kill the fatted calf

apple of their parents’ eye

the salt of the earth

How do you understand them?

task2 Reading strategyWhen understanding idioms, it’s useful to

consider the use of analogy, which is a particular type of ___________.

Make an analogy when creating a specific image and then compare it to something that is _______.

_______ can be found in the context when analogy is hard to guess.

have an analogy with/to…

与…具有相似之处

comparison

similar

Clues

Task3 A further understanding of the idioms.

Talk about the origins of them.

“feet of clay”

A hidden weakness in somebody whom we admire or respect.

“A little bird told me.”

“A bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.” (hath=has)

This is used when people want to say that they know something but not who gave them the information.

“kill the fatted calf.” [Luke15]

It comes from a story in the Bible.the son- leave home- mend one’s way - in honour of his return- family.

It means producing one‘s best food to celebrate, especially at a prodigal’s return. ( 浪子回头 )

Have a large celebration.

“Apple of the eye”

[ Psalm17,8]

A prayer of David :

“keep me as the apple of your eye,

hide me in the shadow of your wing.”

求你保护我，如同保护眼中的瞳仁； 求你将我隐藏， 于你翅膀之荫下。

“Salt of the earth.”

[ Matthew5,13]

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.”

Very good and honest person.

First create an image in your mind.Look at the context or the origins .Find out the analogy /metaphor in the

context.Underline the message or the moral of a

story in the idiom.

Line15 moral n. A lesson or principle taught by a story. 寓言

Step3 Further study and discussion

Learn to have a better understanding of more Biblical idioms & appreciate the origins of them.

“ Wolf in sheep’s clothing”

How do you understand this idiom?

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.”

-- Matthew7,15

“Eye for eye , tooth for tooth.”

-- Exodus21,24

The topic of this idiom may be the following:

A. revenge B. eye and tooth

C. love D. punishment

When the Lord brought the people out of the land of Egypt, out of the bondage,

he set the judgements against violence before men.

This reveals the ancient Jewish ethics of revenge and punishment.

Anyone to break the law will be punished .

“Road spreading the palm branches.”

“Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields.”

-- Mark11,8

(The triumphal entry of Jesus to Jerusalem)

What does “the palm branches” mean?

It refers to honorable success or glorious achievements.

Step4 Activity - role play

Do you have a preference for an idiom?

Please make a conversation or a performance using your favorite one.

Tips:

feet of clay

a little bird told me

kill the fatted calf

apple of their parents’ eye

the salt of the earth

wolf in sheep’s clothing

Eye for eye, tooth for tooth

the road spreading the palm trees

Step5 Discussion& conclusion

Why do you think idioms are important?

The sun also rises --- Ernest Hemingway

Lost paradise --- John Milton

太阳照常升起

失乐园

List the benefits of learning idioms

1) improving your _______________2) Developing a high level of competence in

your _____________ ___________3) Giving help to you if you want to be an

_____________or ______________4 ） Better _____________ and

____________ the _________ and _____________ of English-speaking countries

comprehension

communication skills

interpreterunderstanding

translator

appreciating history culture

“English idioms are carriers of history and culture .” -- the end

Thank you!

Step6 Revision & Consolidation

Fill in the following form with proper words according to your comprehension of the text.

The definition of an idiom

A group of words or an expression whose meaning can only be understood by looking at the (1) meaning of the words in it

Using a number of words to represent a single object ,person or concept, etc

The (2)

of learning idioms

(3) your comprehension

Developing a high level of competence in your communication skills

Giving (4) to you if you want to be an interpreter or translator

Better understanding and appreciating the history and culture of English-speaking countries

The (5)

of Biblical Idioms

The

Bible

(6) of image

(8) (9)

Feet of clay A hidden weakness

(7) A little bird told me Used when people want to say that they know something but not who told them

Kill the fatted calf Having a large celebration

Food- related

Apple of their parents

Meaning their parents love them very much when children are (10) as the apple

The salt of the earth A good and honest person

Whole/complete

benefitImproving

Examples

help

Meanings

regarded

Animal-related

originTypes

Thank you!