Investigating the Contextual Meaning of Idioms of Animals in Some Selected English Colloquial Utterances

Abstract

English is rich of idioms. Learning idioms is considered an integral part of vocabulary learning. Idioms of animals are very popular in everyday English and ESL and EFL learners should encounter them .The problem of this study is due to the fact that ESL and EFL learners may be unable to identify the intended meaning of idioms of animals since they are culture-bound and have colloquial sense. For example, “to beat a dead horse” has the abstract meaning  talk about a topic other people think it is over whereas the contexual meaning is a failure or loser man. The current paper aims at identifying and figuring out the contextual meaning of idioms of animal. It is concluded:(1)ESL and EFL learners are unable to master these idioms because understanding their contextual meaning is difficult,(2) these idioms are culture-specific matter that needs further awareness of translators, ESL and EFL learners,(3)many ESL and EFL learners understand the literal meaning depending on dictionary meaning