Исследовательская работа на тему: “How can you speak about your emotions using the idioms?”

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Исследовательская работа на тему:

“How can you speak about your emotions using the idioms?”

                                                                        Выполнила:

                                                                        Дарья Андреевна Бурмистрова        

                                                                        15.10.2008 г.р.

                                                                        ученица 10-А класса

                                                                        ГБОУ СОШ №263

                                                                  Руководитель работы:

                                                                  Татьяна Александровна Аниканова

                                                                  тлф.: +7 (911) 740-64-70

                                                                       e-mail: tanikanova@yandex.ru

Санкт-Петербург

2025

Contents:

1. Introduction – p. 3

• The actuality
• The aim
• The tasks
• The hypothesis

2. The main part – pp. 5-12

• Plutchik’s theory of emotions
• Joy (the definition of the emotion, idioms from the weakest to the strongest + brief history of every idiom)
• Trust (the definition of the emotion, idioms from the weakest to the strongest + brief history of every idiom)
• Fear (the definition of the emotion, idioms from the weakest to the strongest + brief history of every idiom)
• Surprise (the definition of the emotion, idioms from the weakest to the strongest + brief history of every idiom)
• Sadness (the definition of the emotion, idioms from the weakest to the strongest + brief history of every idiom)
• Disgust (the definition of the emotion, idioms from the weakest to the strongest + brief history of every idiom)
• Anger (the definition of the emotion, idioms from the weakest to the strongest + brief history of every idiom)
• Anticipation (the definition of the emotion, idioms from the weakest to the strongest + brief history of every idiom)

3. Conclusion – p. 13
4. Supplements – pp. 14-18
5. The list of literature (Bibliography) – pp. 19-20

Introduction

• The actuality of my research is to level up language knowledge. This project is relevant because it directly addresses the need to improve English fluency, cultural understanding, communication skills and critical thinking, it is necessary for success in academic, professional, and social settings.

Have you ever been in a situation when you want to speak about your feelings in English but you cannot find the right words? It is not a problem for us, Russians, to speak clearly about our feelings and emotions. For example, if you search on the Internet ‘synonyms to the word “happy” in Russian’ you can find up to 200 of them. If you search the same for the English ‘happy’ you’ll see only about 16. So, what should we do? There is a solution. Idioms can be used.

It is really important to study the language beyond the school program to know how you can speak non-standardly and keep up-to-date with the modern English. The English language changes very quickly and school books are not always actual. More than that, we do not study idioms at school but I know that we can meet some of them in the exam tasks after the 9th form.  

• The hypothesis of my research is to prove that the role of idioms in language is to create the necessary emotional mood background to understand the meaning of speech. Idioms do not carry a semantic load, but an emotional one.
• The aim: studying the idioms about feelings and their usage, and sharing this knowledge with the listeners to help them introduce these idioms to their everyday speech.

• The tasks:

• To find the materials and sources to study the idioms about feelings and emotions
• To choose the most appropriate idioms for expressing feelings
• To learn the history of the chosen idioms
• To create a scale of the idioms for different emotions according to the strength of the feeling

The main part

• Plutchik’s theory of emotions (Supplement 1)

Plutchik was born in 1927 in the USA. He was a psychologist and authored or co-authored more than 260 articles, 45 chapters and eight books and edited seven books. His research interests included the study of emotions, the study of suicide and violence, and the study of the psychotherapy process. Psychologist Robert Plutchik created the Plutchik Model. It shows there are 8 basic emotions: joy, trust, fear, surprise, sadness, anticipation, anger, and disgust. Plutchik’s wheel of emotions organizes these 8 basic emotions based on the physiological purpose of each. The eight sectors are designed to indicate that there are eight primary emotions: anger, anticipation, joy, trust, fear, surprise, sadness and disgust. Each primary emotion has a polar opposite. These are based on the physiological reaction each emotion creates in animals and people. Joy is the opposite of sadness. (Physiology: Connect vs withdraw). Fear is the opposite of anger. (Physiology: Get small and hide vs get big and loud). Anticipation is the opposite of surprise. (Physiology: Examine closely vs jump back). Disgust is the opposite of trust. (Physiology: Reject vs embrace). The emotions with no colour represent an emotion that is a mix of the 2 primary emotions. For example, anticipation and joy combine to be optimism. Joy and trust combine to be love. The cone’s vertical dimension represents intensity – emotions intensify as they move from the outside to the centre of the wheel, which is also indicated by the colour: The darker the shade, the more intense the emotion. For example, anger at its least level of intensity is annoyance. At its highest level of intensity, anger becomes rage. Or, a feeling of boredom can intensify to loathing if left unchecked, which is dark purple. This theory was published in American Scientist in 2001.^[1]

• Joy (Supplement 2)

A feeling of great happiness.^[2] 

“Happy as a clam”.  Content and satisfied. This phrase is a shortened form of the full expression, which is happy as a clam at high water.^[3]

“Like a dog with two tails”. Delighted.  The earliest occurrence that I have found is from a letter from Zebulan Harrowtooth, in Boston, to his uncle, Jonathan Hoehandle. “I suppose you remember Sam Sharpshins, who was whipped at the academy in Floggemwell, two or three years ago, for stealing pigs out of `Squire Pinchbelly`s pen. He is a great merchant here now, and swaggers like a dog with two tails”.^[4]

“Fool`s paradise”. Happiness predicated on ignoring potential problems or troubles. First time it was used by Shakespeare in the novel “Romeo and Juliet”. Juliet said “Let me tell ye, if ye should lead her into a fool`s paradise, as they say, it was a very gross kind of behavior”.^[5]

“Tickled pink”. Pink colour associate with feeling great. This expression derives from tickled meaning pleased or delighted, which dates from the 16th century. Shakespeare used the expression in Coriolanus Act I, Scene I, “tickled with good success”. Tickled pink, however, is a much newer expression dating from the late 19th/early 20th century, possibly from as sociation with in the pink meaning in good condition or health, but more likely from the pink or reddish flush that some people give off when they are happy or excited.^[6]

“On cloud nine”. Being extremely cheerful, thrilled, or very excited about a person, situation, opportunity, or event. This phrase was in 1950 in the drama “Johnny Dollar” by Shakespeare. The main character often fainted away and was on the ninth cloud, on which he started feeling normal.^[7]

• Trust (Supplement 3)

To believe that someone is good and honest and will not harm you.^[8]

“Let your hair down”. To relax and enjoy yourself without worrying what other people will think. Maybe this phrase was from women`s oldest hair style. In 17th century women had to wear large and uncomfortable hair styles and when they were in a calm place, they might not have such hair styles.^[9] 

“Put your trust in”. This expression means that you should have confidence in someone or something. The phrase is a shortened form of a proverb ‘put your trust in God, and keep your powder dry’.^[10]

“Straight shooter”. A “straight shooter” is an idiom used to describe someone who has no hidden agenda or ulterior motive and is straightforward in their dealings with others. This informal phrase alludes to a person who speaks in an honest and direct way, like the straight path of a bullet shot from a gun. It has been in American slang since the latter half of the 1900s.^[11]

“Wear one`s heart on one`s sleeve”. To make your feelings and opinions obvious to other people. The history of this idiom began in the Middle Ages. The knights tied up a red tape from their girlfriends and it meant love for them.^[12]

• Fear (Supplement 4)

A strong, unpleasant feeling that you get when you think that something bad, dangerous, or frightening might happen.^[13]

“Have kittens”. To say that you`re going to have kittens is a dramatic way of expressing worry, anxiety or fear. This phrase appeared in the beginning of the 20th century when particularly painful pregnancies were thought to be as a result of a witch’s curse. Instead of being with child, the woman was thought to have kittens inside her, clawing to get out. Women who believed this to be true and who were experiencing pain over the course of their pregnancy would become hysterical at the thought that they and their babies had been cursed by a witch.^[14]

“Show the white feather”. The people who ran from war service were given the white feathers. And now the white feather is a synonym for fear.^[15] 

“Afraid of one`s own shadow”. A person who is afraid of his/her own shadow is very nervous or easily frightened. This phrase has been used in English since the early 1500s, and some writers believe it originated in ancient Greece.Socrates says in the Phaedo of Plato, “But you, afraid of your shadow, as they say”.^[16]

“Whistle in the dark”. If you whistle in the dark, you try to hide your fear and pretend to be brave in a scary or dangerous situation. The literal idea is a very old one, attested to by John Dryden in Amphitryon (1690): “I went darkling, and whistling to keep myself from being afraid.”^[17]

• Surprise (Supplement 5)

The feeling that you get when something happens that you did not expect.^[18]

“Drop a bombshell”. Drop a bombshell means to reveal shocking or surprising news or information. This phrase was born in World War I.^[19]

“Pull the rug out from under someone”. To suddenly surprise or shock someone by taking away support or stability. One possible theory is that the phrase comes from an earlier expression that dates back to the 16th century: to cut the grass under someone's feet. The term may have evolved into "pulling the rug from under" someone over time as rugs became more common and valuable household items.^[20]

“Knock someone`s socks off”. The idiom is used to amaze or impress someone to the point of astonishment. The phrase “knock or blow someone’s socks off” was initially put on record in the American South (the southern United States) in the 1940s, where this phrase referred as defeating someone in the fight.^[21]

“Once in a blue moon”. Blue colour in English language means something bad, depression, but this idiom has another meaning. The idiom is about the illusion of the blue moon, which can appear 1 time in 2.7 years.^[22] 

• Sadness (Supplement 6)

Unhappy or making you feel unhappy.^[23]

“Face like a wet weekend”. Someone who looks unhappy, sad, or miserable. The phrase came from ‘a wet weekend’ which means a boring or disappointing experience.^[24]

“I am feeling blue”. People use this idiom when feeling melancholy or depression. Many years ago people associated blue colour with rain and thought that when God was sad, the rain started.^[25]

“One’s heart sinks”. Disappointed and discouraged; to become depressed; to lose hope; to become anxious and pessimistic. This expression was first recorded in 1605 but was preceded in the 15th century by ‘one's heart is at one's heels’.^[26]

“Reduce to tears”. This idiom means to make someone cry or to be so unhappy, and down that, you begin to cry.^[27]

“Feel down in the dumps”. You are feeling very depressed and miserable. The noun “dumps” has been used for "a state of depression" since the early 1500s, and ‘down in the’ refers to the downturned corners of the mouth as a sign of misery.^[28]

• Disgust (Supplement 7)

A very strong feeling of dislike or disapproval.^[29]

“To give/get cold shoulder”. Unfriendly treatment of a person, a showing of dislike for a person or of looking down on a person. Some people think that first time it was used by Walter Scott in book “The Antiquary” in 1816. But others think that it is said so because welcomed guests were given hot food while unwelcomed guests had to eat cold mutton shoulder. There is another theory. At the end of the 19th century women went up to the 2nd floor with ice on their shoulders and they couldn`t stay still and speak to somebody.^[30]

“It turns my stomach”. To make someone feel sick, to cause one to feel or become nauseated. This idiom alludes to being so nauseated that one vomits-that is, the stomach in effect turns around and brings up food. It was first recorded in 1622.^[31]

“It makes my skin crawl”. To cause one to feel extremely disgusted. This expression alludes to the revulsion one feels from having something, such as an insect, crawl over one’s skin. It has been used figuratively, in the form of “make one’s flesh creep,” since the 1700’s. This version appeared in Gulliver’s Travels by Jonothan Swift (1727):

“…we all entered the gate of the palace between two rows of guards, armed and dressed after a very antique manner, and something in their countenances that made my flesh creep with a horror I cannot express.”

The more common variant, “make one’s skin crawl” is newer, having appeared in the late 1800’s.^[32]

• Anger (Supplement 8)

A strong feeling against someone who has behaved badly, making you want to shout at them or hurt them.^[33] 

“Bear with a sore head”. If someone is behaving like a bear with a sore head, they are very irritable and bad-tempered. "He's as cross as a bear with a sore ear," was an old variant found in literature. While the exact origins are unclear, the saying might originate from the literal scenario of encountering a bear with an injury. Such an animal would indeed be agitated, making it a fitting analogy for someone's foul mood.^[34]

“To drive someone up the wall”. If somebody or something drives you up the wall, they do something that greatly annoys or irritates you. The image here is forcing a person to escape a pest by literally climbing up and over a wall. The current cliché dates from the twentieth century, and probably comes from the behaviour of an addict deprived of drugs or alcohol who actually tries to climb the walls of a room or cell in desperation.^[35]

“To blow a fuse”. If you blow a fuse, you suddenly lose your temper and become very angry. This phrase draws its origin from the literal act of a fuse, a safety device used to protect electrical circuits from overloading, overheating, or short-circuiting. When a fuse blows, it interrupts the flow of electricity, causing a disruption in the circuit. Similarly, when someone “blows a fuse,” they experience a sudden disruption in their emotional state, resulting in an outburst of anger or frustration.^[36]

“To see red”. It means to be very angry as an ox when it sees a red rag. One of the theories says when a person is angry her/his pressure levels up and skin becomes red.^[37] 

• Anticipation (Supplement 9)

The excited feeling of waiting for something to happen.^[38]

“Lick one's chops”. To anticipate something eagerly. To show one's impatience or excitement to do something. It originated during the 1800s from the natural behavior of animals who literally lick their chops (mouths) in anticipation of a meal.^[39]

“Rub one's hands together”. To eagerly anticipate an activity. To be in keen or greedy anticipation (of something). This metaphoric term alludes to the actual rubbing together of one's hands to express pleasure.^[40]

“Can’t contain myself”. When you cannot contain your excitement any longer, it means that it is so strong that it is bursting out of every pore in your body, and this idiom reflects this sentiment. It means that your emotions are overwhelming and powerful, making it difficult to stay still or keep calm. if you cannot contain yourself, you cannot prevent yourself from showing your feelings.

Conclusion

At the end of my research I want to say that I have worked out all my tasks and have leveled up my language knowledge. According to the results of my research, I can say that I have found the idioms about our emotions for everyday speech. I can say that using idioms our speech does not sound flatly. Thanks to idioms you can speak more creativity and be more understandable for native speakers.

Supplements

Supplement 1:

Supplement 2:

Supplement 3:

Supplement 4:

Supplement 5:

Supplement 6:

Supplement 7:

Supplement 8:

Supplement 9:

The list of literature (Bibliography)

1. Козлов В.В., Крапивкина О.А. Об истории происхождения некоторых английских идиом с названиями частей тела
2. Колобкова Н.Н. Этимология и значение английских идиом с названиями животных 2017
3. Фильчакова В.Д. Этимология происхождения английских идиом, содержащих компонент цветообозначения
4. Cambridge Dictionary
5. The dictionary of Cliches
6. The Free Dictionary by Farlex
7. U.S. Dictionary
8. https://blog.lillypad.ai/idioms
9. https://dzen.ru/a/YnOsLbeOhVp73z_s
10. https://grammarist.com/idiom/bust-ones-chops-and-lick-ones-chops/
11. https://idiomorigins.org/origin/tickled-pink
12. https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com
13. https://leverageedu.com/explore/learn-english/idioms-for-surprise/
14. https://lillypadenglish.medium.com/7-best-idioms-for-trust-c1b37f694a9b
15. https://preply.com/en/blog/6-english-idioms-that-express-sadness/
16. https://thecontentauthority.com/blog/how-to-use-blow-a-fuse-in-a-sentence
17. https://translate.academic.ru/like%20a%20bear%20with%20a%20sore%20head/en/ru/
18. https://wordhistories.net/2018/11/29/dog-two-tails/?msg=fail
19. https://writingexplained.org/idiom-dictionary/happy-as-a-clam
20. https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/down-in-the-dumps_1
21. https://www.idioms.online/make-ones-skin-crawl/
22. https://www.learn-english-today.com/idioms/idiom-categories/anxiety-fear/anxiety-fear1.html
23. https://www.study.ru/article/idioma-nedeli/idioma-nedeli-to-be-on-cloud-nine
24. https://www.theidioms.com/
25. https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/drive+someone+up+the+wall.html