English Collocations, Idioms, and False
Friends:
Traps and Confusion for the Students of
English
as a Foreign Language
The main purpose of this thesis
is to show the importance of
collocations, idioms and false
friends, unknown structures for
many English learners.
Collocations
A grouping together of things in a
certain order, as of the words in a
sentence (Macmillan Dictionary)
The most frequent collocations:
Adjectives + nouns
e.g. 'major problem', 'strong
tea' , 'dark colour' etc.
Adverbs and adjectives
e.g. 'very good', 'amazingly
fast', 'absolutely perfect' etc.
Preposition + noun
combinations
e.g. by mistake, on advance,
on purpose, etc.
Futuristic Collocations
Smartpho
ne
Smartwat
ch
Smart TV
There is practically no real
difference because a computer can
be as smart as a smartphone and a
smartphone as powerful as a
computer.
Collocations vs. Search Engines/
Future Prospects
Basically, a search engine is based on the
same principle as a collocation: it analyzes
the co-occurrences between the words, and
also their rate of expectation during an
Internet-based search.
amusing videos
53.300.000
funny videos
1.630.000.000
Increase (in percentage)
+ 67,31%
Google France
10.700.000
1.650.000.000
+ 93,52%
Google Germany
29.100.000
1.640.000.000
+ 82,26%
Google Spain
15.100.000
1.640.000.000
+ 90,80%
Average
31.033.333
1.640.000.000
+ 83,47%
Google Romania
It is very possible that in the near future some collocations to be completely
substituted by some alternative combinations
Idioms
A group of words whose meaning is
different from the meanings of the
individual words. (Oxford Advanced
Learner's Dictionary )
Metaphors, Proverbs or Idioms?
Contain wisdom,
morals
Their meaning cannot
be decrypted
Make the language
more vivid
Proverbs
Metaphors
Frozen Similes
Problematic Idioms/Multimedia
Idioms
Frozen Similes Phrasal Verbs
Country &
Topic Specific
as cool as a
to take of =
cucumber =
to start flying
extremely calm
to keep on =
as nice as pie
to continue
= someone who
is surprisingly
nice
Big Apple
(AmE) = New
York
To spend a
penny (BrE) =
to go to the toilet
False Friends
A word that is often confused with a
word in another language with a
different meaning because the two
words look or sound similar (Cambridge
Advanced Learner's Dictionary)
Homograp
hs (words
that have
the same
spelling)
Homophon
es (words
that have
the same
pronunciati
on)
Common False
Friends/Language errors or
sources of humor
English word
Romanian false friend
Romanian meaning
Ban
Ban
Coin
Far
Far
Headlight
Magazine
Magazine
Shops
Camera
Camer
Room
Chef
Chef/ef
Party/leader
Crime
Crime
Murders
Cutie
Cutie
Box
Sensible
Sensibil
Sensitive
Fabric
Fabric
Factory
Shoulder
old
Hip
English word
French false friend
French meaning
Chance
Chance
Luck
Journey
Journe
Day
Coin
Coin
Corner
Car
Car
Coach
Chair
Chair
Flesh
Advertisement
Avertissement
Warning
Process
Procs
Trial
Quit
Quitter
To leave
Tissue
Tissu
Fabric
Cave
Cave
Cellar
English word
Spanish false friend
Spanish meaning
Direction
Direccin
Address
Particular
Particular
Private
Idiom
Idioma
Language
Rare
Raro
Strange
Rope
Ropa
Clothes
Once
Once
Eleven
Code
Codo
Elbow
Embarrassed
Embarazada
Pregnant
Parents
Parientes
Relatives
Gang
Ganga
Bargain
Romanian Students vs. Other
English Learners/Latin Learners
vs Non-Latin Learners
The Results of the Comparison
0%
Question 1
Question 2
Question 3
Question 4
Question 5
Question 6
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
26.60%
46.60%
90%
100%
15%
40%
26.60%
25%
46.60%
50%
73.30%
60%
33.30%
The percentage of correct answers (Survey 1)
10%
Coloan2
Conclusion
By reading this thesis, a foreign English learner will
develop and upgrade his/her language skills, learning
about structures that have a vital part in both written
and spoken language.
This thesis can be used in order to find the most
updated pieces of information available in this
moment: books and dictionary definitions,
comprehensive classifications, theories about the
future perspectives, and also a complete analysis of
these structures real-world impact.
