(Berdyansk State Pedagogical University, 2015) Stryga, E. V.
The article deals with the nature of English idioms. The complementary nature of generated language and formulaic, conventionalized language in discourse has been discussed and the gradational nature of idiomatic language has been delineated. The metaphorical nature of much idiomatic language has been emphasized and the central importance of metaphorical multiword units in language use has been insisted upon. It has been proved that the origin of idioms is closely connected with people’s mentality.