idiomatically

Idiomatic adverb: idiomatically

Definition

Idiomatic is an English adjective describing language that uses idioms or expressions whose figurative meaning is not deducible from the literal meanings of the words. Idiomatically, then, refers to performing or expressing something in a way that conforms to the idioms of a language, rather than literally or structurally.

Etymology

The noun idiom denotes a fixed expression with a figurative meaning. The adjective idiomatic is derived from idiom, with the sense of belonging to the idioms of a language. The adverb idiomatically is formed by adding the suffix -ally to the adjective, yielding the sense “in an idiomatic manner.”

Usage

In linguistics, idiomatically describes whether speech or writing sounds natural to native speakers because it follows conventional idioms. In language teaching and writing, it is used to assess or encourage usage that aligns with common, non-literal expressions, while avoiding overuse or inappropriate idioms.

Examples

The expression “kick the bucket” is idiomatic; it means to die and is used idiomatically rather than literally. A sentence such as “She speaks idiomatically” or “The dialogue sounds idiomatically American” indicates that the language uses familiar, non-literal phrases. Conversely, phrases that are literal or stilted may be described as not idiomatic.

Related terms

Idioms, idiomaticity, figurative language, and phraseology are closely related. Idiomatically is a stylistic descriptor often relevant in corpus studies, translation, and second-language acquisition.