idiomers

Idiomer is a term used in linguistics to denote the smallest unit within an idiomatic expression that carries its non-literal or figurative meaning. The concept is meant to capture how idioms convey content that cannot be fully understood from the literal meanings of their component words. In this view, an idiomer functions as a unit of meaning that stands apart from the compositional semantics of the individual words.

The scope of idiomers can vary by approach. Some analyses treat idiomers as fixed multiword chunks that behave as a single semantic unit across usage and contexts. Other accounts see idiomers as abstract semantic components that may be realized by different lexical forms in related expressions, allowing for cross-lexeme generalization. In either case, identifying idiomers involves examining non-literal interpretation, lexicalization of the phrase, and the degree to which the expression resists compositional analysis.

Example usage of the idea is to analyze expressions such as “spill the beans” or “kick the bucket.” In such cases, the idiomer would be the element or unit that primarily drives the idiomatic meaning (to reveal a secret; to die), rather than the literal senses of individual words. However, pinpointing a single idiomer can be controversial, as idioms vary in opacity and may exhibit partial compositionality.

Debates around idiomers focus on criteria for constituency, cross-linguistic applicability, and practical utility in dictionaries and computational models. Proponents argue that idiomers aid formal analysis and annotation, while critics caution that the concept may be too fluid for consistent identification. See also idiom, figurative language, non-literal meaning, and lexicalization.