semiidiomatische

Semiidiomatische, or semi-idiomatic expressions, refer to a class of multiword expressions whose overall meaning is not entirely derived from the literal sum of their parts, yet is not fully fixed or opaque like a prototypical idiom. They occupy a middle ground on the spectrum between fully compositional phrases and fully idiomatic expressions. In semiidioms, part of the meaning can be predicted from the individual words, while another part relies on conventional, often figurative interpretation that may vary with context.

Characteristics include partial semantic transparency, flexible syntax, and context-dependent weight of figurative reading. A semi-idiom may tolerate substitutions or extensions that preserve the figurative sense only under certain conditions; in other contexts, the literal interpretation of the components may be more salient. This ambiguity can affect how speakers process the expression, how easily it is learned, and how it is translated into other languages.

Common sources of semi-idiomaticity include metaphorical extension, idiom-like fixedness in a portion of the construction, and the influence of discourse context on interpretation. Examples often cited include phrases such as “run into trouble,” which can be understood literally as colliding with trouble in a physical sense or figuratively as encountering difficulties; and “make room for,” which can denote creating physical space or, metaphorically, allocating attention or resources for something new.

In linguistics, semi-idioms present challenges for lexicography, natural language processing, and language pedagogy, because their meaning is not entirely predictable from form and may shift with context. They are studied in relation to idioms, collocations, and metaphor, highlighting the complexity of meaning construction in natural language.