Abstract
This paper introduces a comparative approach to the structural patterns of verbal phraseological units in English and Albanian. The structural criterion brings forth pronounced distinctive features characterising phraseological units and especially contrasting them to free word-groups. In the same way as we speak of word patterns, the structure of phraseological units is also based on certain patterns. In this paper we are going to focus on verbal phraseological units which compared to free word-groups have structural stability, semantic unity and figurativeness. Both languages, English and Albanian are very rich in such phrases and share some similarities. Structural invariability is an essential feature of phraseological units, though, as we shall see, some of them possess it to a lesser degree than others. Structural invariability of phraseological units finds expression in a number of restrictions. The aim of this study is to find out the main restrictions regarding the structure of verbal phraseological units and to give the main structural patterns in both languages. Their structure is contrasted and compared by use of examples in English and Albanian as well. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2013.v4n13p637
Highlights
Phraseological units, or idioms, represent what can probably be described as the most picturesque, colourful and expressive part of the language's vocabulary
Phraseological units are defined as units made up of at least two words, as unique combinations of words not created according to a certain pattern and no other combinations can be created
Structural invariability is an essential feature of phraseological units, though some of them possess it to a lesser degree than others. (Ginzburg, R.S./ Khiedel, S.S./Knyazeva, Sankin, A.A.,1999)
Summary
Phraseological units, or idioms, represent what can probably be described as the most picturesque, colourful and expressive part of the language's vocabulary. Combinatory abilities of phraseological units are different from the combinatory abilities of regular language. This means that elements of idiomatic units can combine only with particular elements. Phraseological units are expressions which have been used over time so frequently that they lose their special features and which many speakers are familiar with. They are characterised by paradigmatic fixity, as elements part of phraseological units are not substitutable in the same place in a particular context
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