How often do you hear the phrase "the world did not converge like a wedge"? Do you know what she means? How and why did she appear? And what are such complex and at first incomprehensible phrases called? In this article you will find answers to these questions.
So, "the world did not converge like a wedge" - this is a phraseological unit. Let's take a closer look at what kind of "Chinese letter" is.
Phraseological units - what is it?
In all languages of our planet there are phraseological units. These are fixed phrases. All words in such an expression have one common meaning.
There are different types of phraseological units. If we are dealing with phraseological fusion, it can still be called a "strict" phraseological unit, then it is impossible to change something in it. The expression "beat the buckets", for example, cannot be disassembled into separate words, insert something "from oneself." And if we do this, then the meaning will change. Such phraseological units behave like mechanisms in the language: take away at least one detail from them - they stop working.
Less strict - unities and combinations. Unity is also a "strong" expression, but the words in them can still be pressed a little. So in the phrase "fall for the bait", you can insertpronouns, various objects, etc. You can "fall into someone's bait" or "fall into the bait of bandits."
Combinations are the most "freedom-loving" idioms. They also contain completely independent words, and there are also those that live only within the limits of their expression. In fact, the combination is a beautiful and competent union of words. For example, burn with shame, bosom friend, etc.
"The light came together like a wedge" - what does phraseologism mean?
The light has converged like a wedge on someone or something - this is how the expression sounds. We hear it more often with denial - "the world did not converge like a wedge." Why is that? Let's turn to the value.
Phraseologism means something unique, unique, irreplaceable. This is often said about people in a disapproving manner. We know that exceptional people do not exist in the philosophy of the people.
Therefore, when a girl gets hung up on a young man, relatives and friends tell her: "Your Vasenka is not a wedge of light!". This means that this guy is not as unique as the girl seems, and you should not suffer for him.
History of phraseology
Phraseologism owes its origin to the Slavs in Russia. In order to understand the meaning, you need to know the meaning of the word "wedge". Then this word was called a small piece of land owned by a poor peasant.
Phraseologism "the world has converged like a wedge" is metaphorical. The wedge here acts as something small, insignificant, limited. The light is the oppositerepresents something big, grandiose and important. If they say that a person has "a wedge of light", then they mean that he is fixated on something small and insignificant, when you need to turn your eyes to the vast world.
Moreover, in ancient times, the peasants divided the world into "white" and "black". Light was a symbol of the sun, sky, air. And the wedge is a symbol of something low, habitable, human. Light and wedge were opposed like heaven and earth, joy and misfortune.
Wedge is a symbol of limitation, light is a symbol of space. There are other phraseological units with these words:
- In the world, not in a wedge. The meaning is spacious.
- Light in the window. The meaning is one joy, hope.
- Get out of the light. The meaning is to spoil life.