12 a child grows up and the progress will be significant or develops rapidly when
children are in pres-school years Lightbown Spada, 1993. Thus, Clark explains this process as complex and takes long time while children may still have
around fifty words and then develop the words into hundreds as cited on Carter, 1998, p. 184.
Apart from it, the vocabulary learning is important for it deals with knowing how to use the word syntactically, semantically and pragmatically
Carter, 1998, p. 232. To clarify this statement, the researcher mentions a perspective about vocabulary from another expert. Thornbury 2002 shows the
perspective of the linguist, David Wilkins related to the importance of vocabulary that without grammar, there are little things to say and without vocabulary we
have nothing to convey. By studying grammar at the most of time will not improve English skills. More improvement lies on how the learners learn words
and expressions in vocabulary not in grammar. It will make the learners can say anything with words although with low grammar p. 13.
Nonetheless, vocabulary has been a difficult matter for ESL English as Second Language students particularly. The hardness of learning vocabulary is
clearer as Gleason 1961 asserts that vocabulary can be very easy but this is what students fear most p. 7. Carter 1998 has a certain view that vocabulary
becomes less important element in learning a second language due to more specialization on syntax and phonology p. 184. Based on previous descriptions,
the researcher posits vocabulary learning theory as its relevance with English idiom learning. The relevancy of those two is clarified with the position of idioms
13 as fixed expression as well.
Carter 1998 presents “fixed expression” like English idioms as the example of vocabulary in discourse, memorization type, and
language-focused learning type p. 230. Hence, the researcher refers to some theories of vocabulary learning Carter, 1998. The theories comprised of:
a. Memorization
This shows that words cannot be learned effectively in context and thus it needs to be assimilated as single items. The realization can be providing the list of
words of target language and the translation in mother tongue. Furthermore,
picture and other means of graphical representation are provided Carter, 1998. b.
Vocabulary in Discourse
The vocabulary development focuses on written text which includes the reading activities that become the part of explicit teaching. The main purpose of
vocabulary teaching-based discourse is to help the learners encode and negotiate the ways in which items can be scaled in relation to each other for different
communicative functions Carter, 1998, p. 222. Lexical discourse also plays a
major role for learning fixed expressions such as English idioms. c.
Language-focused Learning
This type of learning focuses on language item and includes the learning of vocabulary and grammar. The activities and techniques cover direct learning,
intensive reading, and training in vocabulary strategies Nation, 2003, p.1. Direct learning involves the learners to study the meaning of words, the written and
spoken words and how to use them. Regarding to the vocabulary theory from Carter 1998, Thornburry 2002 presents some ways how to remember the
14 words in vocabulary learning such as through long-term memory that seems to
have enormous capacity and is durable over time. The research findings which are related to word learning include repetition; the way of memorising new material
or repeat an item, retrieval; retrieving or recalling word from memory, and mnemonics; retrieving items stored in memory which are not retrievable
Thornburry, 2002, p. 24.
4. Theory of Fluency in English
The theory of fluency is closely related to the use of idioms. According to Fillmore 1979 the term „fluency‟ is specifically defined into four different kinds
as cited in Brumfitt, 1984. The four kinds of fluency include 1 ability to talk without significant pauses, 2 ability to talk in semantically dense sentences, 3
ability to say appropriate things in a wide range of contexts, 4 ability to be creative and imaginative in language use such as creating metaphors, jokes, puns,
varying styles, etc.
5. Idioms and Other Types of Fixed Expression
English language possesses much variety related to the study of words pattern and meaning. Previous studies have shown that language changes as time
goes by and it is called historical or diachronic linguistics Hockett, 1958, p. 303. According to Lyons 1995 semantics is traditionally defined as the study of
meaning. In the study of meaning, there are several types of theories of meaning as in referential meaning denotation theory that focuses on the meaning of an
expression to which it refers to or stands for Lyons, 1995, p. 40. Apart from the importance of the study of meaning, Boer 1982 affirms, “having a large
15 vocabulary is valuable asset in speaking and writing.” He means that the
effectiveness of speaking and writing is determined by the large measure of words you know. Thus, this makes choice of words is important p. 42.
Boer 1982 classifies the choice of words, how those words differ. The classification includes denotation, connotation, trite expression, figurative
language, and especially idiomatic expressions p. 42. Idioms are different from other types of words choice as explained below:
a. Denotative meaning
Denotative meaning stands for something that is called referent, for example rocks, horse, etc Boer, 1982.
b. Connotative meaning
It has collocations that are called connotations, for instance cheap which refers to low price and has unfavourable connotation of “being of little value” Boer, 1982,
p. 43. c.
Trite expressions
It is one of figures of speech and also known as clichés for example good as gold, green with envy, cool as cucumber, quick as flash, etc Boer, 1982.
d. Figurative Language
Figurative language is commonly known as figures of speech that makes comparison or use words in an unusual way Boer, 1982, p. 50. The most
common figures of speech in figurative language are simile and metaphor. Simile
