[Lexicog] an English idiom

[Allan Johnson]

Hi Wayne,

> >> "My soul is swallowed up in sorrow."

I don't have any knowledge of whether this idiom has actually been used in
English, but it certainly communicates something to me (a native speaker of
American English from the Northwestern corner of the US).  It communicates
sorrow - a deep sorrow, made fuller by the figurative, poetic expression of
it.  Being "swallowed up" by this sorrow seems to communicate an idea of
completeness - a sorrow so overwhelming that nothing else matters anymore.
Saying it is "my soul" that is swallowed up in this sorrow adds still more
to its completeness.  My soul - the essence of all that I am; my very being
and existence - have been overtaken by this sorrow.

Allan J.



----- Original Message -----
From: "Wayne Leman" <wayne_leman at sil.org>
To: <lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Monday, April 18, 2005 3:30 AM
Subject: [Lexicog] an English idiom


>
> >
> > Wayne Leman asked:
> >
> >> Does anyone on this list know if the following is an extant English
> >> idiom:
> >>
> >> "My soul is swallowed up in sorrow."
> >>
> >> I have never heard it, but that doesn't, of course, mean that it
hasn't
> >> been
> >> used by some English speakers.
> >
> > Wayne,
> >
> > This is a literal translation of the Greek idiom PERILUPOS ESTIN hH
PSUCH
> > MOU 'deeply grieved is the soul of me' in Mk 14.34 and Mt 26.38 as
> > translated in the Holman Christian Study Bible.
>
> Right you are, John, but I was not able to get the English wording from
that
> Greek.
>
> > The rendering in NIV is very
> > similar, i.e. 'my soul is overwhelmed with sorrow'.
> >
> > Why would you think "My soul is swallowed up in sorrow" is an English
> > idiom?
>
> Since it was used in that English translation, I thought maybe the
> translators knew something I didn't. I have never heard of such an idiom,
so
> I thought I should ask folks on this list who know English idioms well.
>
> Wayne



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