Pokonferencyjna

part of standard speech in business, edu-
cation and mass media. L2  learners are 
expected to comprehend a wide range of 
common idioms, which can be colorful 
and advantageous for applying them in 
every day communication or for scientific 
purposes. Idioms were, are and will be an 
object of research for many scientists. 
Every time we (learners) find out a lot of 
interesting in the idiomatic sphere while 
reading authentic materials and without 
help of special idiomatic dictionaries we 
are not able to grasp those expressions’ 
meanings. Learners, having B2 or C1 lev-
els in the CEFR, may come across some 
hindrance in comprehension. I think even 
native speakers are not insured against it.
But now I would like to dwell on an-
other issue in more detail. Every time, 
when you meet new idioms, at least for a 
second you might be curious: where did 
they come from? After all, every constitu-
ent may have its history; therefore, every 
idiom should have its origin. Some of them 
were introduced into the language by writ-
ers, others originate in the Bible, and oth-
ers came from other languages, such as 
French and Latin. But whatever the stories 
of their origin after reading some of them, 
one will look at the idioms with other eyes, 
and they will not seem more complicated 
or incomprehensible to them. It’s raining 
cats and dogs- to rain heavily.
There are many assumptions about the 
origin of this idiom. Some of them are hard 
of believe, others, perhaps, were invented 
by people, loving colorful stories etc.
In the distant 1500s, when it was still 
very far from modern architecture, the 

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12 
MONOGRAFIA POKONFERENCYJNA
roofs of the houses were covered with a 
thick layer of straw, which made them a