On the status of some stable units in the discourse of a small social group

The article considers some stable phrasal units which are composed of more than one word and function in the language of a small social group. These units are close to idioms, but they differ from them in one or another phraseological parameter. To designate such units, the term "phraseoid" is proposed; phraseoids are classified based on the parameters of the situation in which they are used. In this classification, the author distinguishes two groups of phraseoids: the ones that characterize the situation, and those that organize the discourse. Subtypes of the units in question are specified for each group. The article also refers to some peculiarities of the use of phraseoids in speech. Therewith the author considers the question about the existence of some uniform criteria to define phraseological units as such (more than one word in a unit, stability of its use, repeatability and idiomacity). Every phraseoid subtype is considered from the point of view of a "failed" criterion, which does not allow one to definitely attribute phraseoids of this subtype to the class of idioms. The research is based on original language materials gathered by the method of involved observation. They include phraseoids that function in the speech of two connected small social groups united by common interests. The phraseoids in question are analyzed in comparison with a more general background including units used by young people. The author cites some contexts in which phraseoids are used, as well as gives some information about the sources of units. The sociocultural importance and the capability of these units to act as a "storage" of the cultural information of social groups are pointed out; however, there is a difference between the information contained in the units in question and the information contained in traditional commonly used idioms. The question about a different mechanism of forming such units is raised by the author at the end of the article.