Need help on these!!!!

[jomairan]

Hi! Can anybody please tell me if "shame on you" is an idiomatic expression or not? If it is not an idiomatic expression, what is it, then? And if "how dare you" are strong words what would be it's opposite, if there are any? My Korean friend is asking me about these and I cannot answer her.
I would really appreciate it if anybody can help me with these.
Thank you so much.

[Soup]

Hi jomairan

An idiomatic expression is particular to a culture. If a non-native English speaker can grasp the meaning of "shame on you" then it is not an idiom. My guess is that it is a fixed-expression that's not idiomatic.

I don't know if there is a polite way to express "how dare you", as its intended meaning is suppose to be strong.

[jomairan]

Please tell me if "shame on you" is an idiomatic expression... If it's not, what part of speech is it, then? I would really appreciate it if somebody can help me on this... Thank you so much in advance!!!!

[jomairan]

Thank you so much!

[heidita]

Originally Posted by Soup

Hi jomairan

An idiomatic expression is particular to a culture. If a non-native English speaker can grasp the meaning of "shame on you" then it is not an idiom.

That's a funny explanation of "idiom", soup. I think some idioms are very clear indeed. You don't need to be a native speaker to understand them all.

Actually, for shame on and shame on you IS stated as an idiom in Answers.com:

Idioms: for shame



Also, shame on you. An expression that condemns someone for being dishonorable or disgraceful. For example, "For shame," said Carol to the puppy, "You shouldn't have done that," or "Shame on you for cheating," the teacher said. [c. 1300]

[heidita]

Originally Posted by jomairan

And if "how dare you" are strong words what would be it's opposite, if there are any?

Let me see if we can say this:

How dare you accuse me ...!!

Would be like saying:

Don't you dare to accuse me....!!

so we might be able to say:

I dare you to accuse me....!!

That would be strong, too.

What do you think?

[David L.]

Don't you dare accuse me of....!!

so we might be able to say:
I dare you to accuse me....!!

No. In the first sentences, you are saying, don't utter one word of accusation.
In the second, you are daring somebody to utter an accusation, and with somebody who needs no encouragement to do so!

So, after the person does utter these words of accusation, where then does that leave you? I guess you would have to say:
How dare you! Take that back!

[heidita]

Hi David, jeje, but isn't that what the poster was looking for? The opposite of how dare you....would be "I dare you to....".