An Experimental Investigationto Determine the Utility of Conceptual Metaphors and Metonymies in Enhancing Idiom Comprehension for EFL Undergraduate Learners of English

• Main Authors: Yu-Yin Feng, 馮玉印
• Other Authors: Ying-Hsueh Hu
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2004
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/47746064094158922133

碩士 === 淡江大學 === 英文學系碩士班 === 94 === The strategies of learning idioms for second language or foreign language learners have been restricted to treating them as inseparable units and to deciphering their figurative interpretations by using contextual cues, the literal meanings of the individual components, the learners’ background knowledge, or even by rote. However, in recent years, some research has suggested the functional role of conceptual metaphors and metonymies and their implication in assisting L2 learners to comprehend and acquire the meanings of idioms (Li, 2002, Boer & Demecheleer, 2001; Cacciari & Glucksberg, 1991Gibbs, 1992; Gibbs and O’Brien, 1990; Gibbs, Bogdanovich, Sykes, and Barr, 1997; Glucksberg, 1993; Nayak & Gibbs, 1990; Ruwet, 1983). The present study is an investigation of the utility of conceptual metaphors and metonymies in enhancing the idiom comprehension of EFL learners. The goals of the study are (1) what are the strategies these test subjects used and were they aware of the underlying metaphors and metonymies and meanings of the selected idioms, (2) will raising the awareness of these inherent cognitive devices facilitate better learning. If so, to what extent does the teaching of the underlying metaphors and metonymies increase the EFL learners’ idiom comprehension, (3) can metonymies and complex metaphors, due to their cultural specificity, be taught to learners, and (4) whether the ability and time to comprehend conceptual metaphors correlate with language proficiency level measures by the Entrance College Joint Exam or not? If not, what other factors, such as universal or cultural knowledge could affect this outcome? Participants were 40 Chinese learners of English with half of them being high-intermediate and the other half low-intermediate learners of English who were required to give the meanings of tested idioms without the benefit of context. Data were collected by means of the think-aloud procedure: participants were required to verbalize their thoughts as they arrived at the meanings of the idioms. Results show that, in the pre-test, participants were not aware of the connection of the underlying metaphorical and/or metonymical knowledge and the figurative meanings of idioms. However, the underlying knowledge, including two kinds of metaphors and metonymies, of idioms could be to some extent taught to learners, which in turn facilitated and increased their comprehension of unfamiliar idioms. Also, the ability to comprehend conceptual metaphors and metonymies is connected not only to universal and cultural knowledge but also correlated with the participants’ language proficiency.