Figurative Idiomatic Language: Strategies and Difficulties of Understanding English Idioms

Abstract

Learning idioms which is considered a very essential part of learning and using language (Sridhar and Karunakaran, 2013) has recently attracted a great attention of English learning researchers particularly the assessment of how well Asian language learners acquire and use idioms in communication (Tran, 2013). Understanding and using them fluently could be viewed as a sign towards language proficiency as they could be an effective way to give students better conditions to enhance their communication skills in the daily context (Beloussova, 2015). Investigating how idiomatic expressions are dealt with and processed in a second language or foreign language is an issue worth examining further since it may give language teachers a better idea of some of the strategies language learners use in order to interpret figurative language. Despite their importance, learning and using English idioms by Arab EFL learners have not been investigated extensively, and no research has been conducted on Jordanian students' idiomatic competency. Thus, the researcher decided to work on these un-tackled issues in the Jordanian context. Most idioms-based investigations are the difficulties Jordanians learners of English face when translating them into Arabic (Hussein, Khanji, and Makhzoumi, 2000;Bataineh and Bataineh, 2002;Alrishan and Smadi, 2015). The analysis of the test showed students' very poor idiomatic competence; particularly a very limited awareness of the most frequently used idioms despite their overwhelming desire to learn them. Data analysis of the questionnaire revealed the strategies students use and the problems they face in understanding and learning idioms.

Learners in a Tight Corner: An Investigation of Figurative Idiomatic Competence and Learner-related Factors

“…The scores show that the participants clearly have difficulty understanding idioms. This finding is in line with the majority of research conducted on Arab EFL learners (Alkadi, 2015;Al-Khawaldeh et al, 2016;Saleh & Zakaria, 2013). The finding contradicts Salamah's study (2015) in which Saudi female students did not face difficulties in the comprehension of English idioms.…”

“…There was no statistically significant difference in knowledge of frequently used idioms between participants in various years of study (F (3, 177) = 0.516, p = 0.672). Conversely, Al-Khawaldeh et al (2016) presented the results of a test that revealed a difference in idiomatic knowledge between students in different academic years.…”

“…Tackling this issue in the Kuwaiti context specifically is necessary, given the importance of idioms. Moreover, few researchers have focused on learner-related variables such as year of study and age and their link to idiomatic competence (Aljabri, 2013;Al-Khawaldeh, Jaradat, Al-Momani, & Bani-khair, 2016;Katsarou, 2011).…”

“…Only a few studies have been focused solely on learner-related variables and idiom comprehension (Aljabri, 2013;Al-Kadi, 2015;Al-Khawaldeh et al, 2016;Lihui, 2007;Nippold & Martin, 1989). Lihui (2007) investigated the comprehension of English idioms by Chinese EFL learners at different proficiency levels.…”

“…Aljabri (2013) attributed the findings to age, level of literacy, and amount of education. Al-Khawaldeh et al (2016) conducted a study on Jordanian students' idiomatic competence to determine whether differences existed among university students in different academic years. The results showed that Jordanian students have poor knowledge of idioms despite the fact that most of those in the study were advanced third-and fourth-year university students majoring in English.…”