A Conceptual Metaphor-based Approach to Facilitate English Idiom Comprehension by Kurdish University Students of EFL

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Published: Feb 18, 2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14500/kujhss.v5n1y2022.pp175-188
Keywords:
Conceptual Metaphor-Based Approach, Idiom, Kurdish Students Of EFL, L1 Interference, L1 Transfer

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Hemn A. Karim
Department of English, College of Education, University of Garmian, Kalar, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4656-0447
Azad H. Fatah
Department of English, College of Languages, University of Sulaimani, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5165-6841

Abstract

The study explores the pedagogical feasibility of Conceptual Metaphor-based Approach to teaching idioms to Kurdish university-level EFL students to find out to what extent the approach enhances idiom comprehension, and whether it is better than traditionally practiced approaches accordingly. Additionally, the aim of this study is to check the L1 transfer and interference role in comprehension of idioms by the participants, and how idiom grouping under corresponding Conceptual Metaphors helps students in figuring out L1 equivalents. The quantitative data were based on and collected from testing 73 participants who were divided into an experimental and a control group. Results showed that the experimental group participants outscored the control group participants, and the difference was statistically significant. Though, the traditional group had better posttest scores in comparison to their pretest. Findings also reveal that clustering idioms around corresponding Conceptual Metaphors was more helpful than randomly listed idioms; L1 transfer was observed in the idioms that have exact equivalents or closest equivalents, and sharing the same Conceptual Metaphors was helpful in understanding and finding Kurdish idioms, particularly for the experimental group. Besides, L1 interference was noticeable in all types of idioms being exact or closest equivalent or having no equivalent linguistically. Meanwhile, literal translation was also relied on by the participants as a strategy due to probably a lack of conceptual metaphor knowledge

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How to Cite
Karim, H. A. and Fatah, A. H. (2023) “A Conceptual Metaphor-based Approach to Facilitate English Idiom Comprehension: by Kurdish University Students of EFL”, Koya University Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 5(1), pp. 175-188. doi: 10.14500/kujhss.v5n1y2022.pp175-188.
Issue
Vol. 5 No. 1 (2022): Issue Eighth
Section
Articles
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Author Biographies

Hemn A. Karim, Department of English, College of Education, University of Garmian, Kalar, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

Hemn Adil Karim is a Lecturer at the Department of English, College of Education, University of Garmian in Kurdistan Region, Iraq. He got his MA degree in TEFL Program in 2010 at Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey. Hemn’s research focuses on Applied Linguistics, Teaching English as a Foreign Language, English Language Teaching, and Applied Cognitive Linguistics. Hemn is currently a Ph.D. student in the Linguistics Program, which started in the Fall Semester of 2020 at the Department of English, College of Education, University of Garmian.

Azad H. Fatah, Department of English, College of Languages, University of Sulaimani, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

Asst. Prof. Dr. Azad Hasan Fatah, an Instructor with a Ph.D. degree in English Language and Linguistics, Cognitive Grammar, teaches in the College of Languages at the University of Sulaimani in Kurdistan Region, Iraq. Dr. Azad’s research interests focus on Cognitive Grammar, Morphology, Cognitive Semantics, Conceptual Blending, Categorization, Configuration, and Conceptualization.

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