LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 11 : 6 June 2011
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         S. M. Ravichandran, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.

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How Literal are Non-Literal Expressions for
Non-Native Speakers

Ismail ÇAKIR, Ph.D.

Abstract

This study is based on the premise that non-literal expressions play an important role in foreign language teaching as a part of gaining cultural knowledge, metaphorical understanding and communicative competence. The purpose of this study is to examine how literal are non-literal expressions for non-native speakers and readers.

The research was conducted for 60 students at the English Language Teaching Department, Erciyes University, Turkey. The investigation focused on the perception of the non-literal expressions provided with the questionnaire that included three types of non-literal expressions: a text with idiomatic expressions, a list of proverbs demanding either explanation or Turkish equivalents and a matching exercise of similes. To do this, descriptive method was used.

The result showed that students are able to apprehend the literal expressions and some of the non-literal ones that are similar or identical in L1. On the other hand, some of the non-literal expressions such as idioms and proverbs are difficult to comprehend and interpret as most of which are culture specific.

The conclusion of the result was that the knowledge of non-literal expressions has to increase among foreign language learners through various activities such as visualization, using in meaningful contexts, etc., so that they can gain adequate competence in the target language and use these expressions when necessary.

Key words: Literal, non-literal, competence, idioms, proverbs, similes.

1. Introduction

In mutual interaction, people need to speak and while speaking it is inevitable to use literal expressions as well as non-literal ones. When literal expressions are used it is easy to get the gist of utterances, whereas it is not always possible to comprehend the expressions uttered non-literally or figuratively.

The non-literal expressions reflect certain features and characteristics of that language such as idioms, proverbs, metaphors which are most frequently uttered by the native speakers both in oral and written communication. Unquestionably, in most everyday conversations, speakers and listeners are not aware of the rules they obey, because more attention is paid to content than to organisation. What the listener and speaker wish to accomplish is a good communication. In almost all these circumstances it is highly possible to confront non-literal expressions of metaphors, idioms, proverbs, similes etc.

Expressed more precisely, in an effective communication it is essential for language learners to know non-literal expressions as well as the literal ones. However, it can be asserted that most of the learners often lack the ability to use language appropriately according to context. When speakers or listeners miss the key points that are being communicated in either written or oral language, their messages might be misunderstood. Such misunderstandings may lead to a total communication breakdown, which can be defined as pragmatic failure. To avoid such unexpected circumstances it is imperative to learn and teach the non-literal expressions such as similes, metaphors, proverbs and idioms as well as literal ones which all make a language pragmatic.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Ismail ÇAKIR, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Foreign Language Teaching
Erciyes University
KAYSERI, TURKEY
ismailcakir@erciyes.edu.tr

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