Item-based and cognitive-style-based variation in students' abilities to use metaphoric extension strategies

Resumen

This article examines the tendency of language learners to use 'metaphoric extension strategies' to work out the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary. Metaphoric extension strategies exploit the fact that the meaning of words can often be determined by analysing the metaphoric processes that were involved in their formation. For example, the meaning of the word grounded can be worked out by reference to the literal meaning of the word ground. This article describes an empirical investigation into three important factors that might affect students' tendency to employ metaphoric extension strategies: word concreteness; the presence of contextual clues; and the students' cognitive style. The study found that concrete items provoked significantly more metaphoric extension strategies than less concrete items. The presence of contextual clues led to more successful use of context, but did not reduce the students' tendency to employ metaphoric extension strategies. Finally, the students' cognitive styles had a significant affect on their ability to use metaphoric extension strategies: students who habitually process information in images were more likely to use these strategies successfully than students who process information verbally. These findings suggest that it is worthwhile encouraging language learners to use these strategies, but that it is also important to take individual differences into account