TXGB6105 Language Acquisition

Project Outline
Idiom comprehension in monolingual and bilingual

Introduction
This project is largely focused on the three major factors (idiomatic
familiarity, semantic transparency, and context) that affect idiom comprehension (Liu,
2008). Idiomatic familiarity refers to how often an idiom occurs in a language
whereas semantic transparency refers to how closely matched is the idioms literal
meaning to its figurative meaning. Meanwhile, contextual cues help in understanding
unfamiliar idioms when shown in an informative context.
Purpose of the Study
This study aims to investigate the differences in idiom comprehension
between monolingual and bilingual adults given their different levels of idiomatic
familiarity, semantic transparency, and context. The purpose of this study is also to
discover the main factor that affects idiom comprehension in unfamiliar idioms.
Research Questions
1. Are there any significant differences in the idiomatic performance outcomes
between monolingual and bilingual language groups?
2. Which factor (semantic transparency or context) has a stronger influence in
comprehending unfamiliar idioms?
Methodology
Research Participants
Subjects for this study will be organised into two groups. The first group will
consist of native speakers who can only use English (monolingual group) while the
second group will consist of Malaysians who can speak more than one language and
learned English as a second language (bilingual group). The participants will be

TXGB6105 Language Acquisition

Project Outline
Idiom comprehension in monolingual and bilingual

selected randomly on the condition that they must be working adults aged between 20
to 30 years old who have at least finished secondary schooling. These criteria are set
with the intention of ensuring participants are experienced and practised English
speakers with similar educational backgrounds.
Research Instrument
Participants will be given the idiom comprehension measure, adapted from
Fust-Herrmanns (2008) research. The instrument will test participants idiomatic
familiarity, semantic transparency, and contextual strategies in comprehending idioms
through multiple choice questions. There are three choices for each idiom: 1) literal
but incorrect translation of idiom, 2) figurative and correct translation of idiom, and 3)
figurative but incorrect translation of idiom.
The instruments has 16 idioms in total; 8 of which are familiar idioms and 8 of
which are unfamiliar idioms. The familiar idioms are common English idioms, which
presumably will be more familiar to the participants while the unfamiliar idioms are
translated European idioms. The familiar and unfamiliar idioms can be further
categorised into transparent and opaque idioms. Some idioms are given in context,
while others out of context. The order of the test items will be in alphabetical order to
avoid clustering.
Procedure
The research instruments will be administered to participants of both language
groups online through Google Docs. This will ensure both language groups are given
the same treatment and will minimise the variables. Participants will first complete
the idiom comprehension measure. Responses from the idiom comprehension
measure will be counted as correct or incorrect with the incorrect responses further
judged as literal or figurative. These responses will be analysed quantitatively.
2

TXGB6105 Language Acquisition

Project Outline
Idiom comprehension in monolingual and bilingual

Analytical Framework
Since this study is a partial replication of Fust-Herrmanns (2008) research,
the data collected from this study will be analysed similarly. The data collected will be
organised according to their respective language groups. An ANOVA test will then be
conducted with the results for all eight conditions shown respective to their language
groups.

Idiom Comprehension Measure

Monolingual Group

Out of context

In context

Bilingual Group

Out of context

In context

-Familiar:
-Familiar:
Compare
results
transparent
transparent

-Familiar:
transparent

-Familiar:
opaque

-Familiar:
opaque

-Familiar:
opaque

-Familiar:
opaque

-Unfamiliar:
transparent

-Unfamiliar:
transparent

-Unfamiliar:
transparent

-Unfamiliar:
transparent

-Unfamiliar:
opaque

-Unfamiliar:
opaque

-Unfamiliar:
opaque

-Unfamiliar:
opaque

-Familiar:
transparent
Figure 1: Conceptual Framework

TXGB6105 Language Acquisition

Project Outline
Idiom comprehension in monolingual and bilingual

References
Fust-Herrmann, B. (2008). Idiom comprehension in bilingual and monolingual
adolescents.

Graduate

Theses

and

Dissertations. Retrieved

from

http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/256
Liu, D. (2008). Idioms: Description, comprehension, acquisition, and pedagogy. New
York: Routledge.