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Conceptual metaphors are not automatically accessed during idiom comprehension
S Glucksberg1, M Brown, M S McGlone
1Department of Psychology, Princeton University, NJ 08544-1010.
Memory & Cognition
|September 1, 1993
Summary
Conceptual analogies may guide idiom choice but do not significantly impact idiom comprehension speed. People may use analogical reasoning for idioms when given time for careful consideration.
Area of Science:
- Psycholinguistics
- Cognitive Science
- Linguistics
Background:
- Conceptual analogies are thought to influence language, particularly figurative language like idioms.
- Previous research suggested analogical consistency aids idiom comprehension.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether conceptual analogies influence idiom use and comprehension.
- To determine if analogical consistency affects how easily idioms are understood.
Main Methods:
- Replicated an idiom choice task to assess idiom use based on analogical consistency.
- Measured idiom comprehensibility using reading times to assess the impact of analogical consistency.
Main Results:
- Replicated findings that people use analogical information when choosing idioms.
- No significant effect of analogical consistency was found on idiom reading times, indicating no impact on comprehension speed.
Conclusions:
- Conceptual analogies appear to play a role in idiom selection.
- Conceptual analogies have minimal influence on idiom comprehension speed unless deliberate judgment is involved.