Figurative language in multilingual students’ L2 Swedish – a usage-based perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 235-260
Author(s):  
Julia Prentice
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Figurative Language ◽  
Complex Interplay ◽  
Multilingual Students ◽  
The Core ◽  
Language Class ◽  
Pragmatic Information ◽  
Class Room ◽  
Regular Patterns ◽  
Figurative Expressions

Abstract The aim of the current paper is to reinterpret some results of two previous studies on the mastery of figurative expressions from the perspective of usage-based linguistics. The reanalysis aims to shed more light on the learning and use of figurative language by multilingual students by exploring the complex interplay of linguistic creativity, expressivity, and conventionality in figurative expressions. The reinterpretation shows that many of the examples that were previously categorized as novel figurative expressions used in students’ writing, can be analyzed as instances of regular patterns, i.e. constructions, with certain lexical idiosyncrasies. Modifications of conventionalized figurative expressions are discussed and reinterpreted in terms of strength of entrenchment of links between form and meaning within certain constructions or links between constructions and conventionalized pragmatic information in the multilinguals’ mental construction. Implications for the treatment of Swedish figurative expressions in the second language class room are, in line with previous research, that focusing on regularity might reduce unpredictability, often seen as the core difficulty in the learning of such expressions in an L2. The paper also offers some directions for further investigation of the socio-cognitive processes involved in the learning of figurative language in an additional language.

Bonafide Substructure in the Core of Ferritin

1985 ◽  
Vol 43 ◽  
pp. 322-323
Author(s):  
William H. Massover
Keyword(s):  
Phase Contrast ◽  
Central Cavity ◽  
Amplitude Image ◽  
Ultrastructural Studies ◽  
The Core ◽  
Hydrated Ferric Oxide ◽  
Imaging Artifact ◽  
Contrast Image ◽  
Protein Shell ◽  
Regular Patterns

Each molecule of ferritin (d = 130Å) contains a core of iron surrounded by a 24-subunit protein shell. The amount of iron stored is variable and is present within the central cavity (d = 80Å) as a hydrated ferric oxide equivalent to the mineral, ferrihydrite. Many early ultrastructural studies of ferritin detected regular patterns of a multiparticulate substructure in the iron-rich core [e.g., 3,4], Each small particle was termed a “micelle“; a theory became widely accepted that a core consisted of up to six micelles positioned at the vertices of an octahedron. Other workers recognized that the apparent micelles were smaller or even disappeared if images were recorded closer to exact focus [e.g., 5]. In 1969, Haydon clearly established that the observed substructure was really an imaging artifact; each apparent micelle was only a dot in the underfocused phase contrast image of the supporting film superimposed on the amplitude image of the strongly scattering metal.

scholarly journals Experimental Tests for Measuring Individual Attentional Characteristics in Songbirds

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 2233
Author(s):  
Loïc Pougnault ◽  
Hugo Cousillas ◽  
Christine Heyraud ◽  
Ludwig Huber ◽  
Martine Hausberger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Comparative Research ◽  
Visual Stimuli ◽  
Experimental Tests ◽  
European Starling ◽  
Auditory Stimuli ◽  
The Core ◽  
Cognitive Studies ◽  
Individual Variations ◽  
Species Specific

Attention is defined as the ability to process selectively one aspect of the environment over others and is at the core of all cognitive processes such as learning, memorization, and categorization. Thus, evaluating and comparing attentional characteristics between individuals and according to situations is an important aspect of cognitive studies. Recent studies showed the interest of analyzing spontaneous attention in standardized situations, but data are still scarce, especially for songbirds. The present study adapted three tests of attention (towards visual non-social, visual social, and auditory stimuli) as tools for future comparative research in the European starling (Sturnus vulgaris), a species that is well known to present individual variations in social learning or engagement. Our results reveal that attentional characteristics (glances versus gazes) vary according to the stimulus broadcasted: more gazes towards unusual visual stimuli and species-specific auditory stimuli and more glances towards species-specific visual stimuli and hetero-specific auditory stimuli. This study revealing individual variations shows that these tests constitute a very useful and easy-to-use tool for evaluating spontaneous individual attentional characteristics and their modulation by a variety of factors. Our results also indicate that attentional skills are not a uniform concept and depend upon the modality and the stimulus type.

scholarly journals Rivalry or alliance?: the relationship between hyperbole and literal language

2013 ◽  
pp. 285
Author(s):  
Laura Cano Mora
Keyword(s):  
Figurative Language ◽  
Common Pattern ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
British National Corpus ◽  
Literal Expression ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
National Corpus ◽  
Figurative Expressions

This paper focuses on the relationship between neighbouring literal and figurative expressions, a much under-researched area in figurative language theories. Traditionally it has been assumed that language is used figuratively when a literal expression would be inadequate, thus supporting the view that figurative and literal language replace or substitute each other. In order to question this view and to explore this relationship, a group of hyperbolic adverbs extracted from the British National Corpus and used in naturally-occurring speech was examined. The results show that hyperbole and literal comments seem to extend and complement, rather than replace, each other. This complementation is often achieved through paraphrase or clarification of a preceding remark, whether literal or exaggerated. The analysis also seems to suggest that if speakers need to add some information the most common pattern is a hyperbole followed, rather than preceded, by a literal expression.El presente artículo se centra en el estudio de la relación entre expresiones literales y figuradas adyacentes, cuestión rara vez investigada en las teorías del lenguaje figurado. Tradicionalmente se ha creído que los hablantes utilizamos las figuras cuando el lenguaje literal resulta inadecuado, reafirmando así la idea de que el lenguaje literal y figurado se sustituyen el uno al otro. Con el fin de cuestionar esta visión y explorar dicha relación examinamos un grupo de adverbios hiperbólicos usados en conversaciones reales extraídas del British National Corpus. Los resultados indican que la hipérbole y el uso literal del lenguaje parecen complementarse en lugar de reemplazarse. Con frecuencia dicha complementariedad se consigue a través de la paráfrasis o clarificación de un comentario previo, ya sea literal o exagerado. El análisis a su vez parece sugerir que cuando el hablante siente la necesidad de añadir información el patrón más común es una hipérbole seguida, en lugar de precedida, de una expresión literal.

scholarly journals Scaling Uncertainty in Visual Perception and Estimation Tasks

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleanor Brower Schille-Hudson ◽  
David Landy
Keyword(s):  
Social Factors ◽  
Common Source ◽  
Uncertain Information ◽  
Social Significance ◽  
Estimation Task ◽  
The Core ◽  
Bayesian Formulation ◽  
Visual Properties ◽  
The Bayesian Approach ◽  
Regular Patterns

Demographic perception—the perception of social quantities of geopolitical scale and social significance—has been extensivelystudied in cognitive and political science (Citrin & Sides, 2008; Gilens, 2001; Herda, 2013). Regular patterns of over- and under-estimation emerge. Americans greatly overestimate, for instance, the proportion of citizens that identify as gay or Muslim, while underestimating those that are Christian. While these errors have been attributed to social factors such as fear of specific minorities (Gallagher, 2003; Wong, 2007), other work has suggested that these patterns result from the psychophysics of the perception of proportions (Landy, Guay & Marghetis 2018). A Bayesian formulation suggests that biases in the estimation of both social proportions and simple visual properties result from a common source: ‘hedging’ uncertain information toward a prior. Here we present a novel lab paradigm and two experiments that manipulate uncertainty in a simple (dot estimation) task, verifying the core assumptions of the Bayesian approach.

Relational complexity metric is effective when assessments are based on actual cognitive processes

1998 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 848-860 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graeme S. Halford ◽  
William H. Wilson ◽  
Steven Phillips
Keyword(s):  
Complexity Theory ◽  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Task Complexity ◽  
Developmental Differences ◽  
Connectionist Models ◽  
The Core ◽  
Target Article ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Core Issue ◽  
Relational Complexity

The core issue of our target article concerns how relational complexity should be assessed. We propose that assessments must be based on actual cognitive processes used in performing each step of a task. Complexity comparisons are important for the orderly interpretation of research findings. The links between relational complexity theory and several other formulations, as well as its implications for neural functioning, connectionist models, the roles of knowledge, and individual and developmental differences, are considered.

Repair in Second-Language Instruction

1989 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Päivi Juvonen
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Language Instruction ◽  
Foreign Language Teaching ◽  
Institutional Setting ◽  
Second Language Instruction ◽  
Activity Type ◽  
Language Class ◽  
Class Room

The present paper deals with the study of repair patterns. Repair, seen as some type of intrinsic trouble manifested by some party during interaction, has here been studied in an institutional setting, the second-language class-room. The repair sequences have been studied relative to the activity type in which the participants are involved. The results show the following: first, that the activity type has an impact on the repair pattern; and secondly, both quantitative and qualitative differences in repair patterns are found when compared with non-educational and foreign-language-teaching settings.

The role of L1 conceptual and linguistic knowledge and frequency in the acquisition of L2 metaphorical expressions

2015 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ebru Türker
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Knowledge ◽  
Figurative Language ◽  
First Language ◽  
Linguistic Knowledge ◽  
Lexical Representations ◽  
L2 Processing ◽  
Metaphorical Expression ◽  
L1 And L2 ◽  
The Given ◽  
Figurative Expressions

This study investigates how figurative language is processed by learners of a second language (L2). With an experiment testing L2 comprehension of figurative expressions in three categories, each combining shared and unshared first language (L1) and L2 lexical representations and conceptual representations in a different way, the study investigates the effects of L1 conceptual knowledge, L1 linguistic knowledge and L1 frequency. I predict that in cases where the L1 and L2 share similarities in terms of conceptual knowledge (e.g. ANGER IS FIRE) and metaphorical expressions (e.g. His eyes are burning with anger), learners will better comprehend the L2 figurative expressions than in cases where the L1 and L2 share no such similarities. I further predict that when L1 and L2 share similarities in both conceptual knowledge and metaphorical expression, L1 frequency will have a positive effect on L2 metaphorical comprehension. These hypotheses are tested by examining the comprehension of advanced-level L2 Korean learners whose native language is English. The testing items are 54 Korean metaphorical expressions related to three emotion concepts (ANGER, HAPPINESS and SADNESS) presented to participants in one decontextualized and two contextualized tasks (limited and elaborated). The results demonstrate that the effects of L1 conceptual/linguistic knowledge and L1 frequency vary depending on the given context. The L2 learners performed significantly better with figurative language for which L1 and L2 show similarities at both lexical and conceptual levels, but only in the conditions of no or limited context. In the same conditions, the study also found a significant effect of L1 frequency on L2 processing of figurative language. This study suggests that the L1 has considerable influence on how L2 metaphorical expressions are processed in a nonsupportive context, even at higher levels of proficiency.

scholarly journals Non-conventional figurative language as aesthetics of everyday communication

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 243-275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lena Wimmer ◽  
Ursula Christmann ◽  
Elisabeth Ihmels
Keyword(s):  
Figurative Language ◽  
Semantic Differential ◽  
Cognitive Effort ◽  
Aesthetic Appreciation ◽  
Main Hypothesis ◽  
The Core ◽  
Rhetorical Figures ◽  
Aesthetic Pleasure ◽  
Exploratory Data ◽  
Everyday Communication

This study focuses on the emotional aesthetic appreciation of figurative language, a dimension which has often been neglected in experimental psycholinguistics. Our goal was to demonstrate that non-conventional figurative utterances are evaluated as more aesthetically pleasing although they are cognitively more demanding than conventional rhetorical figures. This hypothesis was tested for three main types of figurative language (metaphors, irony and idioms) in three separate surveys. Participants assessed utterances by means of a questionnaire which comprised several semantic differential items. The postulated covariation of non-conventionality and cognitive effort as well as of non-conventionality and aesthetics could be clearly established for metaphors and for irony. For idioms we could only partially provide this evidence. However, in a combined sample for all figurative language forms (compiled from the three studies) the main hypothesis was again confirmed. Thus, the results demonstrate that non-conventional variants of figurative language must be considered as the core of figurative aesthetics. Furthermore, our exploratory data gave evidence of an aesthetic paradox: the cognitive costs of understanding conventional figurative language reduce aesthetic pleasure, while in the case of non-conventional rhetoric figures the enhanced cognitive effort is accompanied by an increase in aesthetic pleasure.

scholarly journals On Perfective –le in Mandarin Chinese: Theoretical and Pedagogical Issues

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-158
Author(s):  
I-hao WOO
Keyword(s):  
Mandarin Chinese ◽  
Pedagogical Issues ◽  
Present Perfect ◽  
Alternative Account ◽  
The Core ◽  
Language Class ◽  
Core Function ◽  
Temporal Intervals ◽  
Temporal Function ◽  
Definition Of

Although Mandarin Chinese perfective -‍le has been extensively studied in the literature, views on its linguistic properties nevertheless remain controversial. In this study, I first discuss the temporal function of perfective -‍le and provide an alternative account. In the spirit of Klein’s (1994) approach regarding different temporal intervals, I demonstrate that the core function of this suffix is to indicate that one event occurs after another. I then address the issue of the English translation of perfective -‍le in a Chinese as a foreign or second language class and argue that English present perfect construction may not represent the translation correctly. The proposal not only gives a more straightforward definition of the perfective -‍le, but also provides a simpler way for the instruction of the suffix.

Piecemeal crosslinguistic influence and multilingualism

2020 ◽  
pp. 026765832094366
Author(s):  
Alfonso Morales-Front ◽  
Cristina Sanz
Keyword(s):  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Development ◽  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Formal System ◽  
Generative Grammar ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Essential Difference ◽  
The Core ◽  
Crosslinguistic Influence ◽  
Development Proceeds

Saussure proposed the division language/parole and argued that language can be studied as a formal system. Fifty years later Chomsky declared competence the core interest of linguistics. Although for years Generative second language acquisition (GenSLA) has adopted this view, a number of recent publications poke holes into the competence bubble. Westergaard’s article is among those that pushes the boundaries of Generative Grammar (GG). In our commentary, we propose that Westergaard’s Micro-cue Model (McM) and the Linguistic Proximity Model (LPM) may actually be closer to a Usage-Based Approach (UbA) to language development than to the original spirit of GG, and that Westergaard’s sound, evidence-based proposals face some drag by being presented under the aegis of GG. Specifically, the assumption that all learning derives from general cognitive processes -hence, no essential difference between L1, L2, and Ln; the use of cues that are emergent and acquired piecemeal, and the idea that language development proceeds from the specific to the general, are all hallmarks of the UbA. We believe Westergaard’s contribution is important and timely and should encourage a better appreciation of the work being done in other domains as well as an understanding of how the different approaches complement each other.

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