Investigating Students’ Perception and Utilization of Idioms in Spoken English – A Case Study at Hanoi Open University
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59266/houjs.2024.381Từ khóa:
Perception, idioms, idiomatic expressions, comprehension, utilizationTóm tắt
This research, conducted at the Faculty of English, Hanoi Open University, aimed to explore students' perceptions of English idioms and the challenges they face in comprehending and using them in spoken English. The study involved 62 undergraduate students majoring in English, and data collection was carried out through a survey. The findings reveal that the majority of the fourth-year students of English recognize the importance and benefits of idioms in communication. However, these students find English idioms challenging due to several factors, including their figurative nature, limited exposure, and cultural or contextual differences. Additionally, the study identified specific obstacles to effective idiom usage, such as limited vocabulary, difficulty in selecting appropriate idiomatic expressions, and fear of using idioms incorrectly. These findings hold significance for teachers at the Faculty of English, Hanoi Open University, as they can utilize them to develop targeted and effective teaching methods that enhance students' comprehension and usage of idioms in spoken English.
Tài liệu tham khảo
[1]. Boers, F., & Lindstromberg, S. Optimizing a lexical approach to instructed second language acquisition. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2008.
[2]. Boers, F., & Webb, S. The effect of cross-cultural differences on idiom recognition, comprehension, and production. Language Teaching Research, 2017; 21(2), 171-191.
[3]. Cacciari, C., & Tabossi, P. (eds.). Idioms: Processing, Structure, and Interpretation. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1993.
[4]. Chen, J. Y., & Baker, W. Lexical bundles in L1 and L2 academic writing. Language Learning & Technology, 2010; 14(2), 30-49.
[5]. Cieślicka, A. B. The role of proficiency, modal salience, and type of context in the comprehension of idiomatic expressions by L2 learners. Language Learning, 2013.
[6]. Crystal, D. A dictionary of linguistics and phonetics. John Wiley & Sons, 2011.
[7]. Ghazalah, H. Essays in translation and stylistics. Dar El-Ilm Lilmalayin, 2004.
[8]. Gibbs Jr., R. W., & Nayak, N. P. Psycholinguistic studies on the syntactic behavior of idioms. Cognitive Psychology, 1989; 21(1), 100-138.
[9]. Gibbs, R. W. The Poetics of Mind: Figurative Thought, Language, and Understanding. Cambridge University Press, 1994.
[10]. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/idiom
[11]. Kurnia, G. R. The students’ ability of using idiomatic expression in speaking skills. [Bachelor’s Thesis, University of SyarifHidayatullah Jakarta]. Department of English Education Faculty of Tarbiyah, University of SyarifHidayatullah Jakarta, 2016.
[12]. Laufer, B., & Girsai, N. Form-focused instruction in second language vocabulary learning: A case for contrastive analysis and translation. Applied Linguistics, 2008.
[13]. Laufer, B., & Waldman, T. Verb-noun collocations in second language writing: A corpus analysis of learners' English. Language Learning, 2011; 61(2), 647-672.
[14]. McCarthy, M., & Carter, R. Cambridge grammar of English: A comprehensive guide. Cambridge University Press, 2001.
[15]. Nattinger, J. R., & DeCarrico, J. S. Lexical phrases and language teaching. Oxford University Press, 1992.
[16]. Nunberg, G. The Pragmatics of Reference. Indiana University Linguistics Club, 1978.
[17]. Pavlenko, A. Thinking and speaking in two languages. Multilingual Matters, 2011.
[18]. Pawlak, M. The role of culture in teaching and learning idiomatic expressions. ELT Journal, 2015; 69(3), 289-297.
[19]. Phuong Bao Tran Nguyen. Learning idioms for English majors: Vietnamese students’ pểcptions of difficulties and learning strategies, 2022, Vol 9, No 11.
[20]. Richards, J. C., & Schmidt, R. Dictionary of language teaching and applied linguistics. In Proceedings of the 21st Asian Pacific Weed Science Society (APWSS) Conference, 2007, Colombo, Sri Lanka
[21]. Schmitt, N., & McCarthy, M. Vocabulary: Description, acquisition, and pedagogy. Cambridge University Press, 1997.
[22]. Swinney, D. A., & Cutler, A. The access and processing of idiomatic expressions. In Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 1979; 18(5), 523-534.
