Journals / Transynergy Journal of Translation, Literature and Linguistics / 2023 / Volume 2, Issue 1
Neglected Dimension of Lexical Competence in ELT: Metaphorical Competence
- Pages
- 1–13
- DOI
- —
Abstract
In this study, ELT students’ metaphorical competence was investigated. The study was conducted at a foundation university ELT Department in 2009-2010 academic years. The participants of the study were 35 students. The data collecting tool was a list of sentences that are having figurative usage, and participant were asked to translate given sentences into Turkish. Students’ translations were analyzed from statistical perspective as complete, partial wrong, and untranslated, and from the standpoint of student’s prep-school attendance, and the type of the high school graduated by statistics computer program SPSS 16, in addition to above mentioned criteria translations were analyzed from the linguistic perspective on semantic and conceptual basis as well. The study displays that there was no any significant difference among the participants depending on their prep school attendance and the type of high school graduated. Metaphorical competence of the students attending ELT Department was highly low, they have difficulty in expressing intended meaning of the given sentences as their lexical competence is limited in their native language. Results obtained by this study manifest that courses such as Lexical Competence, Translation, Advanced Reading and Writing, and Speaking given at ELT Departments should support students’ conceptualization in target language, and knowledge of metaphorical competence.
Özet
In this study, ELT students’ metaphorical competence was investigated. The study was conducted at a foundation university ELT Department in 2009-2010 academic years. The participants of the study were 35 students. The data collecting tool was a list of sentences that are having figurative usage, and participant were asked to translate given sentences into Turkish. Students’ translations were analyzed from statistical perspective as complete, partial wrong, and untranslated, and from the standpoint of student’s prep-school attendance, and the type of the high school graduated by statistics computer program SPSS 16, in addition to above mentioned criteria translations were analyzed from the linguistic perspective on semantic and conceptual basis as well. The study displays that there was no any significant difference among the participants depending on their prep school attendance and the type of high school graduated. Metaphorical competence of the students attending ELT Department was highly low, they have difficulty in expressing intended meaning of the given sentences as their lexical competence is limited in their native language. Results obtained by this study manifest that courses such as Lexical Competence, Translation, Advanced Reading and Writing, and Speaking given at ELT Departments should support students’ conceptualization in target language, and knowledge of metaphorical competence.