Abstract
The paper aims to reveal the relationship between learners’ cognitive styles and their metaphorical competence in English. The paper reviewed the influence of cognitive styles on SLA and the cognitive origin of metaphorical competence. The paper made a case study to look into the correlations; the case study investigated the participants’ metaphorical competence in English by the designed tests, and examined their cognitive styles by Riding’s CSA. The data analysis showed cognitive styles are motivating factors of metaphorical competence: the styles of verbal-imagery dimension have impact on metaphorical awareness, and holistic-analytic dimension have influence on metaphorical comprehension. Participants in the case study showed an obvious tendency of verbal style; participants tending toward holistic style were more sensitive to conceptual metaphor, and participants tending to be analytic performed better in metaphorical comprehension. Achievements in the field of cognitive styles provide new angles to researches into metaphorical competence.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Danesi, M.: Semiotics in Language Education. Mouton de Gruyter, Berlin (2000)
Ellis, R.: Instructed Second Language Acquisition: Learning in the Classroom. Blackwell, Oxford (1990)
Riding, R.J.: On the assessment of cognitive style: A commentary on Peterson, Deary and Austin. Personality and Individual Differences 34(5), 893–897 (2003)
Reid, J.M.: The Learning Style Preferences of ESL Students. TESOL Quarterly 21(1), 87–111 (1987)
Witkin, H.A., Goodenough, D.R.: Cognitive Styles, Essence and Origins: Field Dependence and Field Independence. International Universities, New York (1981)
O’Malley, J.M., Chamot, A.U.: Learning Strategies in Second Language Acquisition. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (1990)
Cohen, A.D.: Language learning: Insight for Learners, Teachers, Researchers. Heinle & Heinle, Boston (1990)
MacIntyre, P.D., Gardner, R.C.: Anxiety and second language learning: toward a theoretical clarification. Language Learning 39(2), 251–275 (1989)
Ehrman, M., Oxford, R.: Effects of sex differences, Career Choice, and Psychological Type on Adults’ Language Learning Strategies. The Modern Language Journal 72(3), 253–265 (1988)
Deane, P.: Syntax in Mind and Brain. John Benjamins, Amsterdam (1992)
Regier, T.: The Human Semantic Potential: Spatial Language and constrained connectionism. MIT Press, Cambridge (1996)
Holme, R.: Mind, Metaphor and Language Teaching. Palgrave Macmillan, New York (2004)
Riding, R.J., Cheema, I.: Cognitive styles—an overview and integration. Educational Psychology 11(3 &4), 193–215 (1991)
Riding, R.J., Wright, M.: Cognitive style, personal characteristics and harmony in student flats. Educational Psychology 15(3), 337–346 (1995)
Littlemore, J.: Metaphoric competence: a possible language learning strength of students with a holistic cognitive style? TESOL Quarterly 35(3), 456–491 (2001)
Jiang, M.: An Empirical Study of the Development of Metaphorical Competence of Chinese English Major Learners. Foreign Language Teaching Abroad 4, 27–34 (2006) (in Chinese)
Ungerer, F., Schmid, H.J.: An introduction to cognitive linguistics. Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, Beijing (2008)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Wang, P., Hao, C. (2013). Cognitive Styles as Motivating Factors of Language Learners’ Metaphorical Competence: A Case Study Based on Riding’s CSA. In: Liu, D., Alippi, C., Zhao, D., Hussain, A. (eds) Advances in Brain Inspired Cognitive Systems. BICS 2013. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 7888. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-38786-9_10
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-38786-9_10
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-38785-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-38786-9
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)