Not just 'small potatoes': knowledge of the idiomatic meanings of collocations

Macis, Marijana; Schmitt, Norbert

Abstract

This study investigated learner knowledge of the figurative meanings of 30 collocations that can be both literal and figurative. One hundred and seven Chilean Spanish-speaking university students of English were asked to complete a meaning-recall collocation test in which the target items were embedded in non-defining sentences. Results showed limited collocation knowledge, with a mean score of 33% correct. The study also examined the effects of frequency, semantic transparency, year at university, and everyday engagement with the second language (L2) outside the classroom on this collocation knowledge. Mixed-effects modelling indicated that there was no relationship between frequency and semantic transparency and the knowledge of the figurative meanings. However, a positive relationship was found between this knowledge and year at university, time spent in an English-speaking country, and time spent reading.

Citation

Macis, M., & Schmitt, N. (2017). Not just 'small potatoes': knowledge of the idiomatic meanings of collocations. Language Teaching Research, 21(3), 321-340. doi:10.1177/1362168816645957

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 5, 2016
• Online Publication Date: May 10, 2016
• Publication Date: May 1, 2017
• Deposit Date: Nov 27, 2017
• Print ISSN: 1362-1688
• Publisher: SAGE Publications (UK and US)
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 21
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 321-340
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168816645957
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1126816
• Publisher URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1362168816645957