Interpreting metaphors in the EFL classroom

Abstract

In this article, I describe a study in which I observe the metaphor interpretation strategies of a group of four Japanese learners of English in an authentic classroom setting. I then relate their strategies to current theories of metaphor interpretation in order to gain some insight into the mental processes that the students might actually be employing when they are interpreting the metaphors. On the basis of these findings, I discuss how language learners can be helped to interpret metaphors in the language classroom.