Chapter 9: Reading Between The Lines:Detecting, Decoding, and Understanding Idioms in Second Languages

This study investigates whether understanding of vivid phrasal (VP) idioms in second languages is universal or whether the processes of VP idiom comprehension and interpretation differ depending on the specific language being learned. Three subtypes of VP idioms have been previously established: LL (identical idioms in L1 and L2), SLL (similar idioms), and PLL (dissimilar) idioms. Fifty-three adult third-year learners of Spanish, French, and German were given an Idiom Detection Task involving 45 VP idioms (15 per language group and 5 per idiom subtype). Total idiom detection was calculated for each participant, for each VP idiom subtype, and for each language group. Results showed that (1) both idiom type and the target language studied do not significantly affect the number of correct VP idiom detections made; (2) many kinds of reading strategies and inferencing techniques are used profitably in the selection of VP idioms; and, finally, (3) the gap between L2 and L1 idioms, interaction between L1 and L2 idiomatic competence, and lack of a familiarity with target vocabulary greatly influence the accurate comprehension and interpretation of VP idioms across second languages. Implications for the classroom and future research are also discussed.