A Study Of Cultural Constraints On Comprehension Of L2 Image Metaphors

This present research investigates the cultural constTaints on the comPrehension ofL2 image metaphors. The schemas and driagination involved in the processing of L2image metaPhors are observed accordingly. Additionally the relationshiPs betWeen thecognitive factors and the cultura1 models are examined. The three research questions tobe addressed in this stUdy were: (a) By what factors and in what way is thecomPrehension of L2 image metaPhors constrained or affected?; (b) What are theinterrelations between the factors that restrict the comPrehension of L2 imagemetaPhors?; and fmally (c) How could L2 learners' coinPrehension of bogemetaPhors be best described and interpreted? Or what seems to be the comPrehensionpattem of L2 image metaPhors? These general questions were addrssed in anemPirical stUdy in which a test paPer was used to gather infOrmation on thecomPrehension of L2 image metaPhors.The assumPtion was that L2 leamers would make higher error scores and higherdiversification scores for the culture-specific mpe than fOr the culthe-sharing tyPe.Results indicated that there was statistically significant effect for the L2cultUre-specific tyPe of image metaphors in terms of error scores and diversificationscores. Both the interpretation task and the gaP-filling task showed that the 25 Chinesepedicipants in the stUdy ined to such Ll-based inferelltial pattffos as concePtualschemas, knowledge schemas and image schemas to figure oul the interpretations andanswers. The quamitative and qualitative results, to a great exteflt, comPlement eachother in the fact that they both provide evidence to confam the dridamental hyPothesisof the present research that there exist cultural constfaints on the comPrehension of L2image metaPhors since the cognitive process of comPrehension is governed anddondnated by the individual cultUral model.In the end, imPlications for teaching and leaming of L2 convelltionalmetaPhorical language are exandned. And recommendations fOr further research on therelated issues are made.