Publications

Publication details [#8338]

Nippold, Marilyn A. and Mishelle Rudzinski. 1993. Familiarity and transparency in idiom explanation: A developmental study of children and adolescents. 10 pp.
Publication type
Article in journal
Publication language
English

Abstract

Familiarity and metaphoric transparency of American English idioms are investigated by distinguishing the factors of comprehension difficulty of children and adolescents. In experiment 1, adolescents (N = 20, mean age 18) are compared with adults (N = 20, mean age 29) for establishing transparency and familiarity ratings. For both groups, significant correlations appeared for familiarity and transparency. Adolescents rated more idioms as less familiar and more transparent. Based on results, the idioms are classified high, moderate, or low for use as targets in experiment 2. Three groups of Ss (N = 150, aged 11, 14, and 17) were asked to write explanations for the target idioms as read in brief stories. Consistent with other studies, results show that idiom explanation ability gradually improves with age. Familiarity and (metaphoric) transparency are identified as important factors. It is noted that at least the transparent idioms (e.g., 'Lead with one's chin') appear to be learned through unit analysis. (Copyright 1995, Sociological Abstracts, Inc., all rights reserved.) (L. Borgen in LLBA 1995, vol. 29, n. 1)