Shooting Marbles in The Dark

Shooting Marbles in the Dark: Comprehending Idiomatic Expressions through Etymology
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Shooting Marbles in the Dark: Comprehending Idiomatic Expressions through Etymology Dee Matchett
Carson Newman University Spring Semester 2014
Scholarly Paper Submitted to: Dr. Danny Hinson Dr. Mark Brock in partial fulfillment of the requirements for MAT-ESL degree program
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Abstract
The teaching of idiomatic expressions to 2nd language learners of English is challenging. Unlike teaching syntax or academic writing there are no grammar handbooks or templates to follow. There is no code that can be used to decipher the best interpretation of an idiom, since word for word translation may or may not be of value in determining meaning. This paper will examine the efficacy of teaching idioms using the etymological elaboration approach and contextual examples. It does this through a small study comparing that approach with a more traditional approach using definitions and comparison of contextual examples.
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Whether we are making light of a situation with platitudes or using rhythmic sayings to encapsulate our attitudes, idiomatic expressions are succinct ways of summing things up. Play on words is a delightful way of communicating that often brings a smile to both the listener and to the speaker. We would be short-changing second language learners if we failed to induct them into the entertaining world of English idioms. Idiomatic phrases are italicized herein, to emphasize the frequency of their use and their contribution to expressive communication.
There are around 25,000 idiomatic expressions that make American English a colorful language (Jackendoff, 1997). While no one would be expected to master them all, exposure to the more common ones would be an asset in developing listening skills and increasing speaking and reading fluency. Idioms are multi-word units that require an understanding of the whole, rather than a composite understanding of individual words. In other words, individual translation of component parts does not always reveal the meaning of the phrase. John Sinclair, who conceived the idiom principle made significant contributions to the understanding of idiom processing in his search for units of meaning (Sinclair, 1991). This concept stood in contrast to the traditionally accepted concept that idioms were arbitrary in meaning and could only be learned through rote memorization. Sinclairs research contributed greatly to the concept that idioms are best understood as formulaic language in which a combination of words serves to form a single chunk of meaning. The more of these multi-word units are understood and can be
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incorporated into a learners communication the more fluent they appear to native speakers (Schmitt, 2000). This is due to the fact that speech without idioms seems flat, formal, and devoid of natural expression. Bottom line, idioms add interest and without them conversation can be boring. A study by done by Pallio, Barlow, and Fine (Cooper, 1999) discovered that most English speakers utter about 10 million novel metaphors per lifetime and 20 million idioms per lifetime. This works out to about 3000 novel metaphors per week and 7000 idioms per week. Depending on how much time a language learner spends with native speakers, this could add up to an overwhelming number of phrases they will not be able to comprehend based on vocabulary and grammar alone, even if their structural skills are excellent. It stands to reason that second language learners, especially those who desire greater fluency, should be encouraged to obtain a broad spectrum of idiomatic expressions in their acquisition of English.
Figurative speech finds its roots in the daily life, history and culture of the people whose imaginations create it. This understanding forms the basis of the Conceptual Metaphor Theory that states that one idea is linked to another to increase comprehension of intended meaning (Lakoff & Johnsen, 2003). For instance, spending money like water links the idea of endless flow and abundance to making a purchase and makes the understanding clear that a large sum of money is being spent. These links to culturally understood concepts can differ widely between people groups. In China a dragon denotes kingship and power, while in western cultures it conjures up mental images of a dangerous monster. Therefore, an understanding of idiom origin and the ability to sense when their use is appropriate in communication, should improve the social integration of non-native speakers into the target language community. An idiomatic
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vocabulary would then serve the user both for integrative and expressive function. The ability to engage in the banter of playful speech through idiomatic expression opens avenues of interaction into a culture that might not be available otherwise. According to the authors daughter, a 2013 graduate of Carson Newman University, a foreign language student with this ability has got swag and might be invited to pop some tags; meaning they are socially acceptable and the kind of person you would take shopping for clothes at the thrift store. This is the kind of acculturation that American linguist, John Schumann, associates with success in second language acquisition because it reduces the psychological factor of social distance (Ariza, et al., 2000). The expression pop some tags certainly illustrates the definition of the word idiom An expression whose meaning is not predictable from the usual meanings of its constituent elements (Dictionary.com). Yet, second language learners need to make these predictions and generally lack the background and cultural knowledge for accurate prediction. One way to introduce background information is to supply the derivation of the idiom. Etymology opens up many teaching opportunities for language learners to discover the history and culture of the target language. Consider the idiomatic expression blowing off steam. In the 1800s when steam locomotives became a primary method of transporting goods and the railway was an important means of long distance travel in America, the term blowing off steam was well understood. Steam engines create a great deal of pressure. It was necessary to periodically open a safety valve and release steam in order to prevent the boiler from exploding. Now we use the phrase to mean getting rid of ones frustrated emotions verbally or to release pent up energy through activity (Pride-Unlimited, 2001).
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Providing historical background would etch the idiomatic phrase botched it into the learners mind. Scottish immigrants brought the idiomatic expression with them to America as a result of a tragic event. The Tay Bridge, built in 1879, spanned almost two miles. The designer, Sir Thomas Bouch, was knighted for his accomplishment and won much notoriety and acclaim as a result. Nineteen months after the bridge opened, strong winds collapsed some of the support structure. A passenger train with 75 people aboard fell into the River Tay. There were no survivors (Martin, 2004). Knowing this historical event impacts the readers emotions and clarifies meaning in a way that definition alone cannot accomplish. Emotion creates a memory pathway. Dr. David A. Sousa, chemist, educator, and author of How the Brain Learns, explains that long term memory storage is a function of the limbic system (Sousa, 2011). This area of the brain is stimulated by emotion and accounts for the reason we remember certain events long after their occurrence, but you may not remember where you laid your car keys. The body responds to emotional events by releasing hormones that signal the brain to strengthen memory. Emotions, both negative and positive, can influence retention of information. It has been recommended that instructors utilize humor for learning, since laughter releases endorphin memory enhancers and also increases oxygen flow to the brain which further enhances learning (Emberson, 2006). Novelty also influences an emotional memory by creating a new file in the brain that is accompanied by a release of endorphins (Duzel et al., 2003). Connecting emotion with learning could be advantageous when teaching idioms. Elaboration of origins could be used to serve that purpose since many idiomatic expressions are novel, evoke humor: the lights are on but nobodys home, create strong sensation: eating sour grapes or poignant emotions such as the Tay Bridge incident provides for botched it.
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Recent research has now moved beyond validating Lakoff and Johnsens Conceptual Metaphor theory to examining the efficacy of etymological elaboration, a term coined from the prominent and prolific research of Frank Boers (Boers, 2001; Boers, et al., 2004; Boers,et al., 2006; Boers, 2007;). Currently, Dr. Boers is a professor at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand. Prior to this position, he was a professor at the University of Antwerp in Belgium. The studies referred to below were conducted among EFL students studying English at the University of Antwerp, whose native language was Dutch. In 2000, he published the result of 3 experiments, which indicated that language learners lexical resources benefit from an enhanced metaphor awareness (Boers, 2000; p.562). In light of the association between emotion and retention discussed previously the first of these experiments is of special interest. Participants were taught idioms expressing emotion, specifically, the emotion of anger. These were defined in a contextual manner: anger as fire, anger as dangerous, and anger as a hot fluid. The participants showed good retention of the material and scored a higher recall on a cloze test than the control group. In 2001, Boers went on to study a teaching technique in which students brainstormed the possible origin of an idiom to deduce its meaning (Boers, 2001). The technique proved effective, although its effectiveness would be limited by a learners lack of cultural knowledge in some cases. For instance, the meaning of I see the writing on the wall would be difficult to determine without knowing the Biblical story of King Belshazzar. Another study done in 2004 provided students with computer assistance. Using a multiple choice exercise (MC), students who could not determine the meaning of an idiom from context alone were allowed computer feedback (Boers, et al., 2004). This feedback provided a brief explanation of the literal, historical, cultural or etymological origin of the idiom (Boers et al.,
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2006). Students then completed a gap-fill exercise. The study found that the experimental group with the feedback option fared better than the control group on the gap-fill exercise: students who had had access to the origin MC but not the meaning MC were significantly (p < .001) more likely to reproduce the idioms in the gap-filling exercise than their colleagues who had had access to the meaning MC but not the origin MC. In a second experiment it was found that apart from a couple of exceptions the mnemonic effect of giving explanations about the literal origins of idioms was just as strong for opaque idioms (defined here as idioms whose source domain the student was unable to guess) as for transparent These results also offer strong support for the dual coding hypothesis. (Boers et al., 2006, p.180) Lastly, a study published in 2007 also shows support for etymological elaboration. In this study, idioms were presented in three different manners. Students attempted to determine their figurative meaning when idioms were presented in isolation, in verbal context, and in these same manners but with added etymological information. This study also confirmed the efficacy of etymological elaboration on comprehension and the students ability to learn independent of formal instruction when elaboration was provided: While the rich context obviously facilitated comprehension, it appears that adding information about the origins of the idioms can also make a pronounced contribution. In 29.5% of the cases where a student failed to understand an idiom despite the contextual clues, the etymological information provided the key to solve the comprehension problem. (Boers, 2007, p. 52)
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These studies have formed a foundation upon which additional university level studies have been conducted with participants from several language groups. Among these is a study conducted at the Heze University in Shandong, China that considered two hypothesis concerning idiom instruction with etymological elaboration: (1) acquire more idioms and (2) exhibit higher retention rates than rote memorization. Test scores of a control group and experimental group were subjected to ANOVA comparison. Both hypotheses were collaborated by statistically significant higher scores among the experimental group (Guo, 2008). Close on the heels of this research was another study based on Boers and Guos work. It was conducted to evaluate etymological elaboration in an online distance-learning program using WebCT at the University of Iowa. The focus of the study was upon three research questions: 1. Does online learning in WebCT facilitate L2 learners idiom 2. Does the use of the etymological elaboration approach in online idiom instruction effectively facilitate L2 idiom acquisition and retention? 3. What are the strengths and weaknesses of learning idioms in an online environment like WebCT according to L2 learners learning experience? (Zhang, 2009, p.vii) The results of question two are interesting to note. No difference was found between traditional instruction and etymological elaboration in the acquisition of idioms. However, retention proved to significantly increase when origin of use was included. Not all studies have substantiated Boers findings. In 2011, a study was conducted among Polish university students. It focused on imagery and etymology and found that illustrations in an idiom dictionary had more impact on idiom retention than etymological elaboration (Szczepaniak & Lew, 2011). The study concluded that etymological elaboration was irrelevant, since imagery
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produced the same learning results with or without elaboration. Perhaps what this finding does is support the dual coding theory that a concrete mental image is formed through etymological elaboration and can be retrieved along with the verbal form. If imagery is already provided, there is no need for the brain to create an image. Could the conclusion be drawn that in the absence of concrete visual imagery, etymological elaboration helps the brain form the needed imagery for memory recall? Several studies have been conducted among Middle Eastern EFL students. A study conducted with 32 Iranian students at the Shahid Beheshti University questioned: 1. Do the learners who receive etymological elaboration for each idiom comprehend them better than the learners who receive no etymological elaboration? 2. Do the learners who receive etymological elaboration for each idiom have a better retention than the learners who receive no etymological elaboration? (Baleghizadeh & Bagheri, 2012, p.28) An experimental and control group were assigned to learn 30 idioms. Scores were evaluated by means of a t-test. The experimental group placed significantly higher in both comprehension and retention. These findings support the dual coding theory that a concrete mental image is formed through etymological elaboration and can be retrieved along with its verbal form (Baleghizadeh &. Bagheri, 2012). The most recent study enlisted 60 female Iranian students of English and divided them equally into a control and an experimental group. Each group was given 15 hours of instruction using the same set of idioms, but only the control group was provided with etymological elaboration. A post test compared etymological elaboration and rote memorization of idiomatic
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expressions. The t-test findings were consistent with the Boers earlier research; once again confirming the efficacy of etymological elaboration (Noroozi & Salehi, 2013). Methodology To further explore the efficacy of teaching idioms with elaboration this study has been conducted to compare that method with a more traditional approach that gives instruction through definition and example comparison. Participants: The volunteers were Carson Newman University graduate students currently enrolled in the masters program for Teaching English as a Second Language. There were 20 participants, 11 of whom completed the entire study, of which 8 were native speakers of Chinese, 2 Korean, and 1 Arabic. The participants were instructed using Method 1 and tested a week later. Subsequently, they were instructed using Method 2 and tested a week later. Instruments: An elimination test of 50 idioms was given in order to exclude idiomatic phrases with which the participants were already familiar. From this list, 17 known phrases were eliminated. Out of the remaining idiomatic expressions, 10 were selected for etymological elaboration instruction and 10 were selected for more traditional instruction using definition and example comparisons. (Appendix A) Assessment was based on tests administered one week after instruction. Participants were told not to study for tests. The goal was to measure the rate of retention from the method alone,
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not from the repetitive function of study. The tests required participants to match each the idiomatic expressions with the appropriate definition. In order to minimize the process of elimination, 20 possible definitions were provided. This procedure was repeated with the second method, also. (Appendix B-E) Participants also completed a feedback questionnaire after the study was finalized. (Appendix F) Procedure: A Power Point presentation was developed for each method. For the etymological elaboration method, the origin of the expression was followed by two contextual examples. Use of the expression was open to classroom question and discussion. Example: Bar None no exceptions Originally used in wrestling, when no restrictions are made on the kinds of holds the wrestler is allowed to use.
This is, bar none, the best ice cream I've ever had. We have the best stadium, bar none, in college football.
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The more tradition method included a definition and two examples which the participants compared and considered the best use of the idiom. Use of the expression was open to classroom question and discussion. Example: A Loose Canon Something or someone unpredictable and therefore unreliable Which sentence uses the idiom correctly?
1. David wants to be the spokesperson for our campaign, but hes a loose cannon. He might say something embarrassing. 2. We got the calculations right and went into production hoping to see a loose cannon. Can you rephrase better?
Results The results of the etymological elaboration method assessment are shown in Table 1. Scores above 50% are highlighted. Blocked columns indicate idiomatic expressions that were matched correctly by at least 50% of the participants, regardless of their total score. These notations are also shown below in Table 2 presenting the results of the assessment for the definition/comparison method.
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Table1. Test 1/ Method 1: Etymological Elaboration

Idiom Idiom Idiom Idiom Idiom Idiom Idiom Idiom Idiom Idiom 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 SCORE 0 x x x x x x 60 x x x x 40 0 x x x x x x x x 80 x x 20 x x x x x x x x 80 x x x 30 x x x x 40 x x x x x x x x x 90 x x x 30 5 7 4 6 7 7 1 3 2 5 470
Participant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Total:
Table 2. Test 2/Method 2: Definition/Comparison

Idiom Idiom Idiom Idiom Idiom Idiom Idiom Idiom Idiom Idiom Participant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 SCORE 1 x x 20 2 x 10 3 x 10 4 x x x 30 5 x x x x 40 6 x x 20 7 0 8 x x x x x x 60 9 x x 20 10 x x x x x x x 70 11 x x x x 40 Total: 3 3 4 1 3 5 0 6 4 3 320
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Discussion. Using Method 1: Etymological Elaboration, half of the participants scored at 50% or above, while Method 2: Definition/Comparison, yielded only two participants with scores at or above 50%. A closer examination of participant scores reveals some interesting observations. The top scorer for both methods was participant #10, with scores of 90% and 70%, respectively. The next highest scorers for Method 1 were participant #5 and #7, both with scores of 80%. Their scores were considerably lower with Method 2: 40% and 0%, respectively. The remaining high score participant for Method 1(60%) followed this pattern and scored 10% on the Method 2 post-test.
Table 3. Method Comparison Scores

1 od
eth
the top scores of Method 2, and overall test scores were generally lower with Method 2, it should be noted that some participants had improved scores with Method 2. Six participants scored better using Method 1 and four participants scored better using Method 2 (see Table 3). It could be that some participants had learning styles more conducive to the second method of instruction, while those there were more
Participant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
0 60 40 0 80 20 80 30 40 90 30
visual learners were able to form mental pictures from the elaboration method and therefore obtain higher recall. Those who scored higher with Method 2 may have been oral and kinetic learners and rephrasing wrong sentences was more helpful to them and facilitated recall.
eth
Although the top scores of Method 1 were higher than
20 10 10 30 40 20 0 60 20 70 40
od
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Table 4 Idioms with Highest Rates of Retention

Id iom Id iom Id iom Id iom Id iom Id iom
The blocked columns for Method 1 (see Tables 1 and 2) indicate that six of the idiomatic expressions were remembered at a rate equal to or greater
1 Method 1 Totals: 50%

iom
2 70%
iom
4 60%
5 70%
6 70%
10 50%
Id
Id
6 Method 2 Totals: 50%
8 60%
than 50%, while Method 2 yielded only two expressions remembered at that rate.
Method 2 idiomatic expression #6 was recalled 50% of the time and expression #8 was recalled 60% of the time. Method 1, not only had more expressions recalled, but also at higher percentages, with idiomatic expressions #2, 5, and 6 scoring at 70% (Table 4). Why were some expressions remembered more frequently than others? Did hearing the origin of these idiomatic expressions have a greater emotional impact on the learner than other expressions or perhaps create a more memorable mental picture? The three best remembered idiomatic expressions in the etymological elaboration method were: Dont touch with a ten-foot pole Close, but no cigar Mad as a hatter During the instruction time, the possible origin of dont touch with a ten-foot pole was explained as: May have come from the city of New Orleans where there is not much land suitable for burial. Decayed bodies were pushed to the bottom of tombs with a 10 foot pole to make room for more corpses.
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With both methods participants were free to ask questions and examples were open to discussion. This particular phrase elicited numerous questions about why this burial process was necessary. The additional elaboration and discussion may have contributed to greater retention. Close, but no cigar was elaborated as: The phrase is from the early 1900s when most men in America shot guns and smoked cigars. Target shooting was a popular game at carnivals and fairs. Cigars were often given as a prize to a player with good aim who could hit the red center of the target. This was hard to do. The bullet might come close, but only with a direct hit could the player win a cigar. This expression also elicited questions and discussion as participants tried to form an image of such an event. Therefore, more time was probably spent on this idiomatic expression than some others and the time element alone may have contributed to greater retention. The phrase mad as a hatter didnt evoke extended explanation. However, simply contemplating the prospect of insanity may have created a deep impression. The elaboration was as follows: In the 1800's hats were made out of wool soaked in mercury to create felt. Hat makers often acquired mercury poisoning which causes loss of memory and slow thinking. This loss of cognitive functioning made them appear to have gone mad, meaning they were insane. It is interesting to note that all three of the best remembered phrases carry a negative connotation: something abhorrent you dont want to be near, losing a sought after reward, losing
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your sanity. As stated earlier, emotions form a memory pathway (Sousa, 2011). Perhaps negative emotions strike a deeper cord within our memories, and easier recall serves as prevention against placing ourselves in situations that could have negative results. Not all idioms are going to fall into a negatively charged emotional category, but when they do, the etymological elaboration method may facilitate better recall. Table 5: Feedback Questionnaire Results
The feedback questionnaire (Appendix 3) did not yield any general trend. Whether or not a participant favored one method over another did not seem to have an influence on their score nor did the importance they placed upon the learning of idioms. Conclusion This was a small study with a high attrition rate. Twenty participants began the study, but only 11 completed the entire process. The inadequate number of participants only allows for speculation to be made. Although the resulting numerical data collaborates the theory that
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etymological elaboration increases retention of the meaning of idiomatic expressions, that data should be viewed with scrutiny. There were a number of unaccounted for variables that cast doubt upon any speculations that can be made, such as the unknown learning styles of the various participants and the inability to measure emotional response. In addition, the assessment tools may not have been written in a way that best evaluated the ability to recall the idiomatic phrases. The short time period in which to give instruction and test may not have been adequate to acquire a good measurement of memory recall. These handicaps need to be taken into consideration when planning future research projects of this nature. This research project did provide a good tool for observation. The general conclusion is that both methods of teaching idiomatic expressions have value. The best instructional approach may be to combine them whenever possible so as to facilitate the various learning styles of students. In this the way, the benefits of both methods can be utilized. Under normal classroom conditions, students would be required to study for testing. If both methods of instruction had been used, students would be able to study using the method that best suited them. Shooting marbles is the dark refers to having insufficient details to understand something or not having the insight needed to accomplish a purpose. This is the situation created for English language learners, if they are left in a sink or swim atmosphere in regard to comprehending idioms. The etymological approach seeks to illuminate the darkness by providing details and giving insight into the origin of idioms so that the purpose, comprehending idioms, can be accomplished. The purpose of TESL instructors is to assist language acquisition, acculturation and academic success. The study of idioms is a valuable tool for achieving these
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purposes and etymological elaboration may be the light for some students that prevents them from shooting marbles in the dark.
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Bibliography
Ariza, E.N., Morales-Jones, C.A., Yahya, N., & Z. H. (2000). Why TESOL?: Theories & Issues in Teaching Englishs to Speakers of Other Languages in K-12 Classrooms. (D. M. LaBudda, Ed.) (4th ed., p. NonLinguistic Factors That Influence Second Lan). Dubuque: Kendall Hunt. Baleghizadeh, S., & Bagheri, M. (2012). The effect of etymology elaboration on EFL learners comprehension and retention of idioms. The Southeast Asian Journal of English Language Studies, 18(1), 2332. Retrieved from http://journalarticle.ukm.my/4061/ Boers, F. (2000). Metaphor awareness and vocabulary retention. Applied Linguistics, 21(4), 553 571. doi:10.1093/applin/21.4.553 Boers, F. (2001). Remembering Figurative Idioms by Hypothesising about Their Origin. Prospect, 16, 3543. Boers, F., Demecheleer, M., & Eyckmans, J. (2004). Cross-cultural Variation as a Variable in Comprehending and Remembering Figurative Idioms. European Journal of English Studies, 8(3), 375388. doi:10.1080/1382557042000277449 Boers, F., Eyckmans, J., & Stengers, H. (2006). Motivating multiword units: Rationale, mnemonic benefits, and cognitive style variables. EUROSLA Yearbook, 6(1), 169190. doi:10.1075/eurosla.6.11boe Boers, F., Eyckmans, J., & Stengers, H. (2007). Presenting figurative idioms with a touch of etymology: more than mere mnemonics? Language Teaching Research, 11(1), 4362. doi:10.1177/1362168806072460 Cooper, T. (1999). Processing of idioms by L2 learners of English. Tesol Quarterly, 33(2), 233 262. Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2307/3587719/abstract Duzel, E., Habib, R., Rotte, M., Guderian, S., Tulving, E., & Heinze, H.-J. (2003). Human Hippocampal and Parahippocampal Activity during Visual Associative Recognition Memory for Spatial and Nonspatial Stimulus Configurations. J. Neurosci., 23(28), 9439 9444. doi:23/28/9439 [pii] Emberson, J. (2006). Foreign Language Retention through Infusion of Culture: Evidence from Cognitive Science. Hispania, 89(1), 159160.
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Guo, S. (2008). Differential Effects of Etymological Elaboration and Rote Memorization on Idiom Acquisition. The Asian EFL Journal, 10(3), 127146. Retrieved from 1Department of Foreign Languages, Heze University, Shandong, China. Jackendoff. (1997). The Architecture of the Language Faculty. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Lakoff, G., & Johnsen, M. (2003). Metaphors We Live By (p. 193). London: University of Chicago Press. Martin T. J., M. I. A. (2004). The Tay rail bridge disaster revisited. Proc. Instn Civ. Engrs. Retrieved from http://taybridgedisaster.co.uk/index/index Noroozi, I., & Salehi, H. (2013). The Effect of the Etymological Elaboration and Rote Memorization on Learning Idioms by Iranian EFL Learners. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 4(4), 845851. doi:10.4304/jltr.4.4.845-851 Pride-Unlimited. (2001). Idioms and Axioms currently used in America, (Meanins and Origins). info@pride-unlimited.com. Retrieved from http://www.prideunlimited.com/probono/idioms1.html#top Schmitt, N. (2000). Vocabulary in language teaching. TESOL Quarterly, 36(2), 235. doi:10.2307/3588334 Sinclair, J. (1991). Corpus Concordance and Collocation (p. 197). Oxford: Oxford University Pres. Sousa, D. (2011). How the Brain Learns (4th ed., p. 366). Corwin Press. Szczepaniak, R., & Lew, R. (2011). The Role of Imagery in Dictionaries of Idioms. Applied Linguistics, 32(3), 323347. doi:10.1093/applin/amr001 Zhang, L. (2009). The effect of etymological elaboration on L2 idiom acquisition and retention in an online environment (WebCT). Iowa State. Retrieved from http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd/11126/
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Appendix A
Instructions: Mark the box, if FAMILIAR 1 1 2 1 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 11 12 13 14 2 15 16 1 17 18 1 19 1 20 21 2 22 23 24 1 25
you recognize the idiom and already know its meaning. FAMILIAR 26 1 27 28 29 30 1 31 32 33 34 35 36 5 37 4 38 1 39 40 1 41 42 43 44 45 1 46 47 48 1 49 50
Above board Against the grain Armed to the teeth At the drop of a hat Back to the drawing board Bar none Barking up the wrong tree He's a southpaw Bite the dust Blow off steam Bone to pick Botched it By a long shot Bury the hatchet Cat got your tongue Close but not cigar Cut the mustard Dead as a doornail Just a drop in the bucket Pass the baton Rose colored glasses Rule of thumb Three Dog Night One fell swoop Worth his salt
Face the music Flesh it out Fly off the handle Writing on the wall Get a taste of their own medicine Get sacked He went belly-up Hes a loose cannon Hot on the heels of Don't touch it with a ten foot pole Im in the same boat In a nutshell In the dog house Jump the gun Keep it under your hat Keep tabs on Left high and dry Mad as a hatter Down to the nitty gritty My hat is off to you Off the deep end Nip it in the bud My neck of the woods No skin off my back Nose to the grindstone Eliminated: 17
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Appendix B Test 1: Idioms with Etymological Elaboration

Match the idiom with a definition. First language: a to be in trouble b to keep something secret c to pursue the wrong way to reach a goal
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
botched it don't touch with a ten foot pole dead as a doornail barking up the wrong tree close but no cigar
d to go crazy; to become insane e no exceptions f to start an argument g to make life difficult for yourself or others h to act unreasonably without considering the risk involved; to be foolish i mad as a hatter off the deep end l against the grain the writing is on the wall bar none j k to be silent useless; broken signs indicate an inevitable outcome, used in a negative sense when a decision has been made that cannot be changed m to be almost successful, but not quite n extremely cold temperatures o to do a bad job; perform poorl; to fail p refers to something you dont want to get near, either physically or used figuratively as a warning not to get involved
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Appendix C Key to Test #1: Idioms with Etymology

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
botched it don't touch with a ten foot pole dead as a doornail barking up the wrong tree close but no cigar i mad as a hatter off the deep end l against the grain the writing is on the wall bar none j k a to be in trouble b to keep something secret c to pursue the wrong way to reach a goal d to go crazy; to become insane e no exceptions f to start an argument g to make life difficult for yourself or others h to act unreasonably without considering the risk involved; to be foolish to be silent useless; broken signs indicate an inevitable outcome, used in a negative sense when a decision has been made that cannot be changed m to be almost successful, but not quite n extremely cold temperatures o to do a bad job; perform poorl; to fail p refers to something you dont want to get near, either physically or used figuratively as a warning not to get involved
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Appendix D Test#2: Idioms with Definition

Match the idiom with a definition. First language:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
a loose cannon keep tabs on jump the gun nip it in the bud down to the nitty gritty
a b c d e f g h i
to work hard someone who is left handed to examine the basic facts to be in close pursuit to stop arguing with someone to be completely honest and hide nothing to easily become angry; a quick temper Something or someone unpredictable and therefore unreliable to be responsible for your decisions to fail in business and loose your money To leave someone helpless, without the support they need to stop a problem from becoming serious by doing something about it quickly
get sacked nose to the grindstone
j k l
burning the candle at both ends a short fuse left high and dry p n o
m to get fired from a job to be impatient, take action too quickly to have no rest because you are busy until late every night and up early every morning to watch a person or a situation carefully so that you know what what is happening
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Appendix E Key to Test #2: Idioms with Definition
Match the idiom with a definition.
First language: h p n l c i m a l o m g k p n o j k a b c d e f g h to work hard someone who is left handed to examine the basic facts to be in close pursuit to stop arguing with someone to be completely honest and hide nothing to easily become angry; a quick temper Something or someone unpredictable and therefore unreliable to be responsible for your decisions to fail in business and loose your money To leave someone helpless, without the support they need to stop a problem from becoming serious by doing something about it quickly to get fired from a job to be impatient, take action too quickly to have no rest because you are busy until late every night and up early every morning to watch a person or a situation carefully so that you know what what is happening
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
a loose cannon keep tabs on jump the gun nip it in the bud down to the nitty gritty get sacked nose to the grindstone burning the candle at both ends a short fuse left high and dry
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Appendix F Feedback Questionnaire

Method 1 In the first method of teaching the meaning and the etymology or historical origin of the idiom was given. On a scale of 0-3 circle the number that best describes your response : 0: not helpful 1: somewhat helpful 2: helpful 0 0 1 1 3: very helpful 2 2 3 3
1. Did knowing the origin of an idiom help you understand the meaning? 2. Did knowing the origin of an idiom help you remember the meaning? Method 2
In the second method of teaching idioms the meaning was given and two examples. Only one example used the idiom correctly. On a scale of 0-3 circle the number that best describes your response : 0: not helpful 1: somewhat helpful 2: helpful 3: very helpful
1. Did thinking about which example used the idiom correctly help you to understand the meaning? 0 1 2 3
2. Did rephrasing the wrong sentences help you remember the meaning of the idiom? 0 General Question Response: 0 - not important 1 - somewhat important 2 - important 1 1 3 - very important 2 2 3 3 1 2 3
1. How important is learning English idioms to understanding conversations?0 2. How important is it to you to use English idioms in your speech? 0
Thank you for participanting in the study. I hope it has helped you in your pursuit of learning English.

Shooting Marbles in The Dark

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Shooting Marbles in the Dark: Comprehending Idiomatic Expressions through Etymology

Carson Newman University Spring Semester 2014