Chapter one Literature Review
This chapter gives an overview of studies on metaphoric competence. Specifically, it would be involved in two parts. The first part introduces the studies on MC from varies perspectives. From the existing research, we find that the focus of studies on MC falls mainly on definitions, the development and measurement of MC, and the concerning factors on MC, but only a few studies stay in advocating and calling for improving MC. As for the issue of how to improve English MC in the background of learning English as a second language, few research is seen, especially from an empirical perspective. The second part discusses about whether language learners can acquire conceptual metaphors through metaphor instruction or not, namely the questions about the teachability and learnability of conceptual metaphors, as well as some studies on it. We find that only a few researchers have touched upon some strategies on the enhancement of MC, one of which is metaphor teaching. But the teaching procedures and materials vary a lot due to various views on the definition of MC. Anyway, the present study can borrow something from the existing studies. But at the same time, it even needs to make some adjustments and creation on the base of them.
1.1 Studies on MC
As an effective factor of communicative competence, MC draws increasing attention from foreign language researchers and teachers, hence the number of the studies grows rapidly. The studies abroad on MC started as early as 1970s. For instance, Flahive and Carrell (1977), Gardner and Winner (1978), and Pollio and Smith (1980). China followed behind yet developed very fast. Since 1977 when the first study on MC was published, the number of papers concerned has been increasing rapidly every year. According to the research contents, those studies on MC can be sorted into three main categories: studies on the definition of MC; studies on the development and measurement of MC; studies on MC and its relevant variables. The three subcategories of MC studies are to be reviewed respectively in the following parts.
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1.2 Studies on Metaphor Instruction
Now that we have a relatively clear idea about factors that may affect the level of MC, we can boldly ，英语论文网站，英语毕业论文 |
