More Than Cool Reason: Why Should We Study Idioms In Intercultural Communication?

Résumé: Algerian students abroad experience different challenges, including general living adaptation, academic challenges, and intercultural communication challenges. One of the major causes of intercultural communication difficulties is the ubiquitous use of figurative entities in natives’ ordinary conversation. Despite the possibility that Algerian students might have a good command of English, they still face such challenges in the use of metaphorical language, especially idioms. This paper sought to contribute to a deeper understanding and identification of the miscommunication and the cultural misunderstanding associated with the pervasiveness of idiomatic expressions in natives’ everyday language. The research took up a qualitative research method that involved an online questionnaire created through Google Form and shared on social media platforms and emails with 39 Algerian students learning in different English and Scottish universities. The paper evinces that incompetence in the use of idioms lead to breakdowns in communication with native speakers. Drawing on the established findings, it is advisable to adopt constructive attitudes and practices towards the teaching/learning of idioms in language classes.

Publié dans la revue: مجلة ميلاف للبحوث والدراسات