SEMANTIC

ARTICLE REVIEW

1. Article Identity
Author: Itō, YōKo
Title: The Study Of Idioms And Its Application To ESL And Intercultural Communication
Publication Date: 1993
Degree: MA
Discipline/Department: Communication Studies
Degree Level: Master
University/Publisher: San Jose State University
Country Of Publication: US

2. Introduction
This study first explains non-native speakers'' difficulty with idiom comprehension from the psycholinguistic perspective. Then it points out that the ESL literature neglects interpersonal relationships indicated by idioms. It also takes the position that one of the barriers to building a close intercultural relationship might lie in the idiom used. The results show significant differences in comprehension and ability to use idiomatic speech style, perceived interpersonal relationships, identification of what age group of people used each speech style, and comfortableness in using idioms in selected locations between native and non-native speakers of English. Implications of this research to ESL and communication research are discussed.

3. Background of the problem
This research started when the researcher studying at San Jose state University and live with his family and when he talk with them he was often lost in the midst of conversation, feeling left out, and stupid. The family used idiom but when he ask for the meaning of unfamiliar idioms but they just answer “never mind”, “it just silly American”.
After this, he meets new brother, who like to talk. Share stories and used many idioms.
Many non-native speaker studies in America Universities, without experiencing intercultural relationship.
To show that one of the barriers to building a close intercultural relationship between the native and non-native speaker of English lies in problem-related to idioms used in conversation. He wants to know the three speech: styles formal, natural, idiomatic ones.

4. Strength
This thesis was written by his own experience
From this researcher we can know that non-native speaker less in used idioms he ask to learn more idioms and some suggestion to non-native speaker and recommendation available on this thesis

5. Weakness
1.On this thesis mention, African-American also has similar problems as the non-native speaker, I think they use quite well actually.
2.On this thesis use many expert explanations.
3.This thesis was published in a long time ago, but even this thesis published a long time ago it still trend, some suggestion available on this thesis for who are the non-native speaker.

6. Conclusion
From the research regarding the ability to use the formal speech style, there was no significant difference between native and non-native speaker but informality it show the significant differences but the most significant difference on the idiomatic version. The non-native speaker did not comprehend the idiomatic conversation, as well as native speakers did. The non-native speaker less able to use the idiomatic speech style than the native speaker. Female teenagers non-native speaker were not able to discriminate the generation that uses the idiomatic speech style, as well as native speaker were. The non-native speaker was not able to use idioms in some location.

http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1628&context=etd_theses