MetLa

(Metaphors in Language: An Eye-tracking Study into the Effect

of Metaphor Awareness on Intercultural Competencies of Future Seafarers )

Goal

The main goal of the present research is to investigate arguments in favor of utilizing metaphoric awareness in shaping competent language learners with envious levels of intercultural competencies to serve them in their everyday communicative situations on board. One way of raising awareness is by uncovering the underlying motivation which can be found behind many instances of L2 vocabulary, especially in the area of ESP (English for Specific Purposes; e.g., Maritime English or English for Engineering). Conceptual metaphors (CMs) (e.g., ANGER IS FIRE in burst with anger or HAPPY IS UP in be over the moon) and cultural knowledge (e.g. maritime knowledge in culturally-motivated (CS) language such as sail under false colors or batten down the hatches) are instances of background motivation in the case of figurative language, and many multi-word expressions (MWEs) such as idioms. Raising learners’ awareness of CMs can facilitate their retention of the very vocabulary they motivate, whereas grouping vocabulary around underlying CMs can aid its retention. Various studies have examined CM facilitation and factors such as L1 transfer have been tested as a variable. The proposed research has placed focus on the following: 1. identifying and quantifying conceptual metaphors which are shared between learners’ L1 (Croatian) and L2 (English); 2. assessing the nature of the L1 transfer when it comes to the comprehension of figurative vocabulary; and 3. testing the effect of raised metaphoric awareness on the processing of both universal (CM) as well as culture-specific (CS) metaphoric vocabulary by means of an event-related potential (ERP) study. The research is expected to shed light on the nature of meaning transfer between L1 and L2 the nature of which will be bidirectional in nature, with a stronger connection exerted in the case of CMs shared between English and Croatian. We also expect for the ERP experiment to reveal faster processing times for vocabulary motivated by shared CMs than culture-related vocabulary units. Furthermore, we expect to find beneficial effects of metaphor instruction upon vocabulary processing in both CM and CS conditions. The project will upgrade the existing LaCon laboratory (Laboratory for Language, Cognition & Neuroscience) established at the Faculty of Maritime Studies, University of Rijeka, and supported in part by the Croatian Science Foundation (HRZZ) under the project number UIP-2019-04-1576, which will further the experimental and neurocognitive lines of research both at the Faculty as well as university-wide.

Team Members

doc. dr. sc. Jasmina Jelčić Čolakovac (PI; Principal Investigator)
doc. dr. sc. Irena Bogunović, Sveučilište u Rijeci, Pomorski fakultet
dr. sc. Eva Pavlinušić Vilus, Sveučilište u Rijeci, Pomorski fakultet
dr. sc. Bojana Ćoso, ISPP, International school of Phnom Penh, Kambodža
Selma Elkasović, Sveučilište Jurja Dobrile u Puli, Fakultet za odgojne i obrazovne znanosti
Alenka Vrbinc, Sveučilište u Ljubljani, Ekonomski fakultet

Publications

Jelčić Čolakovac, J., & Elkasović, S. (2024). Applying neurocognitive research in the language classroom: Potential benefits of using metaphors in ESP vocabulary instruction. The Annals of Ovidius University Constanţa. Philology Series, 1(35), 305–324. https://doi.org/10.22158/eltls.v5n5p242

Conceptual metaphors (CMs) have been widely researched in the context of foreign language vocabulary organisation since Lakoff and Johnson introduced them in 1980. Since then, extensive research has been conducted in major European languages such as French, Dutch and German, including a focus on various applications of CMs in language teaching. Bilingual studies on CMs have mostly explored metaphors from the perspective of language universality, focusing on CMs that are found in both the target and source language. The results of these studies have shown that learners tend to benefit from raised metaphoric awareness, as evidenced by the effectiveness of vocabulary retention. However, when it comes to CM studies from the neurocognitive perspective, such studies are relatively scarce and further research into metaphor application is required. The aim of this article is to address this research gap and delineate the neurocognitive studies on CMs, with the end goal of proposing potential methods of implementing metaphors in ESP vocabulary instruction.

Bogunović, I., Ćoso, B., Jelčić Čolakovac, J., & Pavlinušić Vilus, E. (2024). Pod povećalom interdisciplinarnosti: novi pogledi na neprilagođene engleske riječi u hrvatskome jeziku. Sveučilište u Rijeci, Pomorski fakultet.

Book Abstract

Jelčić Čolakovac, J.,(2024). Metaphorical Collocations Through the Prism of Language Teaching: Why and How They Should Be Included in ESP Vocabulary Instruction. Center for Open Access in Science, 1-12. http://centerprode.com/conferences/10IeCSHSS.html

Book Abstract

Jelčić Čolakovac, J., & Bogunović, I. (2025). The role of conceptual metaphors and L2 proficiency in cross-language facilitation of idiom comprehension. FLUMINENSIA, 37 (1), 111-135. https://doi.org/10.31820/f.37.1.1

Book Abstract

Conferences

Jelčić Čolakovac, J. (2025). Introducing DigiMet: a Psycholinguistic Database for Croatian Multi-Word Expressions. eLex 2025: Electronic lexicography in the 21st century, Bled, Slovenia.

Jelčić Čolakovac, J. (2024). Uloga jezičnog prijenosa u glagolsko-imeničkim kolokacijama na primjeru autentičnih tekstova iz područja pomorstva. 2 nd international scientific conference „Jezik, prijevod i međukulturna komunikacija“, Pula, Croatia.

Jelčić Čolakovac, J. (2024). Metaphorical collocations through the prism of language teaching: Why and how they should be included in ESP vocabulary instruction. 10th International e-Conference on Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences (10IeCSHSS), Belgrade, Serbia.

Jelčić Čolakovac, J., & Elkasović, S. (2023). Applying neurocognitive research in the language classroom: Potential benefits of using metaphors in ESP vocabulary. Innovative Trends in Teaching Language for Specific Purposes in the Context of the Current Social Instability— INNO-LSP, Constanta, Romania.

Funding

Research Projects ZIP / Znanstveno-istraživačka projektna inicijativa sastavnica Sveučilišta u Rijeci (ZIP UNIRI)

Project number: UNIRI-ZIP-2103-18-22

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