Chapter 1　Introduction

1.1 Introduction

1.2　The Biggest Problem for Chinese EFL Learners

1.3　The Theoretical Framework

1.4　Methodology

1.5　Conclusions and Significance of the Study

1.6　The Organization of the Dissertation

Chapter 2　Literature Review of the Acquisition of Vocabulary,Idioms,and Proverbs

2.1 Introduction

2.2　Some Basic Concepts Concerning Vocabulary Learning

2.2.1　What does'vocabulary learning'imply?

2.2.2　Context

2.2.3　L2 vocabulary learning and acquisition

2.2.4　Summary

2.3 Vocabulary Acquisition Research in the Past Thirty Years

2.4　A Framework for Reviewing EFL Vocabulary Learning

2.5 Chinese EFL Learners'Vocabulary

2.5.1 An expert view on Chinese EFL learners'vocabulary

2.5.2 Learners'own evaluation

2.5.3 A corpus survey on Chinese EFL learners'vocabulary

2.5.4 Conclusion

2.6 Vocabulary Learning Material

2.6.1 Organization and presentation of learning material

2.6.2 Clustering words by semantic features

2.6.3 Conceptual metaphor in expanding lexicon

2.6.4 Summary

2.7 Vocabulary Learning Process

2.7.1 Cognitive qualities of input and their influences on retention

2.7.2 Level of processing hypothesis

2.7.3 Involvement load hypothesis

2.7.4 Summary

2.8 Vocabulary Learning Strategies

2.8.1 Vocabulary learning strategies

2.8.2 Keyword mnemonics,rote rehearsal,and semantic processing

2.8.3 Summary

2.9 The Acquisition of Idioms and Proverbs

2.9.1 The learning of idioms and proverbs

2.9.2 The cognitive motivation for the meaning of idioms and proverbs

2.9.3 Summary

2.10 What the Conceptual Metaphor and Image Schema Based Approach Can Offer to Vocabulary Development/Learning

2.11 Conclusions

Chapter 3 Exposition of a Conceptual Metaphor＆Image Schema Based Approach

3.1 Introduction

3.2　Technical terms

3.3 A Theory of Conceptual Metaphor

3.3.1 A general classification of metaphor theories

3.3.2 A theory of conceptual metaphor

3.3.3 Conceptual metaphor links concrete and abstract domains

3.3.4 Summary:conceptual metaphor linking metaphor sets,idioms and proverbs

3.4 The Theory of Image Schema

3.4.1 Image schemas are recurring patterns

3.4.2 The Invariance hypothesis:Image schemas in conceptual metaphors

3.4.3 The major properties of image schemas

3.4.4 Summary

3.5 Image Schemas in Lexical Semantic Analysis

3.5.1 Relations between image schemas and words

3.5.2 The application of image schemas in lexical semantics

3.5.3 A new way of analyzing lexical meaning:Image schematic feature analysis

3.5.4 Summary

3.6 Conclusions:The Hierarchical Structure

3.7 The Proposed Hypotheses

Chapter 4 Theoretical Support for the Conceptual Metaphor and Image Schema Based Approach

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Dual Coding Theory

4.2.1 Major claims of DCT

4.2.2 Empirical Studies of Concreteness Effects

4.2.3 A Bilingual Version of"Dual Coding Theory"

4.2.4 How DCT supports the"Conceptual Metaphor and Image Schema Based Approach"

4.2.5 Summary

4.3 Psychological Reality of Image Schemas

4.3.1 What is psychologically real?

4.3.2 Behavioral evidence for the psychological reality of image schemas

4.3.3 Image schemas as conceptual primitives during infancy

4.3.4 The neurological reality of conceptual metaphor

4.3.5 Schematic knowledge of spatial diagram representation

4.3.6 Summary

4.4 Psychological Reality of Hierarchical Structures

4.4.1 Hierarchical organizations in various domains

4.4.2 Evidence for the psychological reality of hierarchical structure

4.4.3 The advantages of hierarchical structure

4.4.4 Summary

4.5 Conclusions

Chapter 5 Methodology:Empirical Support for the Conceptual Metaphor＆Image Schema based Approach

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Experiments on Hypothesis 1

5.2.1 Hypothesis 1

5.2.2 Materials

5.2.3 Methodology

5.3 Experiments on Hypothesis 2

5.3.1 Hypothesis 2

5.3.2 Materials

5.3.3 Methodology

5.4 Experiments on Hypothesis 3

5.4.1 Hypothesis 3

5.4.2 Materials

5.4.3 Methodology

5.5 Experiments on Hypothesis 4

5.5.1 Hypothesis 4

5.5.2 Materials

5.5.3 Methodology

5.6 Experiments on Hypothesis 5

5.6.1 Hypothesis 5

5.6.2 Materials

5.6.3 Methodology

5.7 Summary

Chapter 6 The Results

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Results of Hypothesis 1

6.2.1 The output of SPSS

6.2.2 Descriptive comments

6.2.3 Conclusion

6.3 Results of Hypothesis 2

6.3.1 The output of SPSS

6.3.2 Descriptive comments

6.3.3 Conclusion

6.4 Results of Hypothesis 3

6.4.1 The output of SPSS

6.4.2 Descriptive comments

6.4.3 Conclusion

6.5 Results of Hypothesis 4

6.5.1 The output of SPSS

6.5.2 Descriptive comments

6.5.3 Conclusion

6.6 Results of Hypothesis 5

6.6.1 The output of SPSS

6.6.2 Descriptive comments

6.6.3 Conclusion

6.7 Conclusions

Chapter 7 General Discussions and Conclusions

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Conceptual Metaphors as Organizers of Metaphorical Expressions

7.3 Conceptual Metaphors in English and Chinese

7.4 Conceptual Metaphors as Motivators in Understanding Idioms and Proverbs

7.5 Image Schemas in Organizing Metaphorical Expressions and in Motivating Idioms and Proverbs

7.6 General Discussion on Subjects'Opinions Reflected from Questionnaires

7.7 Conclusions

Chapter 8 Pedagogical Implications&Applications

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Using Conceptual Metaphors and Image Schemas in Extending Lexicon

8.3 Using Conceptual Metaphors and Image Schemas in the Acquisition of Idioms and Proverbs

8.4 Using Conceptual Metaphors and Image Schemas in Reading Comprehension

8.5 Using Conceptual Metaphor and Image Schemas in Literary Analysis

8.6 Conclusion:Bridging the Gulf between Cognitive Linguistics and Applied Linguistics

References

List of Appendices

Appendix 1:Test for Hypothesis 1

Appendix 2:Learning Material for Group 1 in Hypothesis 1

Appendix 3:Discussion Material for Group 2 in Hypothesis 1

Appendix 4:Learning Material for Group 2 in Hypothesis 1

Appendix 5:Test for Hypothesis 2

Appendix 6:Discussion Material for Group 1(English conceptual metaphors)in Hypothesis 2

Appendix 7:Learning Material for Group 1 in Hypothesis 2

Appendix 8:Discussion Material for Group 2(Chinese metaphors)in Hypothesis 2

Appendix 9:Learning Material for Group 2 in Hypothesis 2

Appendix 10:Test for Hypothesis 3

Appendix 11:Learning Material for Group 1 in Hypothesis 3

Appendix 12:Discussion Material for Group 2 in Hypothesis 3

Appendix 13:Learning Material for Group 2 in Hypothesis 3

Appendix 14:Test for Hypothesis 4

Appendix 15:One Week Delay Test for Hypothesis 4

Appendix 16:Learning Material for Group 1 in Hypothesis 4

Appendix 17:Learning Material for Group 2 in Hypothesis 4

Appendix 18:Discussion and Learning Material for Group 3 in Hypothesis 4

Appendix 19:Test for Hypothesis 5

Appendix 20:One Week Delay Test for Hypothesis 5

Appendix 21:Learning Material for Group 1 in Hypothesis 5

Appendix 22:Learning Material for Group 2 in Hypothesis 5

Appendix 23:Discussion and Learning Material for Group 3 in Hypothesis 5

Appendix 24:100-word list organized by conceptual metaphors

Appendix 25:100-word list with frequency from Thorndike(1972)

Appendix 26:100-word list with degrees of difficulty

Appendix 27:Questionnaire

Appendix 28:Selected Diagram(1)drawn by Group 2 in H3

Appendix 29:Selected Diagram(2)drawn by Group 2 in H3

Appendix 30:Selected Diagram(3)drawn by Group 3 in H3

Appendix 31:Image(1)used in Group 3 in H4

Appendix 32:Image(2)used in Group 3 in H5

Appendix 33:SPSS outcome for H1(Group 1 and 2)

Appendix 34:SPSS outcome for H2(Group 1 and 2)

Appendix 35:SPSS outcome for H3(Group 1 and 2)

Appendix 36:SPSS outcome for H4(Group 1 and 2)

Appendix 37:SPSS outcome for H4(Group 1 and 3)

Appendix 38:SPSS outcome for H4(Group 2 and 3)

Appendix 39:SPSS outcome for H5(Group 1 and 2)

Appendix 40:SPSS outcome for H5(Group 1 and 3)

Appendix 41:SPSS outcome for H4(Group 2 and 3)