Idioms in intercultural communication
A cognitive and pragmatic perspective
This paper combines central ideas from Intercultural Pragmatics and Cultural Linguistics to rethink an issue that has been amply discussed in various branches of linguistics: idioms, ‘phrasemes,’ and other forms of fixed-form figurative language, when used in intercultural communication (ICC). It argues that an interaction-oriented approach needs to think beyond the description and mapping of idioms in different languages and cultures, and apply both pragmatic and cognitive linguistic approaches to explain if and how idiomatic language works (or does not work) in ICC. Methodologically, this paper relies on a combination of empirical approaches. A data-inductive analysis of authentic intercultural discourse involving native speakers of German, Afrikaans, and Zulu, who use English as a lingua franca in a project management setting provides interesting real-life examples of the pragmatic aspects of idiomatic language in authentic ICC. The results of this pragmalinguistic analysis have inspired and are accompanied by a deductive-experimental study, using questionnaires for speakers of various native languages (Arabic, German, Russian, Spanish, Turkish), testing the cross-linguistic communicability of English idioms in a ‘laboratory setting.’ These experiments show that an appreciation of both the embodied and empractic-interactional dimensions of idioms promises insights into how figurative language and fixed-form expressions are used successfully or unsuccessfully in ICC and why.
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 2.Theoretical framework
- 2.1Idioms as cultural conceptualizations in a cognitive linguistic sense
- 2.2Idioms in pragmatics
- 2.3Combining cognitive and functionalist approaches to idioms
- 3.Analysis
- 3.1Intercultural discourse
- 3.2Experiment: Understanding idioms in a foreign language
- 4.Concluding remarks
- Notes
-
References
References (52)
References
Belkhir, S. (2014). Cultural influence on the use of dogs in English and Kabyle proverbs. In A. Musolff, F. Macarthur, & G. Pagani (Eds.), Metaphor and intercultural communication. (pp. 131–145) London; New York: Bloomsbury Academic.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Bublitz, Wolfram & Neal R. Norrick. (2011). Introduction: the burgeoning field of pragmatics. In W. Bublitz & N. R. Norrick (Eds.), Foundations of pragmatics, (pp. 1–20). Berlin; Boston: De Gruyter Mouton. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Clark, H. H. (1996). Using language. Cambridge, New York: Cambridge University Press. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Davis, W. A. (2016). Irregular negatives, implicatures, and idioms. New York, NY: Springer. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Dijk, T. A. van. (2014). Discourse and knowledge: A sociocognitive approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Ehlich, K. (2011). Sprache und sprachliches Handeln. Berlin: De Gruyter.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Farlex idioms & slang dictionary (2017). Parteen: Farlex International.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Gibbs, R. W. (1986). Skating on thin ice: Literal meaning and understanding idioms in conversation. Discourse Processes, 9(1), 17–30. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Gibbs, R. W. (2014). Why idioms are not dead metaphors. In C. Cacciari, P. Tabossi, & C. Cacciari (Eds.), Idioms: Processing, structure, and interpretation (pp. 57–77). Hoboken: Taylor and Francis.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Gibbs, R. W., & Colston, H. L. (2017). The emergence of common ground. In R. Giora & M. Haugh (Eds.), Doing pragmatics interculturally: Cognitive, philosophical, and sociopragmatic perspectives (pp. 13–30). Boston, Berlin: de Gruyter. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Gibbs, R. W., & O’Brien, J. E. (1990). Idioms and mental imagery: The metaphorical motivation for idiomatic meaning. Cognition, 361, 35–68. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Gibson, R. (2002). Intercultural business communication. Oxford: Oxford University Press.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Glucksberg, S., & McGlone, M. S. (2001). Understanding figurative language: From metaphors to idioms. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Griffin, F. (2004). Idioms and back translation. Business Communication Quarterly, 67(4), 455–464. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Kecskés, I. (2003). Situation-bound utterances in L1 and L2. Berlin, New York: de Gruyter. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Kecskés, I. (2012). Encyclopaedic knowledge and cultural models. In H.-J. Schmid (Ed.), Cognitive pragmatics (pp. 175–197). Berlin, Boston: de Gruyter. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Kecskés, I. (2014). Intercultural Pragmatics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Konerding, K.-P. (2015). Sprache und Wissen. In E. Felder & A. Gardt (Eds.), Handbuch Sprache und Wissen (pp. 57–80). Berlin, Boston: de Gruyter.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Kövecses, Z. (2006). Language, mind, and culture: A practical introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Lakoff, G., & Johnson, M. (2010 [1999]). Philosophy in the flesh: The embodied mind and its challenge to Western thought. New York, NY: Basic Books.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Langacker, R. W. (2008). Foundations of cognitive grammar. Vol. 1: Theoretical prerequisites (Repr.). Stanford: Stanford University Press. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Leavitt, J. (2015). Linguistic relativity: Precursors and transformations. In F. Sharifian (Ed.), The Routledge handbook of language and culture (pp. 18–30). London, New York: Routledge.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Lee, W. S. (1994). On not missing the boat: A processual method for inter/cultural understanding of idioms and lifeworld. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 22(2), 141–161. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Mey, J. (2001). Pragmatics: An introduction (2nd ed.). Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishers.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Musolff, A., Macarthur, F., & Pagani, G. (Eds.) (2014). Metaphor and intercultural communication. London, New York: Bloomsbury Academic.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Redder, A. (2008). Functional Pragmatics. In G. Antos, E. Ventola, & T. Weber (Eds.), Handbook of interpersonal communication (pp. 133–178). Berlin, New York: de Gruyter.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Sabban, A. (2007). Culture-boundedness and problems of cross-cultural phraseology. In H. Burger (Ed.), Phraseologie: ein internationales Handbuch zeitgenössischer Forschung / Phraseology: an international handbook of contemporary research (pp. 590–605). Berlin: De Gruyter Reference Global. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Schlickau, S. (2017). Argumentieren im Wissenschaftsumfeld: Beobachtungen aus interkultureller Projektkommunikation. In K. Bührig & S. Schlickau (Eds.), Argumentieren und diskutieren (pp. 177–190). Frankfurt: Peter Lang.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Senkbeil, K. (2017). Figurative language in intercultural communication – a case study of German-Southern African international academic discourse. Intercultural Pragmatics, 14(4), 465–491. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Senkbeil, K. (2021). Knowledge in intercultural pragmatics: A cognitive-functional perspective. Unpublished manuscript.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Senkbeil, K., & da Silva, V. (2017). Widerspruch und Widerstand: Konfliktäres sprachliches Handeln in interkulturellen Arbeitsgruppen. Eine linguistisch-kulturwissenschaftliche Perspektive. In K. Bührig & S. Schlickau (Eds.), Argumentieren und diskutieren (pp. 105–144). Frankfurt: Peter Lang.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Senkbeil, K., & Hoppe, N. (2016). ‘The sickness stands at your shoulder ...’: Embodiment and cognitive metaphor in Hornbacher’s Wasted: A memoir of anorexia and bulimia. Language and Literature, 25(1), 3–17. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Sharifian, F. (Ed.). (2017a). Advances in Cultural Linguistics. Singapore: Springer. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Sharifian, F. (2017b). Cultural Linguistics and linguistic relativity. Language Sciences, 591, 83–92. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Spears, R. A. (2006). McGraw-Hills dictionary of American idioms and phrasal verbs. New York: McGraw-Hill.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Thije, J. D. ten. (2003). The transition from misunderstanding to understanding in intercultural communication. In L. I. Komlosi, P. Houtlosser, & M. Leezenberg (Eds.), Communication and culture: Argumentative, cognitive and linguistic perspectives (pp. 197–214). Amsterdam: Sic Sac.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Thije, J. D. ten & Koole, T. (2001). The reconstruction of intercultural discourse: Methodological considerations. Journal of Pragmatics, 33(4), 571–587. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Tomasello, M. (2008). Origins of human communication. Cambridge: MIT Press. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Tomasello, M. (Ed.). (2014). The new psychology of language: Cognitive and functional approaches to language structure (Classic Edition). New York, London: Psychology Press, Taylor & Francis Group.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Verschueren, J. (1999). Understanding pragmatics. London, New York: Oxford University Press.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Verschueren, J., & Blommaert, J. (Eds.) (1991). The pragmatics of international and intercultural communication. Amsterdam, Philadelphia: Benjamins.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Wilson, M. (2002). Six views of embodied cognition. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 9(4), 625–636. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Wolf, H.-G., & Polzenhagen, F. (2006). Intercultural communication in English – arguments for a cognitive approach to intercultural pragmatics. Intercultural Pragmatics 3(3), 285–321. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Yu, N. (2008). Metaphor from body and culture. In R. W. Gibbs (Ed.), The Cambridge handbook of metaphor and thought (pp. 247–261). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Yu, N. (2017).
life as opera: A cultural metaphor in Chinese. In F. Sharifian (Ed.), Advances in Cultural Linguistics (pp. 65–87). Singapore: Springer. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Cited by (2)
Cited by two other publications
Irizarry Quintero, Anamari, Camille Villafañe-Rodríguez, Robyn Johnson & Linda Clarke
2024.
Idioms as a Tool for Enhancing Professional Competence and Cross-Cultural Communication.
Business and Professional Communication Quarterly ![DOI logo](//benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
Lavrova, Nataliya A. & Alexandr O. Kozmin
2022.
Structural and semantic congruence of Bulgarian, Russian and English set expressions: Contrastive-typological research.
Russian Journal of Linguistics 26:1
► pp. 95 ff.
![DOI logo](//benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
This list is based on CrossRef data as of 4 july 2024. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers.
Any errors therein should be reported to them.