Metaphorical Understanding Boosts Literary Appreciation in Algerian EFL Learners

A study assessed the aesthetic judgements of Algerian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners when encountering metaphorical images. The research explored how these judgements affect their perceptions of literary texts. The evaluation involved a pre/posttest of two poems with 20 first-year Algerian EFL students. A paired-samples t-test in SPSS identified significant differences in participant grades. The findings indicate that interpreting metaphors allows students to appreciate the emotional depth of literary texts, influencing their comprehension. The study emphasizes the advantages of an integrated framework for teaching metaphors in EFL contexts. Literature, encompassing novels, short stories, poetry, and plays, engages readers' cognition, emotions, and imagination. This contrasts with referential language, like instruction manuals, intended solely to convey information. Rosenblatt's (1985a) transactional theory of reading distinguishes these approaches, noting that literary works invoke aesthetic, emotional, and intellectual experiences. 'Literary competence' is defined as 'the ability to draw meaning from a literary text by identifying the skills required for the analysis of the text, by applying them accordingly and by being aware of what can be gained by applying these skills' (Paran et al., 2020, p. 327). Enhancing learners' aesthetic-stylistic competence is crucial, achieved through practices like close reading and analysis of literary techniques. Metaphor has become a cornerstone of cognitive linguistics, literary studies, and second language (L2) pedagogy. Conceptual metaphor theory (CMT) posits that metaphors shape cognitive patterns and enhance comprehension. The study draws on CMT (Lakoff and Johnson, 1980) and transactional response theory (TRT; Rosenblatt, 1985b) to explore metaphor comprehension and appreciation in literary contexts. Despite its importance, metaphor is often underemphasized in Algerian EFL literature classrooms. This neglect leaves students struggling with literary interpretation and connecting metaphorical language to cultural and emotional contexts. The current study aimed to evaluate how aesthetic experiences with metaphors enhance the overall understanding of literary texts among Algerian EFL learners.