Normative data for idiomatic expressions

Nordmann, E. and Jambazova, A. A. (2017) Normative data for idiomatic expressions. Behavior Research Methods, 49(1), pp. 198-215. (doi: 10.3758/s13428-016-0705-5) (PMID:26907747) (PMCID:PMC5352799)

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Abstract

Idiomatic expressions such as kick the bucket or go down a storm can differ on a number of internal features, such as familiarity, meaning, literality, and decomposability, and these types of features have been the focus of a number of normative studies. In this article, we provide normative data for a set of Bulgarian idioms and their English translations, and by doing so replicate in a Slavic language the relationships between the ratings previously found in Romance and Germanic languages. Additionally, we compared whether collecting these types of ratings in between-subjects or within-subjects designs affects the data and the conclusions drawn, and found no evidence that design type affects the final outcome. Finally, we present the results of a meta-analysis that summarizes the relationships found across the literature. As in many previous individual studies, we found that familiarity correlates with a number of other features; however, such studies have shown conflicting results concerning literality and decomposability ratings. The meta-analysis revealed reliable relationships of decomposability with a number of other measures, such as familiarity, meaning, and predictability. Conversely, literality was shown to have little to no relationship with any of the other subjective ratings. The implications for these relationships in the context of the wider experimental literature are discussed, with a particular focus on the importance of attaining familiarity ratings for each sample of participants in experimental work.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Jambazova, Ms Antonia and Nordmann, Dr Emily
Authors: Nordmann, E., and Jambazova, A. A.
College/School:College of Science and Engineering > School of Psychology
Journal Name:Behavior Research Methods
Publisher:Springer
ISSN:1554-351X
ISSN (Online):1554-3528
Published Online:23 February 2016
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2016 The Authors
First Published:First published in Behavior Research Methods 49:198–215
Publisher Policy:Reproduced under a creative commons licence

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