IDIOMS AND NON-LITERAL MEANING: A SEMANTIC PUZZLE FOR NON-NATIVES

Abstract

Idioms are an essential but often confusing aspect of English, especially for non-native speakers. These fixed expressions carry meanings that cannot be deduced from the individual words they contain. As a result, idioms pose a semantic challenge for learners who are unfamiliar with cultural references or figurative language. This article explores the nature of idioms, their non-literal meanings, the difficulties they create for non-native speakers, and strategies to overcome these challenges (Gipps, 1994; Liu, 2008; Fernando, 1996).