The Acquisition and Use of Figurative Language in Writing by University Student in Zintan Education College

Résumé

This study aims at investigating the learning and use of figurative language by the university students at the English department in Zintan Education College, and the difference between the native speakers and the non-native speakers in terms of using figurative language. The subjects of the study are seven female students studying at the Education College, English department. These subjects are divided into two categories: the English-native speaker (one subject), and the non-native speaker category. This latter category consists of three subcategories: A- the high-proficiency level, B- the average level, and C- the low level category (two subjects in each subcategory). This is to track the learning and using of metaphor and connotation in their English write. The subjects were asked to write essays about certain topics. The verbs used in the essays are counted, and then be analysed in terms of the situations in which they are used, their complexity or the simplicity, and their frequency to detect whether they are used connotatively or denotatively. The results showed that there is a big difference between the native speaker’s (NSS) writing and that of the non-native speakers (NNS) in terms of using figurative language in that the figurative language has not been used by the (NNS).