Comprehending conventional and novel metaphor processing: A reaction time study

The processing of metaphors in comparison with literal sentences has attracted many scholars from various fields, including linguistics, psychology, and cognitive neuroscience. The present research, aimed to investigate the processing of literal sentences and metaphors (conventional and novel) in Persian language.

A reaction time task used to determine how literal sentences and metaphors are processed. For this purpose, four hundred sentences sentences in four types of expression: conventional and novel metaphors, anomalous, and literal sentences (each contains one sentences) were constructed. Reading the sentences, subjects were asked to determine the comprehending amount of meaning of the sentences (from 0 to 3) by pressing the corresponding key on the keyboard. The answers were recorded by EEGLAB. The reaction time data were analyzed using repeated measurement (ANOVA) and the pair-wise comparison method in four expressions.

The pair-wise comparison of the response time showed that literal sentences faster than conventional metaphors and conventional metaphors faster than novel metaphors are processed.

According to the obtained findings, it can be concluded that different mechanisms are involved in the processing of literal sentences and metaphors. Conventional and novel metaphors can be processed through a continuum of a single mechanism like conceptual mapping. In this mechanism, novel metaphors through analogy and conventional metaphors through categorization are understood. The processing of literal sentences, conventional and novel metaphors can also be explained through a continuum of saliency and expectancy.