Animation as an Early Source for Metaphor Acquisition by younger children

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to highlight evidence the animations the primary source for younger children to acquire metaphors. They can make use of those cartoons to recognise and activate their  conceptual maps. The study applied the Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) by Lakoff, & Johnson (1980) to be the theoretical framework of this study. The data collection is one-on-one method interviews (or face to face) which is the major and commonest type of the data collection methods in research whose nature is qualitative, yet this research applies the mixed method that combines the prose of the quantitative and qualitative methods. The instrument is merely a tablet gadget that has already been uploaded pictures of cartoons that the children are familiar with them. For each picture, the children are asked some question that are already prepared to check their ability to derive metaphors from them. The interview matches the number of the convenience sampling to be limited to 19 children. Findings show that children hardly miss the interpretation of metaphors of those cartoon pictures. They could explain as well the symbolic figures that matching the conceptual map derived from those cartoons which are not in fact found in those cartoons. The study is significant because it shed light on the rarely tackled area on cartoons and metaphor acquisition. And the study draws the attention of the families to the fact that besides the pesemistic point of views when children spend a longer time in front of the TV, it has also comprehension benefits that help their children build conceptual system.