Review of the Application of Metaphor Theory to Second Language Acquisition in China

Metaphor, once as a literary device, is now considered as a pervasive phenomenon of human thought process and most importantly, a cognitive tool for human beings to conceptualize the world. In recent years, research into the application of metaphor theory to Second Language Acquisition (hereafter SLA) in China has increased gradually, with most papers concerning mainly the feasibility of its application to SLA. Thus, this paper aims to review the current literature in that area from two aspects over the last two decades and proposes several possible avenues for future studies. Delving deeper into this dimension, the review establishes the metaphorical mechanism as a more effective framework for explaining SLVA and L2 reading comprehension.