Using cross-modal priming, we investigated the processing of
idioms in non-native listeners in varying experimental
contexts. As idiomatic processing models have presented
evidence for an idiomatic mode of processing that can be
activated for non-native speakers in highly figurative contexts
(Bobrow & Bell, 1973), this experiment revisits those claims
while also examining access to figurative meaning in addition
to the literal meaning of individual words within an idiom. This
experiment showed increased priming for visual targets related
to the figurative meaning of an idiom when the experimental
list contained a large proportion of idiomatic sentences
compared to when the list contained only a small proportion of
idiomatic sentences. Non-native speakers not only showed
online access to figurative meaning but were also sensitive to
highly idiomatic contexts; though, responses to the targets
related to literal meaning of the final word of the idiom were
faster in all instances than figuratively-related targets.