A Cognitive Linguistic Study of the English Prepositions Above, On, and Over

Abstract

Abstract
The current study analyzes three locative English prepositions, above, on, and over from a cognitive semantic point of view. Since English is a foreign language for Iraqi students, these prepositions pose a problem for Iraqi university students. The complexity of these three prepositions inspires the researcher to use the Cognitive Linguistic (CL) approach and insights as developed by Evans and Tyler (2003) to test their validity and help Iraqi students. Data analysis is quantitatively based. Sixty second-year undergraduate students participate in this pilot study. The pre-and post-test data are analyzed via SPSS statistical editor, and the results show a progression of more than (0.05). The survey results have shown a marked positive change in the students' attitude towards CL approach and presented the core source of difficulty associated with bewilderment in using these prepositions. The results of this experiment proved the effectiveness of CL approach. It is effective in obtaining an accurate understanding of English prepositions above, on, and over.