摘要：The application of metaphor analysis on foreign language acquisition is relatively new. In this way, students’ prior beliefs about learning a foreign language are possible to make explicit, identify, and analyze. So, this study attempts to investigate how Turkish tertiary level EFL learners view their courses of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) through a metaphor analysis and the effects of gender, status at school, and self-reported academic success on their perceptions. Two hundred and fifty EFL learners were asked to generate metaphors of how they conceptualize learning English via prompts provided by the researcher. Data for the study were collected during the 2015-2016 academic year from the students of different faculties attending the School of Foreign Languages in a state university through a semi-structured questionnaire form. Firstly, a qualitative research method, which began to classify the data involving metaphorical images of the participants, was employed. Then, quantitative dimensions were analyzed using descriptive statistics, frequencies and chi square test of independence. The results indicate that students use various positive and negative conceptualizations to reflect their beliefs about studying English as a foreign language. Their concept of English is essentially an instrument of a better career, a better life, and success in business. The desire to gain social recognition or economic advantages has been seen as the first motivation for learning English. In addition, gender and academic success were not significant factors in their perceptions but “status at school” was. EFL learners, especially the ones taking optional English courses, hold positive attitudes toward the process of learning English. Implications and applications for learning English as a foreign language and suggestions for future research are discussed.
