• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
• /
• v.45 no.4
• /
• pp.77-86
• /
• 2007

The purpose of this study is to explore the number and type of proverbs known by elementary school children and explain what variables might influence the proverbs' perception. From Seoul and Chonbuk areas, 632 forth, fifth, and sixth graders at elementary school participated. They completed an open-ended questionnaire asking them to list as many proverbs as they know and probing their experience in the use of proverbs with grandparents, parents, and peers. The results showed that the participants listed a total of 185 proverbs, at an average of six proverbs each, and that 63% were a concrete proverb consisting of only concrete and visible nouns. Children reported relatively different ratios of concrete/abstract/complex proverbs according to their grade. Sixth graders perceived more proverbs which included nouns than other graders. Multiple regression analysis revealed that children's grade and using proverbs with peers influenced their proverb perception. These results may suggest a possibility of relationship between figurative language and cognitive development related to thinking of late school-age children.