Background. The ability to understand idiomatic expressions begins to develop at an
early age. However, such skill is not achieved within the same age and at the same pace
in children speaking different languages.
Objective. This study assesses comprehension of idiomatic expressions by Russian-
speaking monolingual children aged 4 to 12 and monitoring the age dynamics of
figurative language understanding.
Design. 80 children were split in 4 age groups balanced for gender and level
of formal education. The participants were asked to identify the correct non-literal
meaning of 10 idioms. For each idiomatic expression, children heard three potential
interpretations (one correct, and two incorrect ones of which one was literal while the
other was overtly wrong).
Results. Age-related differences were analysed by performing a series of univariate
ANOVAs. These analyses showed that already at preschool age children begin to
understand some kinds of idiomatic expressions and that such ability slowly develops
throughout childhood. Interestingly, until the age of 6 children predominantly
interpreted idioms literally. By the age of 7 their ability to correctly understand the
non-literal meanings of idiomatic expressions enhanced significantly until it reached
a plateau around the age of 12.
Conclusion. The results of the study are in line with those found for children
speaking other languages. The findings are interpreted in light of recent theories of
language and cognitive development. Potential limitations of the study are also discussed.
