I understand most idioms, but...

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...I almost always picture their literal meaning.

When someone uses the phrase "opening a can of worms," I think of a literal can of worms. The expression "in a nutshell" brings up mental imagery of peanuts. A couple days ago, someone I know used the expression "a bold-faced lie" in an online conversation; I replied with a screenshot of the word "lie" using a bolded font/typeface.

I know what these expressions mean for the most part, and I sometimes use them in speech, but in my mind, the literal imagery comes to mind. How about you?

Yup. I can't help it.

lol me too, it can be quite entertaining really

Same. Sometimes to quite amusing effect.

I do it some of the times too.

Happens to me too, especially since I always visualize words. I have no problem with understanding them though.

_________________
Probably 75% Aspie, 25% NT... and 100% ADHD

Aspie-quiz results:
Aspie score: 138 of 200 / NT score: 78 of 200 => Very likely an Aspie.

Yep me too. In any language.
I also think it has something to do with strong visualization of words.

I wonder what proportion of NTs also visualize the literal meaning of idiomatic expressions ; I'm sure it's not just confined to aspies (although more commonly seen in aspies).

Usually someone says to me some idiomatic thing like "needle in a haystack" ; I immediately picture that , then my conscious analytical brain applies the BS translator, and after a brief pause I know the intention ; but do that many times in a conversation, particularly with someone with uncontrolled idiom-addict syndrome, then it gets tiring.

When speaking to someone of whom English is not their native language, I always cut out idioms and slang, and I'm regularly being reminded by overseas colleagues at work that they find me particularly easy to understand (hence phone me more often, rather than speak to someone else who is going to speak English gobbledegook to them).
I am surprised that when I'm visiting another country, the natives do the opposite to me, and over-use idiomatic language when it is clearly obvious I am not fluent in their language. Very annoying.

I know what the idioms mean, but sometimes the mental imagery happens with me, too... sometimes it can be quite humorous. Others sometimes don't understand what I think is so funny, but it's their loss.

This brought to mind an experience I had with a teacher when I was a kid. It was a catholic school and I had nuns for teachers.

When asked a question that required a yes of no answer, I would just shake my head for no or nod my head for yes.

One of the nuns would always say "what's the mater, has the cat got your tongue?". So I would picture in my mind all the different ways a cat could have my tongue. For instance, hanging out of my mouth while grabbing my tongue with its teeth or walking around with my bitten off tongue in its mouth.

I knew what the nun meant but the literal interpretation was just so much fun. So when I was done thinking about this I would just shake my head for no. (of course the cat didn't have my tongue! LOL)

I visualize idioms and then have to translate them into what they mean.

One psychologist I've seen thinks that the fact that I know what idioms mean, despite needing to take time to explain them, is indicative me not being autistic. Of course, she also thinks that the fact that I do not hate people also means I may not be autistic.

I think a lot of people have the literal meaning coming into mind, which is mostly why they laugh (unless someone used an idiom in a serious situation). I remember when I done my work experience in a supermarket that was literally a 3-minute walk from my house, the manager there smiled and said, ''so you only live up the road? You could roll in out of bed to get here!'' I never heard that phrase before, but I knew it was an idiom, but I think she must have imagined the literal meaning of that (me literally doing head over hills up the road and all the way into the supermarket) because she laughed and so did I because I thought of the literal meaning aswell. Then I said, ''yeah, it is handy just living up the road.''

People don't use phrases like ''raining cats and dogs'', although I knew what that meant from a very young age. But I've seen other people kind of react to idioms as though they took it the literal way. Like I remember my mum said to my brother, ''can you stop keep jumping down people's throats please?!'' and my brother put his hands out like he was about to dive and went ''whoo-hoo!'' like he was imitating the literal meaning of jumping down a throat. It made some people in the room laugh. When my mum said the idiom, I kind of pictured the literal meaning and my brother must have too, if he decided to imitate it.

I imagine the literal pictures in my head too. It's funny because I tend to use quite a few of those types of saying, but I almost always see the picture in my head, and when you're learning new sayings, it can help with the meaning.

I never picture any idioms, but then, I never picture anything in my head (have no pictures, just blackness) (There are several recent threads about pictural thinking etc. if anyone interested).

I understand them very well and use them often (in my own language). Sarcasm is easy for me as well.

Helle

I thought most people also see it in pictures, don't they?

I know they don't think that much in pictures, but do normal people JUST think in language, or how does it work?

I appears that many people think in pictures, some don´t. Some think in words and/or colours. I just see black.. this is not normal but the normality of a minority of people. It is really annoying me when these selfpromoting selfawareness people just claim that you should picture something in your head (success, money etc.) and you just are not trying hard enough when it is not working. I can´t but I would love to be able to do it.

Lots of topics cover this discussion e.g.
http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt204331.html
http://www.wrongplanet.net/postx197814-15-0.html