Research in cognitive semantics has shown that the dual coding of input (i.e. presentation of both verbal and visual information) can enhance the formation of memory traces and, consequently, promote the retention of information. Some earlier studies (Boers, Demecheleer, & Eyckmans, 2004; Boers, Eyckmans, & Stengers, 2007) suggest that work on idiom etymology can help learners generate mental i...