Nearly all facets of life, including language instruction, have been impacted by the COVID-19 epidemic and the devastating February 2023 earthquake. Consequently, distance learning, also known as e-learning or virtual learning, has taken over as the standard offering in numerous contexts. In this regard, remote teaching practices have been preferred in many higher education institutions. However, gaining a deeper knowledge about the evolving educational practices during this period requires an awareness of how pupils respond to this change. In the course of the emergency remote teaching, language learners' conceptions of instruction and learning were examined using the metaphor analysis approach. To this purpose, a semi-structured form utilizing the participants' metaphorical concepts regarding their roles in online learning was employed, along with an open-ended questionnaire where the participants shared their background information. The data collected from 56 foreign language learners from different departments at a state university in Turkey was analysed using elicited metaphor analysis. The results showed that learners of foreign languages employed a variety of metaphors categorized as passive receiver, independent learner, flexible person, ineffective consumer, lazy individual, and lost guide, which suggest both favourable and unfavourable dispositions toward emergency remote teaching. In light of the research results, several recommendations and implications are provided.