Vol. 6 No. 1 (2024)

Open Access

Article

Article ID: 1084

Instructor verbal immediacy in the EFL classroom: Does it matter?

by Xian Chen, Shameem Rafik-Galea

Forum for Linguistic Studies, Vol.6, No.1, pp. 6(1), 1877; , 2023; 20 Views, 28 PDF Downloads

Teaching English in a monolingual context is often daunting for many EFL instructors and teachers. Studies have shown that instructors are pivotal in driving students' learning motivation. However, how EFL instructors teach, including how their verbal immediacy behavior impacts learners, often goes unnoticed. Instructor verbal immediacy is a significant factor in motivating learners to learn, especially in the EFL classroom. This paper presents findings investigating the relationship between instructor verbal immediacy behaviors and learner-state motivation in an EFL classroom in China. A cross-sectional survey design was used to gather data among undergraduates majoring in English at a public university in Southeast China. The results showed that EFL instructors displayed medium to high levels of verbal immediacy and that EFL instructors’ verbal immediacy behaviors exhibited a significant correlation with EFL learners’ state motivation. The findings also revealed the two verbal immediacy behaviors as significant predictors of EFL learning motivation: using humor in class and praising students’ work, actions, or comments. Therefore, instructor verbal immediacy behaviors should be effectively integrated into EFL pedagogy to enhance EFL students' language learning motivation.

Open Access

Article

Article ID: 1085

Embracing technology in EFL pre-university classrooms: A qualitative study on EFL learners’ perceptions of intensive and extensive reading approaches

by Zulfiquar Ali, Sarala Thulasi Palpanadan, Muhammad Mujtaba Asad, Hesham Hussein Rassem, Muthmainnah Muthmainnah

Forum for Linguistic Studies, Vol.6, No.1, pp. 6(1), 1894; , 2023; 61 Views, 42 PDF Downloads

This study attempts to explore the perceptions of Pakistani pre-university EFL learners about the intensive reading (IR) and extensive reading (ER) approaches and the use of technology in these two approaches. This is a qualitative study using a purposive sampling technique. The participants were 10 pre-university undergraduate students enrolled in the foundation program of a public sector university in Pakistan. Researchers used semi-structured interviews and reflective diaries as data collection tools. Thematic analysis and personal interpretation techniques were used to analyze the results. The results showed that after participating in the reading classes, the students had positive perceptions of the IR and ER approaches and found them useful and interesting. The results also showed that the learners felt that their language skills improved significantly after participating in the IR and ER-related activities. Students also found these reading approaches to be complementary to each other. The results also indicated that teachers’ use of intensive reading and extensive reading approaches could make learners skilled and autonomous readers. Ultimately, their reading problems could be solved with these approaches. Moreover, the learners also perceived the use of technology in these two reading approaches as of great benefit to them. The researchers recommend incorporating IR and ER activities into the EFL classroom using digital resources to maximize EFL learners’ reading abilities and other language skills.

Open Access

Article

Article ID: 1086

Advancing semantic and pragmatic theoretical frameworks through an analysis of Taylor Swift’s “Look What You Made Me Do”

by Mlamli Diko

Forum for Linguistic Studies, Vol.6, No.1, pp. 6(1), 1905; , 2023; 44 Views, 37 PDF Downloads

Semantics and pragmatics, as theoretical frameworks, continue to prove their appropriateness in the examination of literary texts and conversations, as well as in songs and music. This denotes that the two theoretical frameworks cannot solely be constricted within the parameters of general linguistics; instead, they are applicable to other disciplines or subject areas. In view of this fact, this article aims to uncover the covert meanings in Taylor Swift’s “Look What You Made Me Do” lyrical song. To do this, semantic and pragmatic theoretical frameworks are applied, while the song itself is acknowledged as a primary source of data. The objective of this article is to demonstrate the development of semantics and pragmatics, as theoretical perspectives, and the ways in which meaning can be explicated using these theoretical perspectives in the chosen song and other areas of interest. Ultimately, the overall objective is to demonstrate how words, phrases and sentences may be understood differently by language users. The results and discussions validate that Taylor Swift uses different linguistic techniques, as well as metaphorical expressions to communicate her message to her audience. Nevertheless, such abilities of this singer and songwriter may not always be clear to everyone, hence the necessity to apply semantic and pragmatic theoretical lenses. The closing remarks underline the importance of continuing to develop the two theoretical perspectives beyond the limitations of general linguistics. In addition to this, the closing remarks underscore the synergetic relationship that exists between language and music.

Open Access

Article

Article ID: 1087

A comparison of the level of the ESP language learners’ performance and engagement in a synchronous online course and the face-to-face course

by Seyyed Ali Hosseini, Asma Dabiri, Sara Kashefian-Naeeini, Ramlee Mustapha

Forum for Linguistic Studies, Vol.6, No.1, pp. 6(1), 1935; , 2023; 43 Views, 30 PDF Downloads

Evidence is steadily mounting on the prominence of online and technology-enabled learning in higher education. The present study intended to investigate whether virtual, interactive, real-time, instructor-led (VIRI) online learning has the potential to yield comparable student performance and engagement results to that of a traditional face-to-face (F2F) course. This is of great significance since the study delves into the possibilities of synchronous online learning in environments where resources are scarce and provide valuable insights into how technology can contribute to improving medical education and accessibility to educational resources in Iran and other comparable educational contexts. The participants were 18–30-year-old male ( n = 16) and female ( n = 24) students of nursing ( n = 20) and operating room ( n = 20) who enrolled in synchronous online and face-to-face courses as the requisite for the fulfilment of a bachelor’s degree. T-tests and descriptive statistics were the study employed T-tests and descriptive statistics to assess variations in both student performance and engagement results. The results revealed that a synchronous course conducted through VIRI classroom technology yields equivalent student performance outcomes to a traditional face-to-face (F2F) learning environment. The findings further showed that while the students did not appear to differ in terms of the levels of expected interest in the course and paying attention in class for the F2F and VIRI courses, they perceived themselves as displaying a different behaviour in the two courses in terms of attending class, participating in class, academic workload and instructor interactions. In fact, the post-semester findings showed that despite the students’ earlier expectations, they displayed different behaviour on all six student engagement factors. The findings of this study could have direct implications for the creation, development, and delivery of synchronous online courses in higher education, including medical ones.

Open Access

Article

Article ID: 1088

Realia vs irrealia in non-fiction vs fiction texts: A case study of translation

by Karyna Razumna, Maryna Movchan

Forum for Linguistic Studies, Vol.6, No.1, pp. 6(1), 1946; , 2023; 44 Views, 37 PDF Downloads

In response to the ever-growing globalization and intercultural exchange, the cultural aspects of translation are of the utmost importance. This article aims to examine and compare the translation procedures and strategies used to render culture-specific items, particularly realia and irrealia, in non-fiction and fiction texts. Realia, being culture-bound concepts in the real world, and irrealia, denoting similar concepts but in a fictional world, are challenging for translators since they have deep cultural ties. This study involves a translation analysis, comparative analysis, descriptive methods, and frequency calculations. This study employs a dataset of 400 culture-specific vocabulary items from the non-fiction book by L. Johnson What Foreigners Need to Know about America from A to Z and the apocalyptic novel Seveneves by N. Stephenson and their translations into Ukrainian. The analysis reveals that realia and irrealia are translated by employing different procedures, with calque being a popular choice for realia and contextual synonyms for irrealia. Notably, translation through neologisms has been found only in irrealia. Despite the contrast in translation procedures, both realia and irrealia were predominantly translated using a domestication strategy, boosting Ukrainian readers’ cultural comprehension.

Open Access

Article

Article ID: 1089

Lexical representation of the notion coffee in present-day English (on the material of lexicographical sources)

by Oleksii Oleksandrovych Borysov, Olena Hryhorivna Vasylieva, Iryna Oleksandrivna Kovalova, Luiza Hryhorovna Ohanesian

Forum for Linguistic Studies, Vol.6, No.1, pp. 6(1), 1985; , 2023; 30 Views, 19 PDF Downloads

The article is devoted to the study of the lexicon that represents the notion of coffee in present-day English. The novelty of the research is that the corresponding lexical units were established, analysed, and then distributed in groups, with their semantic connections revealed and described. It is quite topical as a great number of modern philology studies focus now on those lexical domains that verbalize various fragments of material and spiritual life of an ethnic community. Thus, in this work, the thematic criterion of stratification of the part of English vocabulary that denotes coffee was applied. The borrowed nature of the lexeme coffee was revealed. The polysemous lexeme possesses a six-component structure, the basic lexico-semantic variant of which fixes the idea of a drink and is characterized by the double axiology of its connotation. It was established that the other meanings were formed as a result of a metonymic shift. We demonstrated that the unit coffee is a core of the lexicon “coffee” with nine thematic groups, further differentiated into thematic subgroups, lexical-semantic groups and synonymic rows. The stylistic classification of the vocabulary was also carried out. The identified groups reflect the components (or their combination) of the notion of coffee, which was initially modelled on the basis of the study of the meaning of the lexeme coffee and finally expanded in the course of further analysis of the lexical fragment.

Open Access

Article

Article ID: 1090

Language, violence, and media: Translating Russia-Ukraine 2022–2023 war from Arabic to English

by Almutairi Mashael

Forum for Linguistic Studies, Vol.6, No.1, pp. 6(1), 2026; , 2023; 25 Views, 15 PDF Downloads

Reporting a situation of war is an intricate activity that requires balance. An attempt not to uphold this balance can have an implication not only on the parties involved in the war but also on the report. This paper examines Arabic-English reports of the Russia-Ukraine 2022-2023 war, considering how the target text orients towards peace. The study has a tripartite footing in translation, media, and peace linguistics, drawing insights from Holmes/Toury’s Descriptive Translation Studies. The English translation has been carried out by two purposively selected media organizations, Asharq Al-Awsat and Qatar News Agency, which primarily report in Arabic. We have chosen two media houses in order to evaluate the peace linguistic implications of target texts in private and public media houses, the result of which can draw more attention to this research area. Ten reports on the Russia-Ukraine 2022–2023 war were randomly downloaded for the study from two websites, Asharq Al-Awsat and Qatar News Agency), all in Arabic (source text) and English (target text) versions. The Source Text (ST) versions were duly screened for expressions that describe violence or peace. Such expressions constitute the focus of examination in the Target Text (TT) so that we can identify how they have been translated, which leads to their peace linguistic effect. The study finds an under-reporting (or under-translation) of a violent situation of the war in the target text via lexical omission with the intent of either promoting peace or taking sides with one of the warring parties. At other times, there is neutralization of violence in the text so that the key lexical items suggesting violence are replaced with innocuous ones. The study concludes that the TT is more interested in amplifying the statement of violence attributed to Ukraine’s ally and, at the same time, backgrounding their statement of peace. On the contrary, violence attributed to Russia is often neutralized via the use of inadequate lexemes to report events.

Open Access

Article

Article ID: 1091

Linguistic analysis of fiction texts in the context of the frame theory

by Sofiia Kozak, Anna Ieliseienko, Mykhailo Zhylin, Anna Chernysh, Dmytro Chystiak

Forum for Linguistic Studies, Vol.6, No.1, pp. 6(1), 2022; , 2023; 16 Views, 15 PDF Downloads

The aim of the study is to identify and analyse frame structures, activators, and concepts in texts to reveal their impact on the reader’s perception. The research employed the methods of semantic, structural, and intertextual frame analysis. Cronbach’s alpha was also used to verify the instruments used. The following cases were used in the work: Oxford English Corpus and International Corpus of English (ICE). It is noted that frame activators such as “great heat,” “hell heat”, “hot wind”, and “scorching sun” evoke associations with scorching heat and unusual warmth in the desert. These frames convey the impression of life danger, exhaustion, and severity of conditions. In turn, phraseological units such as “fresh waters”, “bloody sunset”, and “dried earth” reveal the contradictory nature of the image of the desert, where even such natural phenomena as water and sunset acquire a new, deep shade of meaning. The application of this theory was found to reveal complex language structures and their influence on the understanding and perception of texts. The obtained results open up new opportunities for educational and literary analysis, deepening the understanding of language mechanisms in fiction. Further studies in the field of linguistic analysis of texts should be aimed at considering the interaction between different works of art, focusing on the frame perspective. It is also worth paying attention to the possibilities of using the theory of frames to fulfill practical assignments, such as automatic text analysis.

Open Access

Article

Article ID: 1092

A comparison of the effects of web-based vocabulary instruction vs. the conventional method on EFL learners’ level of L2 lexical knowledge

by Sara Kashefian-Naeeini, Seyyed Ali Hosseini, Asma Dabiri, Sholeh Rezaei, Martin Kustati

Forum for Linguistic Studies, Vol.6, No.1, pp. 6(1), 1947; , 2023; 40 Views, 34 PDF Downloads

Web-based training is a contemporary approach acknowledged as a proficient pedagogical strategy for imparting knowledge on L2 lexical items. The objective of this study was to investigate if the utilisation of web-based activities for teaching vocabulary items yields distinct outcomes in terms of acquisition and retention of L2 lexical items, as opposed to conventional procedures. Sixty university students at an intermediate level of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) were purposefully chosen for this study. These participants were then divided into two separate groups. The participants in the experimental group received instruction on the target vocabulary items in a computer-supported classroom. In this setting, they could practice the lexical items interactively through web-based activities. On the other hand, the control group was given the exact target words using traditional instruction methods to maintain consistency. However, students in the control group did not have the opportunity to engage with the dynamic and active nature of the web-based instructional environment. The findings of the study, which involved the administration of the Vocabulary Levels Test and subsequent analysis utilising tests and Analysis of Variance, revealed that English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners saw more improvement in their acquisition of second language (L2) lexical items when taught through web-based activities compared to traditional teaching methods. The implications of the data suggest that L2 teachers can enhance their teaching method by including web-based and online activities to educate students on how to acquire new vocabulary items effectively.

Open Access

Article

Article ID: 1093

The role of bell work assignments in expanding EFL learners’ vocabulary breadth

by Saban Kara

Forum for Linguistic Studies, Vol.6, No.1, pp. 6(1), 2074; , 2023; 35 Views, 33 PDF Downloads

The expectations from the teachers have transformed radically in the 21st century, which necessitates using all moments of the lesson efficiently. In this regard, bell work assignments take precedence to make students revise previous topics as a warm-up activity while the teacher is completing official procedures such as attendance, writing lesson plans on the board, or preparing extra teaching tools. Although numerous studies have been conducted to measure the effectiveness of bell work assignments on a global scale, primarily in the USA, a gap in the literature has been realized in the Iraq context for EFL learners at the tertiary level. To this aim, 40 freshman students who were studying in the IT department at a private university in Erbil, Iraq, were chosen via snowball sampling to represent the experimental or control group. Experimental group students received their instruction with a bell-work-enriched format, whereas control group students followed the curriculum in an orthodox format. The data collection lasted 12 weeks in the spring semester of the 2022–2023 academic year in the Academic Debate and Critical Thinking course. Gathered data through vocabulary exams, interviews, and questionnaires revealed that bell work assignments offer tremendous opportunities to enhance vocabulary knowledge and develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills, apart from increasing motivation and concentration. The findings of this study can have practical implications for stakeholders who contemplate that bell work assignments can be used efficiently as a formative assessment instrument on a global scale.

Open Access

Article

Article ID: 1094

Ludic stylistics: Narrating a thought experiment (A study of “The Science of Discworld” series)

by Olena Tykhomyrova, Natalya Izotova

Forum for Linguistic Studies, Vol.6, No.1, pp. 6(1), 1993; , 2024; 19 Views, 11 PDF Downloads

This article addresses the phenomenon of ludic stylistics, viewed through the lens of interdiscursivity. The paper defines interdiscursivity as a narrative strategy that involves the blending of discourses of different types within a single literary text, thereby foregrounding its genre-bound nature. In the “The Science of Discworld” series, co-authored by Terry Pratchett along with the popular science writers Jack Cohen and Ian Stewart, interdiscursivity is evident through the fusion of fictional and non-fictional discourses. The interplay of these discourses in the “The Science of Discworld” series facilitates the creation of its ludic stylistics. The paper regards ludic stylistics as an artistic phenomenon that emerges in literary text at both the micro- and macro-levels due to unconventional combinations of linguistic units of any rank. These elements, whether independently or in tandem with other literary devices, have a tendency to engender singular or multiple ludic effects. Ludic microstylistics in the “The Science of Discworld” series is primarily manifested through the innovative combinations of various figures of speech, such as metaphors, personifications, antonomasia, analogies, neologisms, puns, irony, and more. Ludic macrostylistics is represented by narrative games, predominantly of metafictional and intertextual varieties. Overall, ludic stylistics constitutes the ontology of the “The Science of Discworld” series, while shedding light on the innovative transformations of genre-bound literary forms.

Open Access

Article

Article ID: 1095

Culture-specific items in the source and target literary texts: Classification of translation strategies

by Natalia Borysenko, Liudmyla Slavova, Oksana Kodubovska, Natalia Matushevska

Forum for Linguistic Studies, Vol.6, No.1, pp. 6(1), 1988; , 2024; 33 Views, 21 PDF Downloads

The study deals with the representation of culture-specific items in Jojo Moyes’ novels ‘ Me Before You ’, and ‘ After You ’ and their rendering in Ukrainian translations. The article specifies the role of culture-specific vocabulary as a means that adds necessary socio-cultural details to the setting making the above mentioned novels facts of the English-language (mainly British and American) culture. The research proves that numerous in number are the following groups of culture-specific items: toponyms; types of food, drinks and places to eat; anthroponyms naming famous people, film and fairy tale characters; companies, brands and organisations; mass media. Low in number are items designating education phenomena, persons’ titles and nominations, measurement, dwelling, sports, events, toys, and currency. The research also employs the notions of translation strategy and distinguishes between domesticating and foreignising ones used in order to render culture-specific lexis in a literary translation. Translation techniques of transference (direct borrowing, transcoding, transcoded substitution) and calque are viewed as components of foreignising strategies, whereas generalisation, descriptive periphrasis, cultural equivalent alone or accompanied by a footnote are viewed as implementation of domesticating ones. The study demonstrates that translation techniques representing domesticating and foreignising strategies can be combined in order to preserve their balance in the target text.

Open Access

Article

Article ID: 1096

Understanding lexico-semantic opposition empty/full in official business texts: Quantitative and qualitative research

by Demyanchuk Yuliya

Forum for Linguistic Studies, Vol.6, No.1, pp. 6(1), 2004; , 2024; 18 Views, 13 PDF Downloads

This paper discusses the lexical-semantic opposition EMPTY/FULL in the corpus of legal, military and medical texts. The study analyzes 130 official business texts, in which we examined the problem of defining and constructing the lexical-semantic opposition EMPTY/FULL. The analysis promoted the construction of quantitative sampling, which demonstrates the weight of the lexemes in the corpus of official business texts. The purpose of the proposed analysis was to determine the distribution of the lexical-semantic opposition EMPTY/FULL, especially to find out the total number of occurrences, the average number of occurrences and the edge limits of the lexeme EMPTY and the lexeme FULL in the corpus of texts. The main results of the study outline the diversity of the lexical-semantic opposition EMPTY/FULL in different contexts, that underlines the functional diversification of the lexeme EMPTY and lexeme FULL. The results showed that in legal texts lexemes EMPTY/FULL nominate a legal concept; in medical texts they perform the function of medical conditions assessment; within the limits of military texts, they establish an associative connection between the nomination and semantic components (military actions, targets and objects of military use, consequences of war). Another important finding was the determination of the dominant lexeme in the corpus of legal texts and the dominant lexeme in the corpus of military texts. The similarities between EMPTY and FULL are primarily due to their antonymy. However, their differences are fixed in their distinct core meanings, contextual usage, pragmatic significance and connotations. These differences make them adaptable in various contexts of military, legal and medical texts to convey precise and often contrasting information about the state of objects and concepts.

Open Access

Article

Article ID: 1097

The effects of input flood and input enhancement techniques in teaching collocations to EFL learners

by Bunyamin Celik

Forum for Linguistic Studies, Vol.6, No.1, pp. 6(1), 2088; , 2023; 17 Views, 10 PDF Downloads

Input flood and input enhancement are two prominent techniques to develop learners’ writing competence. While the former refers to offering multiple sources to increase students’ gains, the latter implies highlighting certain linguistic items to attract attention. A plethora of studies have been conducted to measure the effectiveness of both techniques. However, a gap in the literature has been noticed in comparing input flood with input enhancement technique in terms of writing improvement in Iraq. Thus, the present study was conducted to measure the impacts of the input flood technique to teach collocations on 48 EFL learners who joined an intensive language learning program at the Language Preparatory School of Tishk International University in Erbil, Iraq. Participants, chosen by convenience sampling method, were exposed to input flood or input enhancement techniques to expand their colloquial expression knowledge within six weeks in the 2022–2023 academic year spring semester. Data were collected via writing exams and interviews as a part of the explanatory sequential research design. The findings, analyzed by SPSS 27 and MAXQDA, revealed that experimental group students who received the instruction via input flood increased their writing marks more significantly than control group students whose instruction was via input enhancement. Likewise, students who received the instruction with input flood had more positive views than students receiving input enhancement. The findings of the study may have several implications for educators who think about teaching collocations via input flood and input enhancement techniques professionally.

Open Access

Article

Article ID: 1098

Language maintenance in the family to maintain family harmony: A case study of mixed marriages between Sundanese women and French men

by Nany Ismail, Eko Wahyu Koeshandoyo, Muhamad Zulfi Malik, Susi Machdalena, Prima Agustina

Forum for Linguistic Studies, Vol.6, No.1, pp. 6(1), 2023; , 2024; 16 Views, 18 PDF Downloads

This research aims to scrutinize the use of language in intermarried families between Sundanese women and French men living in France. Using ethnographic research with a qualitative and descriptive methodology, the data in this study were gathered via observations, interviews with informants, and written sources in the form of notes from the French embassy in Indonesia. The purpose was to collect information regarding languages used in their families. The results of this study reveal that the families of Sundanese-French couples living in France practice multilingual interactions in their family. They use French, English, Indonesian, and Sundanese languages as a medium for family communication. The use of each language varies according to its functions. In these families, the children understand Indonesian and a little bit of Sundanese, but they prefer to speak French or English. After growing up, their inner attachment to their mothers led them to look for their cousins in Indonesia.

Open Access

Article

Article ID: 1099

Conceptualizing parenthood: American newspaper discourse analysis

by Iryna Matiiash-Hnediuk, Tetiana Soloviova, Iryna Bilianska, Vita Yurchyshyn

Forum for Linguistic Studies, Vol.6, No.1, pp. 6(1), 1987; , 2024; 16 Views, 12 PDF Downloads

This study aims to elucidate the metaphorical representations of the concept PARENT within American media discourse. By analyzing the conceptual metaphors employed in newspaper discourse, we seek to reconstruct the metaphorically derived understanding of parenthood within English-speaking community. These conceptual metaphors, crafted by media presenters, exert a profound influence on the societal comprehension of this concept, both directly and indirectly. The study draws upon the Conceptual Metaphor theory, Conceptual Integration theory, and Discourse analysis. Within the scope of our investigation, the target domain PARENT encompasses four primary source domains: DUTIES, DIFFICULTIES, OWNER, and BURDEN. Our emphasis lies in scrutinizing the cross-domain mappings, which delineate systematic correspondences between the target and source domains. We investigate novel conceptualizations that emerge from conventional metaphoric patterns, employing cognitive mechanisms such as extension, elaboration, questioning, and combination. We also explore the conceptual blends and emergent structures that introduce additional layers of interpretation of being a parent. They are elucidated using Conceptual Integration Networks, specifically double- and multiple-scope models. Our analysis has unveiled the existence of four metaphorical clusters, each providing unique perspectives on how parenthood is conceptualized within the newspaper discourse.

Open Access

Article

Article ID: 1100

Learning paragraph writing electronically: An insight into impact of blended learning strategies on ESL learners in Pakistan

by Saqib Mahmood, Humera Sharif, Faiza Aleem

Forum for Linguistic Studies, Vol.6, No.1, pp. 6(1), 2057; , 2024; 16 Views, 11 PDF Downloads

A comprehensive teaching plan, mindful practices and effective use of technology can boost the writing skills of Second Language Learners by improving spontaneity, naturalness, and accuracy. A vibrant learning community, strongly connected through on-site and online mediums, is ideal for enhancing the skills of foreign language students. This research focuses on enhancing students’ paragraph writing skills by blending traditional and modern technology tools in a hybrid form of instruction. The participants of the study were divided into experimental and control groups; they were students of English as a Second Language (ESL) learners at a private university in Pakistan. After the pre-test, both groups were taught the same curriculum through different pedagogy for six weeks. The experimental group received instructions in a blended mode with the help of technology tools. The results were analyzed at pre and post-research levels by applying a t-test. The results showed a noticeable improvement in the skills of the experimental group. The same course taught with a traditional pedagogy could not produce the desirable results in the control group. The analysis includes vocabulary, reflective thinking, adherence to language mechanics, and grammar to boost the students’ creative writing ability for paragraph composition.

Open Access

Article

Article ID: 1101

The translation of animation titles: A case study on English, Japanese, and Chinese titles

by Qiushi Gu, Ling Yang

Forum for Linguistic Studies, Vol.6, No.1, pp. 6(1), 1961; , 2024; 19 Views, 28 PDF Downloads

Though the translation of film titles has not been firmly established within translation studies, the existing studies mainly focus on the translation strategies and process analysis from classic theories including Skopos theory and semantic equivalence. Meanwhile, there has been limited research to examine the translation of animation titles. This paper delves into the intricate world of animation titles and their translation dynamics across languages, especially focusing on English, Japanese, and Chinese, employing a methodology that combines data from IMDb.com and chineseanime.org with Weiciyun and Python analysis. The study investigates titles’ characteristics and features in each source language and the translation strategies used among them. The findings highlight that English, Japanese, and Chinese animation titles possess distinct structural and semantic attributes. These traits reflect the inherent linguistic norms and cultural preferences of each language. Furthermore, the study uncovers multifaceted translation strategies used to bridge the linguistic gaps among languages, including transliteration, literal translation, and adaptation. As for creative adaptation which has a large percentage of every translation process, it is conspicuous that the characteristics of those translated titles largely remain consistent with the features of the source texts. Also, this study exposes discernible patterns of cultural power dynamics influencing translation strategies, particularly evident in the prevalence of English loanwords and transliterations.

Open Access

Article

Article ID: 1102

Research tendency of China ESP teaching from 2007 to 2021 based on visualization analysis using CiteSpace

by Ruining Ling, Mankeun Yoon

Forum for Linguistic Studies, Vol.6, No.1, pp. 6(1), 2031; , 2024; 27 Views, 21 PDF Downloads

With the increasing demand for the enhancement of interdisciplinary competence in English teaching reform, English for specific purposes (ESP) teaching has become a hot topic in the field of English education. In order to better understand the phenomena and problems of ESP teaching in China, this study investigated the research tendency in China ESP teaching between 2007–2021 based on 206 articles from the Web of Science (WOS) by employing the CiteSpace Atlas. The study revealed that the literature in China ESP teaching formed an inverted “V” shape over the past 15 years. It can also be seen that most of the institutions with cooperative relations are in the same region, and cross-regional cooperation is less. In addition, the latest research focuses on cutting-edge topics as keywords such as “ESP teaching,” “ESP,” and “ESP theory” emerged. The findings suggest that it needs to develop effective methods for ESP teaching in China and expand research areas for the future.

Open Access

Article

Article ID: 1103

Exploring linguistic signage in higher education: An empirical study of a linguistically diverse context

by Frenz Djaxxas Daleon Clorion, Aubrey Jane Bulado, Bernadeth A. Encarnacion, Alexandhrea Hiedie Dumagay, Guiller A. Ellomer, Salman E. Albani, Anthony O. Pil, Aprillette C. Devanadera, Richard M. Rillo, Yasser Alrefaee, Ericson O. Alieto

Forum for Linguistic Studies, Vol.6, No.1, pp. 6(1), 2049; , 2024; 165 Views, 61 PDF Downloads

This study offers a comprehensive examination of the linguistic landscape in a nonmetropolitan university, focusing on the dominant language used in university signage. The study primarily delves into the multilingual characteristics and nature of Western Mindanao State University, situated in a linguistically-diverse environment. The study employed analytical categories, which was utilized to serve as basis in selecting and gathering data from various signages across the university, to ensure the accuracy of the data collection. The findings of the study indicated that the university contains five (5) languages that make its linguistic landscape, specifically: English (95.51%), Filipino (7.81%), Chavacano (3.07%), Tausug (1.28%), and Bisaya (0.64%). The data was analyzed using the content analysis to accurately interpret the taken photographs in the university. The study also uncovers the inequality of the number of signages, wherein majority of the signages are monolingual nature, and only limited on the bilingual and multilingual signs. The investigation also revealed a significant result that English is the dominant language used on signages despite the locale’s diverse linguistic and cultural background. The major findings of this study portray that Western Mindanao State University employs both official and non-official signages throughout the campus and in terms of linguistic diversity, local languages are not entirely prevalent and observable on the signages across the entire campus. Consequently, despite the university’s focus towards internationalization and global excellence, there is observable scarcity in multilingual signages. It is imperative to acknowledge the value of multilingual signages, not only for the purpose of communication, but for the preservation of local languages, that are crucial for cultural and ethnic representations.

Open Access

Article

Article ID: 1104

The translation of childhood trauma—Taking the English and Chinese translation of Michikusa as an example

by Qiushi Gu, Ling Yang

Forum for Linguistic Studies, Vol.6, No.1, pp. 6(1), 1991; , 2024; 13 Views, 11 PDF Downloads

Michikusa (1915) is an autobiographical novel penned by the renowned Japanese writer, Natsume Sōseki. Researchers typically employ it to probe the intricate interplay between the author/protagonist’s evolution and the historical milieu of Meiji-era Japan. Scholars such as Chiaki Ishihara have advocated for a new avenue of inquiry, advocating the application of psychoanalytic perspectives in exploring Natsume Sōseki’s corpus. Surprisingly, this direction remains relatively uncharted, with the scholarly realm notably lacking discussions on its Chinese and English translations through the lens of literary criticism. This article undertakes an in-depth investigation into the translation of Michikusa ’s portrayal of childhood trauma into English and Chinese, facilitated by the construction of a comprehensive trilingual corpus. Employing a psychoanalytic framework for interpretation, it discerns that the childhood scenes play a foundational role in shaping the protagonist’s post-traumatic personality facets, significantly influencing his relationships with his immediate and extended family. The findings underscore a critical gap: despite the pivotal nature of childhood trauma scenes, the conflict, sorrow, and torment within the source texts are often inadequately conveyed. Translations frequently involve undue omissions, adaptations, or distortions, thereby potentially obstructing the target audience’s accurate comprehension and interpretation. Furthermore, this study establishes that a nuanced understanding of trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) studies equips translators to convey trauma with greater fidelity. This contribution to literary criticism holds promise for enhancing existing translations, providing a nuanced perspective on the significance of accurately representing trauma in literary works.

Open Access

Article

Article ID: 1105

Translation ideology analysis in the English and Indonesian subtitles of Hige wo Soru. Soshite Joshikousei wo Hirou. on Muse Youtube channels

by Theodore Mario Billyarta, Harwintha Y. Anjarningsih

Forum for Linguistic Studies, Vol.6, No.1, pp. 6(1), 1970; , 2024; 25 Views, 13 PDF Downloads

Today, Muse YouTube channels are deemed to be the most prominent platforms for watching anime for people in many Asian countries, including Indonesia. Making use of the concept of Extralinguistic Culture-bound Reference (ECR) and seven translation strategies proposed by Pedersen, this quantitative research sought to identify the dominant translation ideologies of the English and Indonesian subtitles of the anime series Hige wo Soru. Soshite Joshikousei wo Hirou. on Muse Asia and Muse Indonesia and analyze the choices of translation strategies found in the subtitles of both languages. The Indonesian and English subtitles of thirteen episodes of Hige wo Soru. Soshite Joshikousei wo Hirou. were analyzed by two judges with expertise in Japanese, English and Indonesian. The judges agreed on 91% of the data and discussed the rest to reach an agreement. The results indicated that five among seven translation strategies offered by Pedersen were found in the subtitles, and both the Indonesian and English subtitles share the same dominant ideology: foreignization. In spite of the same dominant ideology, the two languages exhibited fundamental differences when it comes to rendering the ECRs. In addition, the research also drew an interpretive conclusion that also serves as a practical implication that the audiences’ familiarity with Japanese culture, time and space’s availability, and the guideline based on other factors outside of the field of translation were three reasonable components that had a part in the subtitling team’s choices of strategies.

Open Access

Article

Article ID: 1106

Ukrainian historical terminology designating social and military status in Old Rus’: Examining their counterparts in English

by Marina Vozna, Liudmyla Slavova, Natalia Antonyuk

Forum for Linguistic Studies, Vol.6, No.1, pp. 6(1), 1989; , 2024; 32 Views, 15 PDF Downloads

The article researches translators’ challenges in rendering domain-specific terms which include culture-specific items. The study has been carried out using Old Rus’ historical terminology employed to designate social and military status. It was selected en masse from academic texts, using monographs and academic articles in both languages. 82 language units representing culture-specific historical terms related to social, political and military organisation of the society of that period were chosen and described in terms of appropriate translation. Our hypothesis has been tested as to the unacceptability of approximation (analogous translation and generalisation) in rendering culture-related terms that designate highly specific concepts of the defined period in Ukrainian history. The research establishes that approximate translation fails to meet the requirements of strict definition and accuracy demanded by professional terminology. Our study underlines the importance of secondary term formation, descriptive translation, and the method called combined renomination (transcription and description combined). For a translation to be accurate, the shift in translation should follow the shift in concept. The specific term may have wider, more general semantics, and in each particular context it should be specified. The use of the description or combined renomination helps to make the meaning of the concept clearer.  The study demonstrates that the most accurate and effective secondary term formation usually follows the pattern of term formation in the original language.

Open Access

Article

Article ID: 1107

‘I whisper a prayer to this beauty...’: Representation of the national concept ‘ЗЕМЛЯ’/‘LAND’ in Lina Kostenko’s literary universe

by Olha Krupko, Olena Pidhrushna

Forum for Linguistic Studies, Vol.6, No.1, pp. 6(1), 2005; , 2024; 19 Views, 14 PDF Downloads

This study examined Lina Kostenko’s literary expressions, and offers a more profound comprehension of the nuanced connotations associated with ЗЕМЛЯ /LAND concept in the Ukrainian context and its role in shaping Ukrainian cultural identity. The analysis of Kostenko’s literary works, with a specific emphasis on significant lexical components such as Україна /Ukraine , рідна земля /native land , and Батьківщина /Motherland , explored the complex interplay between language, culture, and identity. Metaphors, epithets, and figurative language, which encompass ideas of кра c а /beauty , родючі c ть /fertility , щедрість /generosity are employed to elucidate the conceptual characteristics associated with the LAND concept. Spatial concretizations such as ліс /forest , сад /garden , поле /field , and степ /steppe have gained considerable significance, with the steppe in particular emerging as a prominent symbol of Ukrainian identity constituting approximately 44% of linguistic representations, while approximately 47% of the observed depictions were associated with the forest and garden. Additionally, the study explored the anthropomorphic qualities and identified the axiologemes attributed to the concept of ЗЕМЛЯ /LAND , as well as their role in shaping the nation’s consciousness. This academic exploration revealed valuable insights into the linguistic richness and cultural significance of ЗЕМЛЯ /LAND concept and its enduring relevance within the broader context of linguo-culturology and conceptual analysis.

Open Access

Article

Article ID: 1108

AI-translated poetry: Ivan Franko’s poems in GPT-3.5-driven machine and human-produced translations

by Viacheslav Karaban, Anna Karaban

Forum for Linguistic Studies, Vol.6, No.1, pp. 6(1), 1994; , 2024; 31 Views, 32 PDF Downloads

The article presents a detailed comparative analysis of translations of twelve great Ukrainian poet Ivan Franko’s poems done by translator Percival Cundy and the GPT-3.5 AI language model. Using various manual and automatic analytical research methods and techniques, we analyzed the translations’ merits, demerits, and eight essential qualitative and quantitative linguistic and poetic characteristics to verify a hypothesis that human and GPT-3.5-driven machine translations can be quite comparable in terms of their quality and poetic features. The results obtained sufficiently prove the hypothesis and suggest that developing AI translation potential for poetry translation can help build more capable, diversified, and nuanced large language models. The AI revolutionary breakthrough in translation makes it quite possible to acquaint satisfactorily the wider public with the poetic heritage of the world’s nations, especially those using minor languages, whose poetry is evidently under-translated. A follow-up study is desirable to assess the progress made by GPT4.0 and its possible later versions in poetry translation, as compared with GPT-3.5.

Open Access

Article

Article ID: 1109

Facework display of a political leader: Linguo-rhetoric approach (the case study of Julia Gillard’s speech on misogyny)

by Anna Lyashuk

Forum for Linguistic Studies, Vol.6, No.1, pp. 6(1), 1996; , 2024; 17 Views, 12 PDF Downloads

This article focuses on the cognitive rhetoric features of the politician’s facework that incorporate face threatening acts, communicative strategies, and discursive functions in a political speech. The data were taken from the speech on misogyny delivered in 2012 by the 27th Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard. Throughout the article we disclose the interaction of the politician’s face, politeness, and power in the institutional discourse. Julia Gillard does her facework actively engaged into the misogyny argument which provides a persuasive ground to confront the opponent’s face through reinforced employment of both positive and negative face threatening acts. The findings suggest that doing facework through rhetorical practices Gillard signals her identity in three faces: a political leader, a female politician and her individual social self-image of a woman and daughter. Gillard’s face claims are closely bound with her sense of sociality rights and obligations. This entails her relational and collective self-construal prevail over her individual face. The symbolic power obliges Gillard to protect her collective self-credibility and makes the ground for undermining the self-worth of the opponent in a rather straightforward manner. The politeness Gillard exercises is mainly prescribed by the institutional goal and status which directly impact the use of the linguistic means employed by the politician.

Open Access

Article

Article ID: 1110

The translation of images in Tang poetry in view of relevance translation theory: A case study of the pipa image in three English versions of Three Hundred Tang Poems

by Jinbao Cai, Yuexin Zheng, Jiacheng Xu

Forum for Linguistic Studies, Vol.6, No.1, pp. 6(1), 2050; , 2024; 19 Views, 22 PDF Downloads

Tang poetry is rich in images, and the pipa portrayed in Tang poetry mainly symbolizes compassion and melancholy, indifference and openness, and joy and resentment. With the approaches of case study and comparative analysis, the study built a framework of the relevance translation theory to compare the pipa images in three English versions of Three Hundred Tang Poems: The Jade Mountain: A Chinese Anthology (jointly translated by Witter Bynner and Kiang Kanghu), 300 Tang Poems: A New Translation (compiled by Xu Yuanchong, Lu Peixian and Wu Juntao) and English Translation of 320 Tang Poems (translated by Betty Tseng). Then, the contextual effects of pipa images in the three English versions are analyzed with the difference of the translators. The findings are conducive to enlightening translators’ mindset of creating optimal context relevance for target readers and maintaining sustainable development of traditional Chinese culture.

Open Access

Article

Article ID: 1111

Exploring critical reception and thematic trends: A corpus-based analysis of critic reviews for ‘While You Were Sleeping’

by Le Thanh Thao, Nguyen Thi Thuy Linh

Forum for Linguistic Studies, Vol.6, No.1, pp. 6(1), 2103; , 2024; 42 Views, 23 PDF Downloads

This study presents a corpus-based analysis of 51 critic reviews of the romantic comedy “While You Were Sleeping”, sourced from RottenTomatoes, to explore the linguistic nuances, thematic focuses, and sentiment orientation in film criticism. Employing corpus linguistics and critical discourse analysis, the study systematically examines the language and thematic patterns in these reviews, aiming to understand the broader dialogue about cinema and its cultural impact. The analysis reveals several key themes: the balance between charm and credibility, the significance of lead performances, narrative plausibility versus genre conventions, cultural and seasonal context, divergent perspectives on humor and tone, the importance of cinematic style and directorial choices, reflections on the romantic comedy genre, and audience engagement and emotional resonance. These findings highlight the complex and multifaceted nature of film criticism, particularly in the romantic comedy genre, where films are evaluated not just for entertainment but also for narrative structure, character development, and adherence to genre norms. The study underscores the importance of external factors such as cultural context and timing in film reception and emphasizes the impact of lead performances and casting decisions on audience engagement and film perception. It contributes to a deeper understanding of film criticism, extending beyond mere entertainment to encompass cultural, narrative, and stylistic considerations. The insights gained can inform future film productions, critiques, and academic discussions in cinema studies.

Open Access

Article

Article ID: 1112

Comparing translation accuracy in Belt and Road Malaysia children’s literature: Malay and Chinese native speakers vs ChatGPT

by Yoke Lian Lau, Zi Xian Yong, Chen Eng Chia, Zi Hong Yong, Anna Lynn Abu Bakar, Chen Jung Ku, Ernahwatikah Nasir, Bavani Arumugam

Forum for Linguistic Studies, Vol.6, No.1, pp. 6(1), 2069; , 2024; 70 Views, 34 PDF Downloads

The study investigates the translation processes of human and artificial intelligence translators in comparison. Human translators consist of a Chinese native speaker and belt and road translators. Different versions of artificial intelligence translators comprise ChatGPT 3.5 and ChatGPT 4.0. The research methodology employed is a keyword detection technique. One human translator and one translator powered by artificial intelligence achieved the highest scores in keyword detection, according to the results. Human translators continue to be indispensable in the field of translation, particularly in the translation of literary works. However, the research group is optimistic that artificial intelligence will soon be able to resolve this issue.

Open Access

Article

Article ID: 1113

Fostering social cohesion in ethnolinguistic communities through mother tongue-based initiatives in Nepal

by Dhan Bahadur Tamang

Forum for Linguistic Studies, Vol.6, No.1, pp. 6(1), 2092; , 2024; 50 Views, 23 PDF Downloads

In Nepal and other regions, fostering social cohesion within ethnolinguistic communities is recognized as a vital factor for fostering social prosperity. This research paper presents an integrated framework developed through an extensive literature survey, incorporating the perspectives of ethnolinguistics and social cohesion. The study examines social cohesion using mixed methods, exploring its domains and correlation with linguistic theories. Special attention is given to the role of social prosperity and how this study impacts attitudinal and behavioral aspects of social cohesion. The study’s findings underscore the significance of interconnected social relations, a sense of connectedness, and shared common goods as essential elements for fostering practical social harmony. Notably, the research emphasizes the critical role of mother tongue-based educational activities in empowering ethnolinguistic communities, catalyzing sociocultural transformation, and promoting identity. It is revealed that these initiatives contribute to poverty reduction and foster gender equality and social inclusion. Moreover, the research advocates language-based interventions as a pivotal strategy for enhancing social cohesion. By recognizing language as a critical element that binds communities, this study aims to create a more fruitful investigation and provide practical, scientific, and managerial contributions in fostering social cohesion within ethnolinguistic contexts.