International Journal of Language and Literary Studies

Sociolinguistic Etymologies of Ewe Names Denoting the Relationship with Man and Animals

2025-08-16T22:07:24+00:00

This work looks at the human-animal relation displayed in Ewe personal names in Ghana, Togo, and Benin by studying sociolinguistics and etymology. Using cultural and socio semiotic theories, the study adopted the qualitative method. This research reviews twenty animal-related Ewe names to find the cultural, symbolic, and spiritual reasons for their use. The study reveals that these names relate closely to shared memory and views, acting as markers of identity, values, and knowledge passed down through generations. Ewe animal-based names show totemic links, ecological awareness, moral lessons, and expectations. As such, they act as a linguistic link connecting language, environment, beliefs, and social structure. This study adds to African onomastics by showing how naming practices hold native ways of knowing and keep cultural heritage alive.

The Impact of Kahoot on English Vocabulary Acquisition: A Study of Moroccan High School Students

2025-08-17T22:30:20+00:00

In an era where digital engagement shapes modern education, integrating gamification into language learning has emerged as a powerful tool to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. This study investigates the impact of Kahoot, a platform for learning through games, on the English language vocabulary acquisition of Moroccan high school students. A quasi-experimental design with 80 students (40 per group) was used. Students sat for vocabulary pre- and post-tests (15 points per test), and the data were processed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings revealed that Kahoot significantly improved vocabulary acquisition among students in the experimental group compared to traditional teaching methods. This study highlights the instructional value of gamification tools like Kahoot in vocabulary instruction and provides pedagogical implications and suggestions for integrating digitally gamified tools in the language classroom.

Persuasion Through Semiotics: A Multimodal Analysis of Beverage Advertisements in Ghana

2025-08-01T02:56:05+00:00

This study explores the semiotic resources and embedded ideologies in billboard advertisements for beverages in Ghana, using a multimodal approach to understand how meaning is constructed and communicated. Although previous research in Ghana has primarily focused on linguistic elements, this study fills a gap by analysing a range of semiotic resources such as images, gestures, colours, symbols, typography, and text. Using Kress and Van Leeuwen's Visual Grammar Theory, the analysis of 20 advertisements from six Ghanaian beverage brands revealed key findings. The study found that semiotic resources like celebrity images, logos, and product visuals were strategically employed to establish brand identity and appeal. Gestures conveyed product advantages or participant emotions, while symbols (e.g., logos and world maps) reinforced brand image. Colour emerged as a powerful communicative mode, serving not only to capture attention but also to reinforce brand recognition and evoke culturally resonant meanings. Distinct brand colours—such as Coca-Cola's red and Guinness's black—were strategically used to strengthen identity and aid recall. Moreover, colours like yellow and green conveyed symbolic associations: yellow suggested energy and happiness, while green implied freshness and calm, aligning effectively with consumer aspirations and lifestyle preferences. These findings underscore how Ghanaian advertisers blend visual and textual elements to effectively persuade consumers, highlighting the role of cultural context in shaping advertising strategies.

Conveying Conciseness in the Translation of Quranic Qa?a? (Stories): S?rah Y?suf as a Case Study

2025-08-02T13:05:53+00:00

Abstract

This paper explores the challenges of translating the rhetorical device of conciseness in Quranic narratives (Qa?a?). The inimitability of the Qur’an is particularly evident through its linguistic and rhetorical features, especially its capacity to convey extensive meanings with remarkable brevity. This study aims to highlight the difficulties faced by translators and underscores the strategies employed to preserve conciseness while maintaining essential semantic and rhetorical nuances. A qualitative, descriptive, and analytical approach is used to examine select verses from S?rah Y?suf (Q:12), focusing on the impact of conciseness, both with and without ellipsis, on their English translations. By comparing various translated Quranic verses to the source text and drawing upon exegesis to ensure the preservation of intended meaning, the research reveals that deviations from the original concise structures can result in a loss of semantic and rhetorical depth, ultimately diminishing the eloquence of the Quranic text. The study contributes to the existing body of knowledge in Quran translation studies, offering insights into the best approaches and strategies for translating the rhetorical device of conciseness in the Qur’an.

The Impact of Cultural Schemata on EFL Reading Comprehension: The Case of First-Year Moroccan University Students

2025-08-10T00:51:42+00:00

The prime objective of the study was to investigate the effects of background knowledge on reading comprehension among Moroccan EFL learners at the tertiary level. The hypothesis tested was that the experimental group would perform better than the control group on the grounds of providing cultural background knowledge prior to reading. To meet this objective, the study made use of two types of instruments: a test comprising structured test items and a post-reading feedback questionnaire. A cohort of sixty-eight university students took part in the study. The participants were divided into two groups: the control group and the experimental group. The study adopts a mixed-method experimental design to triangulate data on both the effect of background knowledge and students’ perceptions of the intervention on EFL learners' reading comprehension. The results show that the experimental group performed better than the control group on the basis of providing cultural background knowledge. The major pedagogical implication of the study is that pre-reading activities, in general, and providing background knowledge, in particular, are useful instructional tools for teachers in the EFL context to facilitate students' reading comprehension at the tertiary level.

Beyond National Narratives: A Relational Method for Diasporic Literatures Grounded in Francophone Canada

2025-08-14T23:28:58+00:00

This article asks how to read African diasporic writing in French in Canada without forcing it into national boxes. It reframes the old idea that “one people, one territory, one language” should define literature as a habit that can hide what texts actually do on the page. I propose a simple toolkit of six questions to guide analysis: How does the text create contact across difference? How does the city shape scenes and pace? How do past, present, and hoped-for futures overlap? To whom does the voice speak, and how does it hold more than one audience? How do spoken forms like a proverb or a chant become a written rhythm? How do civic and religious worlds share a scene? Three readings model the approach: Didier Leclair writes the migratory city through thresholds, transit, and offices; Monia Mazigh builds ethical address across civic and faith publics; Guy Armel Bayegnak turns cadence, meaningful objects, and mixed codes into structure. A synthesis shows translation on the page working as a method, and “public-making” as a measure of literary form in minor settings. The article offers a clear, portable way to name how texts build relations beyond national narratives. Although grounded in francophone Canada, the method is designed to travel and can inform the analysis of diasporic and minor literatures worldwide.

Gender and the Pragmatics of Refusal: A Study of Moroccan University Learners of English

2025-07-09T20:59:44+00:00

This study investigates the use of refusal strategies within the framework of pragmatics and politeness theory, with a specific focus on gender-based patterns among Moroccan university learners of English. The research explores whether male and female participants employ refusal strategies similarly across various situations. Using a Discourse Completion Task (DCT) questionnaire, data were collected and analysed quantitatively to identify the frequency and types of refusal strategies used. The findings reveal that male and female participants generally follow comparable patterns in their use of refusal strategies, with only minor differences observed in a single situation. These results contribute to the understanding of gender and pragmatic competence, offering insights into how politeness and social norms shape refusal behaviour in a second language context.

Investigating Google Translation App Reliance on Enhancing EFL Learners’ Language Proficiency

2025-08-27T00:08:40+00:00

This study focuses on the impact of Google Translate (GTA) on EFL learners' language proficiency, specifically its advantages and disadvantages. The survey data and literature review revealed that while many learners are frequent users of GTA, particularly for vocabulary (median=4.0) and pronunciation (median=4.0), the correlations to improvement were substantial for vocabulary (?=0.72) and pronunciation (?=0.68). However, the correlations for writing (?=0.28) and comprehension (?=0.45) were weaker, suggesting limited contributions to the more complex skills of writing and comprehension. These findings also suggest that GTA may contribute to immediate improvement in vocabulary and pronunciation, but in terms of complex skills, the direct relationship between GTAs and improvement will be influenced by other contextual factors in EFL learning situations. This study emphasizes the immediate contributions to vocabulary and pronunciation while also highlighting the complexities and subtleties of incorporating GTA into language teaching and learning.

Deciphering Patterns of Scammed Messages Using SFL’s Interpersonal and Experiential Metafunctions

2025-08-03T04:18:55+00:00

This study explores the linguistic patterns employed in online scam communications by investigating the conversation between a scammer and their target through the lens of Systemic Functional Linguistics. The objectives of the study were: 1) to determine the function of the transitivity processes and participant involvement in conveying intended messages 2) analyze mood choices to understand interaction dynamics and role construction. This exploration adopted the qualitative approach focusing on transitivity processes and mood choices. The findings reveal that scammers manipulate conversations through strategic use of transitivity processes, employing material and relational processes to assert dominance and position the target as submissive and compliant; they strengthen power dynamics through mood choices, mainly using declarative moods to establish authority while the target’s interrogative moods emphasize their subordinate role. The study recommends that interdisciplinary approaches that investigates the psychological impact of linguistic manipulation on targets be conducted to prevent scam effectively.

Attitudes Toward Translanguaging of English Teachers in a Private College in Lucena

2025-07-10T04:07:34+00:00

In today's multilingual classrooms, English teachers face increasing challenges in meeting the diverse linguistic needs of their students. This study examined the attitudes of English teachers toward translanguaging as a pedagogical approach in a private college in Lucena, Philippines. Drawing on Fang and Liu's (2020) framework, the study focused on teachers’ attitudes toward content-oriented, student-oriented, and classroom-oriented purposes. A qualitative case study design was employed to collect data from three English teachers through a focused group discussion, which was then categorized thematically. Findings revealed that English teachers generally held positive attitudes toward translanguaging as a pedagogical approach. Additionally, English teachers acknowledged its importance in promoting inclusive and comprehensible instruction, as well as student-centered learning, which supports classroom dynamics. Moreover, English teachers emphasized its value in accommodating linguistic diversity and increasing learner engagement. However, teachers also identified specific challenges, such as assessment constraints and cognitive demands. Overall, these findings highlight the potential of translanguaging in English language classrooms, particularly in bilingual and multilingual contexts in the Philippines.

Computational Literary Analysis of Hamlet: Emotional Mechanisms Behind Hamlet’s And Ophelia’s Tragic Ends

2025-08-19T15:48:13+00:00

This study investigates the emotional mechanisms driving the tragic demises of Hamlet and Ophelia in Shakespeare’s Hamlet through a mixed-methods approach that integrates computational sentiment analysis with qualitative thematic coding. By applying sentiment trajectory mapping, emotion co-occurrence networks, and parallel coordinates visualization, the research identifies distinct emotional patterns that characterize each character’s psychological journey. The findings demonstrate that Hamlet’s downfall stems primarily from the interplay between doubt and suspicion with anger and vengefulness, producing a cycle of hesitation and impulsive action. In contrast, Ophelia’s demise is dominated by grief and despair, intensified by her social powerlessness and lack of agency, which ultimately overwhelms her emotional resilience. These divergent emotional drivers highlight how gender and social position shape Shakespeare’s portrayal of psychological deterioration. The study not only contributes to Shakespearean scholarship by offering empirical support for long-standing interpretive claims but also advances computational literary analysis by demonstrating how digital humanities tools can illuminate nuanced psychological dynamics in canonical texts.

Exploring Syntactic Derivation: Analysis of Clause Projections in Undergraduate Students' Requests

2025-08-25T12:10:00+00:00

Students’ request clauses are widely studied pragmatically. However, limited syntactic analysis has been observed. The present study utilized a descriptive qualitative research design to syntactically analyze the maximal projections and recursions of thirty-two (32) request clauses sent by undergraduate students to their professors. The clauses included in this study are all written in English. The analyzed clauses of students often use the Tense Phrase (TP) and the Complementizer Phrase (CP) to project their requests. Furthermore, the paper’s request clauses usually merge an Infinitival Tense Phrase with a Finite Tense Phrase. This made TP the most recurring projection. Conversely, CP did not recur frequently, as it is commonly used as a projection through Tense-to-Complement (T-to-C) Movement. It is concluded that students utilize this principle when framing an indirect request. Meanwhile, they use TP as the head projection of their requests when constructing a direct request. Moreover, both syntactic strategies are initiated using modal verbs. Therefore, it is inferred that the request clauses of the students use modal verbs as the head act of their requests. Finally, a comparative study between various contexts of request is recommended to have a holistic understanding of the syntactic features present in request clauses.

Gender Differences in ESL Learners’ Mastery Of Prepositions: Implications for Designing Instructional Materials

2025-08-20T07:59:01+00:00

Learning prepositions is a challenging task for ESL learners, and previous studies have focused on assessing mastery levels and identifying difficulties. This mixed methods research examines the correlation between gender and mastery levels in using the prepositions at, for, in, on, to, and with, as well as frequently missed questions and problems in their usage among 26 Grade 12 senior high school students. The quantitative analysis involved a t-test to compare the performance of male and female participants. The results indicate that both males and females achieved a weak mastery level in using prepositions. However, among the 11 frequently missed questions, male participants exhibited a higher error percentage than female participants. Additionally, both genders encountered similar problems related to preposition use, which were categorized into five themes: (1) unfamiliarity with the rules, (2) confusion due to sentence meaning, (3) context-based sentence construction, (4) interference, and (5) sound dependence. These findings suggest that instructional materials for preposition use need not be gender-specific but rather require a corpus-based approach and the inclusion of contextualized examples. However, the generalizability of these results is limited due to the small sample size, highlighting the need for further research with a larger and more diverse participant pool.

From Lexical to Functional: The Grammaticalization of Temporal Particles in the Tarifit Dialect of Temsamane

2025-08-31T19:35:31+00:00

This article examines the grammaticalization of three periphrastic tense particles in the Tarifit dialect of Temsamane (henceforth TT) . It is shown that in Stage 1, the semantic value of progressivity primarily triggered the grammaticalization of these temporal elements. One of them has fully developed into a temporal particle, evidenced by its capacity to host clitics, while the other two remain in the process of grammaticalization. This development gave rise to a tripartite temporal system: past derived from a copulative auxiliary, present from a locative predicate, and future from a lexical verb that has coalesced to a temporal particle. In Stage 2, other perfect forms emerged from these grammaticalized particles, and consequently allowed for the expression of progressive and stative meanings within both past and future contexts. The framework adopted in this study is the Minimalist Program (Chomsky, 1995).

Socio-Psycholinguistic Implications of Rumour and Economic Hardship Among Bali Resident in Nigeria

2025-07-30T22:17:40+00:00

Rumour has long been recognized as an influential factor shaping societal perceptions and behaviours. It often extends to economic activities. This paper examines the effect of rumours and economic hardship on residents of Bali, Taraba State, Nigeria. The focus is on the online media landscape. The objectives are to investigate the socio-psycholinguistic effects of rumour on foodstuff scarcity on Facebook; assess the responses of individuals on the new language that emerged from rumour about food scarcity; and explore the use of rumour to create artificial scarcity, which raises food prices. The study uses primary data from observation and online media documentation. The documents are analysed to understand how language is used in different social contexts. The Social Construction of Reality Theory and the Spreading Activation Theory are adopted to guide the study. The analysis of online media sources shows that rumour spreads quickly and influences the behaviour of local residents. As major findings, residents suffer from sociolinguistic and psycholinguistic effects of rumour due to the hardships caused by foodstuff scarcity. New language for food items is also found. Marketers use rumours to create artificial scarcity, leading to higher prices. These have accomplished the objectives of this study. Recommendations are made in line with the findings.

Dark and Dark and Terrible Ladies”: The Female Undead in Edgar Allan Poe's Short Stories

2025-08-24T09:39:39+00:00

This article examines Edgar Allan Poe’s depiction of the female undead. It demonstrates that the representations of female characters who die only to return from death via reincarnation or premature burial can be substantiated via two-fold discourses in the nineteenth century: the discourses on death, grief, and mourning, on the one hand, and the changing ideations about the roles of women, particularly the construct of the femme fatale during that time, on the other. By engaging with the feminist discourses on Poe’s women, this article argues that Poe’s female undead challenge the stereotype of the femme fatale that came to prominence during the nineteenth century through competing dynamics of death, agency, and madness that are in play in Poe’s short fiction. Additionally, this article argues that Poe’s female undead defy the frameworks of traditional female representations in stories such as “Berenice” (1835) and “Ligeia” (1838), highlighting how these women are endowed with power and agency as they lead men to madness and destruction. By so doing, Poe’s short stories subvert traditional gender roles and the sociocultural norms and conventions against which women were judged during the nineteenth century.

ChatGPT in the Moroccan EFL Classroom: Secondary School Teachers' Use, Perceived Benefits, Impacts, and Challenges

2025-08-02T20:38:05+00:00

As generative artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT rapidly enter educational spaces, understanding how language teachers engage with them is critical for informing pedagogy and policy. This study investigates the extent to which Moroccan secondary school EFL teachers use ChatGPT in their instructional practices, as well as their perceived benefits, reported impacts, and challenges. Using a mixed-methods design, data were collected from 24 teachers through Likert-scale questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Quantitative findings revealed that most participants use ChatGPT regularly, especially for lesson planning, material simplification, and grammar support, with younger and more digitally confident teachers reporting higher usage. Teachers perceived ChatGPT as a helpful tool for saving time and adapting materials to student levels. However, concerns were raised about content inaccuracy, plagiarism risks, lack of training, and misalignment with local curricula. Thematic analysis of qualitative data confirmed these patterns and highlighted nuanced issues related to teacher identity, classroom roles, and digital pedagogy. These findings contribute to the growing body of research on AI in education by offering context-sensitive insights from a Global South perspective and underscore the need for targeted professional development and policy guidance on AI integration in language teaching.

Self-Efficacy Perceptions of Turkish Foreign Language Students of ?stanbul Geli?im University

2025-09-10T10:43:59+00:00

Abstract
Background: Self-efficacy, a core construct of Bandura’s (1986) social cognitive theory, significantly influences motivation, persistence, and resilience in learning. This study examines the self-efficacy perceptions of English Language and Literature students at Istanbul and Gelisim University in the context of foreign language learning.
Method: A qualitative case study design was employed. Data were collected through students’ written responses to three open-ended questions and analyzed thematically.
Findings: Students defined self-efficacy as confidence in their abilities, persistence through challenges, and a learnable skill shaped by education and experience. They emphasized its role in sustaining motivation, overcoming fear of failure, supporting self-study, and guiding academic choices. Broader insights included career adaptability, daily responsibilities, and emotional resilience.
Conclusion: The study confirms the strong link between self-efficacy and language achievement. Educational programs should integrate strategies to strengthen self-efficacy, thereby promoting academic success and lifelong learning.

Translation Between Domestication and Foreignization: The Perspective of the Canadian Novelist Anne Michaels

2025-03-18T03:11:06+00:00

This paper explores the interplay between domestication and foreignization in Anne Michaels’ novel Fugitive Pieces, illustrating how translation functions as both a means of adaptation and a tool for preserving identity. Domestication, which involves aligning a translated text with the target culture, is depicted through the protagonist Jakob Beer’s survival strategies. Escaping the Nazis and integrating into Greek and English-speaking societies, Jakob learns new languages, reflecting the necessity of cultural assimilation for survival. However, this process also distances him from his original identity, illustrating the cost of domestication. Conversely, foreignization, which retains the original cultural essence of a text, manifests in Jakob’s persistent connection to his Jewish heritage and past traumas. Despite acquiring new languages, Jakob remains tied to his lost world, demonstrating how translation can serve as an act of remembrance rather than mere linguistic substitution. Michaels presents translation as a negotiation between freedom and constraint, where linguistic choices reflect deeper existential struggles. Through this analysis, Fugitive Pieces emerges as a meditation on the challenges of translation—both linguistic and existential—highlighting how survivors and translators alike navigate the delicate balance between adaptation and preservation.

Narratological Analysis of P.B. Shelley’s “A Vision of the Sea”

2025-09-07T22:07:39+00:00

This paper narratologically analyzes one of the most difficult, complex, and ambiguous poems by P.B. Shelley, “A Vision of the Sea.” The poem is painstakingly analyzed through narrative techniques and tools, particularly voice and time, which have probably not been investigated yet. In other words, this paper practically illuminates this niche through transgeneric narrative analysis that is still in its early throes. It reveals a sophisticated mixed mode of narration with a third-person omniscient narrator and embedded character discourse. Temporality creates a dynamic yet coherent rhythm. Its sonic textures subtly counter the depicted chaos, in which the narrator’s psyche remains untroubled by the tumultuous landscape. It deftly weaves strands of trans, self, and re-narration with scientific, religious, and symbolic registers that create a dual perception of it both as a metaphysical allegory and visceral perception. It combines analytical, interpretive, and integrated approaches, with a reader-oriented response. In a word, the narrativity of this poem presents itself as a complex and complete narrative matrix that is skillfully orchestrated rather than being described as a fragmented narration.

Exploring Female Commodification in Efua T. Sutherland`s The Marriage Of Anansewa

2025-09-01T17:05:25+00:00

The female body has often been regarded as a commodity across various historical phases, including capitalism and colonialism. In the absence of wealth or personal property, the female body assumes an exchange-value status. Numerous literary texts, such as Woman at Point Zero and From a Crooked Rib, foreground this commodification. Similarly, Efua Sutherland’s The Marriage of Anansewa addresses the issue of female commodification. Drawing on feminist theory, this paper employs a qualitative research design to conduct a literary analysis of how the female body is commodified in The Marriage of Anansewa. The findings reveal that Anansewa is commodified by her father, who exploits her bride price to address his economic challenges, arranging a transactional marriage with four chiefs whose pursuit of her underscores patriarchal dominance. However, the study also shows that she partially resists this commodification through her songs and “staged” death to reclaim the female agency and decides on who to marry. Furthermore, dramatic techniques such as characterization, stage directions, and symbolism, are used to illustrate the commodification and resistance of Anansewa who is seen as an “object of interest.” The study concludes the play is relevant in contemporary discussions on gender, autonomy, and equality in African literature..

Assessing Learner Autonomy in Moroccan Higher Education: Toward a Localized Measurement Scale

2025-09-21T20:42:34+00:00

Learner autonomy has become one of the central goals of education worldwide. To support this goal, it is crucial to measure how autonomous learners are and identify the factors that help or limit its development. Although some instruments exist, many are limited in scope, and they are rarely adapted to local contexts. In Morocco, despite the emphasis on autonomy in the educational policies, no scale has been developed to measure it. This article presents the development of a localized Learner Autonomy Measurement Scale (LAMS) for the Moroccan context. The scale is based on three major frameworks: Benson’s (1997, 2001) multidimensional model, Nunan’s (1997) developmental stages, and Tassinari’s (2012) dynamic model. It consists of thirty items across nine indicators, using a 5-point Likert scale, and is designed to capture autonomy as a multidimensional, developmental, and dynamic construct. This article presents the conceptual development and theoretical grounding of a localized scale to measure learner autonomy, providing a foundation for future empirical validation

The Teaching and Learning of Reading: Its Challenges, Strategies, and Effectiveness in The Philippine Context: A Systematic Review

2025-09-11T13:04:18+00:00

Anchored on the research objective of understanding the current challenges that confront the learning and teaching of reading skills in the Philippines’ basic education context, this systematic review study endeavors to identify the implemented intervention strategies and assess their effectiveness based on the empirical and anecdotal findings revealed in 10 published studies, coded S1 to S10, that met all the inclusion criteria for thematic analysis. The overall findings establish a clear existing need to develop multi-faceted approaches to addressing reading skill gaps, both in pedagogy and resource management. Specifically, it requires a revisit of teachers’ holistic professional training, an improvement of the readability of instructional resources, and a renegotiated collaborative partnership between schools and families.

Forged in Suffering: The Birth of Dystopian Imagination in Arabic Literature: Case Studies from Utopia, The Queue, and Utared

2025-09-21T21:43:13+00:00

This study examines the rise of dystopian imagination in modern Arabic literature through three novels: Utopia (Towfik, 2008), The Queue (Abdel Aziz, 2016), and Otared (Rabie, 2016). Using close textual analysis within a comparative literary framework, it identifies a three-part pattern of suffering, i.e., material deprivation (Utopia), temporal suspension (The Queue), and bodily collapse (Otared). Unlike Western dystopias that focus on technological speculation or ideological control, these works emphasize lived realities, making structural, bureaucratic, and physical suffering central to their aesthetic and political messages. The novels act as testimonies, giving voice to marginalized experiences and transforming everyday suffering into ethical and narrative engagement. The study also suggests expanding the collection of Arabic dystopias, situating them within global and postcolonial debates, and incorporating them into world literature courses. By doing so, it examines how Arabic literature reconfigures the dystopian imagination through representations of human suffering, thereby contesting Eurocentric conceptions of the genre.

Children’s Reformulated Requests: A Developmental Study of Moroccan Preschoolers’ Pragmatic Competence

2025-09-24T23:23:10+00:00

This investigation explores the reformulation strategies utilized by Moroccan preschoolers when their initial requests fail to accomplish their intended perlocutionary outcomes. Through longitudinal examination of five female participants aged 4-6 years, we analyzed how children adapt their requests following non-compliance, investigating patterns of repetition, mitigation, and intensification. Data gathered across 34 months via naturalistic observation demonstrated that 81.8% of reformulated requests involved rephrasing rather than mere repetition. Children exhibited sophisticated recognition of social variables, modifying their reformulation approaches according to addressee characteristics and request categories. These findings enhance our comprehension of pragmatic development and cross-cultural diversity in children’s communicative competence.

The Development of Restricted Languages in Contemporary Sinhala with Social and Technological Influences

2025-09-07T06:12:10+00:00

British linguist J.R. Firth introduced the term 'restricted language' to refer to linguistic systems designed for specific tasks or contexts. In this context, various adaptations of the Sinhala language utilized in specialized environments can be identified as restricted forms. These adaptations often feature distinct vocabulary tailored to particular domains. For example, traditional agricultural practices, such as threshing, employ specific terminology, while the fishing community has developed a unique lexicon pertinent to their industry. Additionally, K. N. O. Dharmadasa has observed the emergence of new restricted forms in Sinhala, particularly evident in the language used in news headlines and text messaging. This study investigates the influence of recent societal developments on the emergence and characteristics of new restricted forms of the Sinhala language. In addition to analyzing websites, an exploration of social media platforms was conducted to capture the latest trends in language usage. It was observed that specific vocabulary related to epidemic and pandemic situations, as well as the headlines on gossip websites, YouTube titles and thumbnails, social media interactions, and strategies for online income generation, have begun to emerge. These elements can be classified as restricted forms of Sinhala language. Consequently, this study provides evidence of the evolving nature of restricted language forms in response to contemporary circumstances within the speaking community.

Doctoral Dissertation Writing: A Systematic Review of Challenges, Characteristics, and Scholarly Processes

2025-09-29T14:33:54+00:00

Completing a doctoral dissertation is a landmark achievement in a researcher's life, signifying the capability for independent thinking, extensive research, and contributory work in a desired academic area. Writing a dissertation is one of the most arduous periods of doctoral education, but it holds immense value. It represents a complex interplay of intellectual, technical, and affective requirements. This systematic review is grounded in a wide range of literature from academia to explore the major challenges faced by doctoral students, including choosing a research topic, selecting appropriate methodologies, effective time management, overcoming writing blocks, and psychological distress. Furthermore, the review outlines the key characteristics of a successful dissertation, including originality, methodological rigor, analytical thinking, and scholarly writing. Each stage of the dissertation journey is examined, ranging from initial planning and literature review to data analysis and preparation for defence, offering an interactive guide for doctoral students. Findings indicate that the timely completion of the dissertation is highly associated with institutional support, the quality of supervision, the availability of research training, and compliance with academic requirements. By synthesising key findings, this review aims to enhance the clarity and confidence of doctoral students and programs in navigating the dissertation process.

A Conceptual Metaphor-based Approach to Understanding English and Arabic Idioms of Emotions

2025-09-28T20:55:42+00:00

The present study investigates the conceptual metaphor-based approach to idiomatic expressions of emotions in English and Arabic. Through examining idioms related to emotions such as anger, happiness, and sadness, the study explores metaphorical language structures within each language, as well as how these metaphors affect bilingual learners. The study also explores the impact of L1 (native language) transfer on idiom interpretation in the TL (target language). For these reasons, we conducted a mixed approach addressing 42 correspondents. The results show that when idioms are presented within a framework based on their underlying conceptual metaphors, they can be better understood and remembered than without any conceptual framework context. The study also explores how cultural context influences idioms of emotions and how being conscious of conceptual metaphors can help in second-language learning. Among the four categories of idioms studied, the highest success rate is Shared Metaphorical Concepts at 86.2%, indicating that a universal or general metaphor across languages greatly helps L2 learners in understanding and interpreting. The lowest score is English Idioms with No Arabic Equivalent Metaphors at 57.1%, which suggests that metaphor remains the main challenge for learners. In addition, the findings show that the conceptual metaphor-based approach is a more effective pedagogical method for teaching idioms in EFL contexts, since it increases one's awareness of idioms and bridges the linguistic and cultural gap between English and Arabic.

Politeness in Political Speech: Exploring Donald Trump's 2017 and 2025 Inaugural Addresses

2025-10-02T01:19:36+00:00

Through the guidance of Fairclough’s model of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), this descriptive qualitative research analyzes Trump’s politeness strategies in realizing his speech acts. The analysis of Trump’s inaugural speeches revealed that he used a combination of positive politeness and bald-on-record strategies. Moreover, Trump dominantly utilized inclusive lexical markers such as the pronouns “we” and “our” to initiate both strategies. These markers create a unifying effect between the government and its people. Consequently, they realize most of Trump’s assertive and commissive acts. Trump’s assertive statements are used to portray himself as a compassionate leader who prioritizes the interests of his people. This goal is achieved by promoting solidarity through positive politeness. Through these results, Trump’s rhetorical style is concluded to be anti-government and pro-people, highlighting the idea that he brings change to all Americans. It is recommended that future studies focus on the audience’s reaction to Trump’s political discourse to confirm whether his communicative goals are achieved.