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Ecosystem-Wide Characteristics of an ESL Environment in Situ: An Affordance-Semiotics Perspective
Issue:
Volume 1, Issue 4, November 2013
Pages:
75-89
Received:
8 August 2013
Published:
20 October 2013
Abstract: Investigating the phenomenon of how a learning environment affords opportunities for individual learners to learn has recently become an increasing interest among researchers of applied linguistics and psychology. Traditional perspective in this regard has tended to limit the phenomenon to the environment’s rigid conditions and novices’ controlled responses; less attention has been given to exploring the potential light that broader strategies from other academic approaches may shed upon emergent relationships between the ever-changing environment and developing actions. With this trend in mind, this paper takes an ecological model based on the theory of affordances and semiotics of signs– a scope of epistemological thinking that conceives the inquiry as a second language (L2) learning ecology or an environmental system to supporting L2 learning actions. Upon this orientation, emphasis is placed on discovering actions situated in their original context (or in situ) and then the emergence of “ecosystem-wide characteristics”. By “ecosystem” it is meant that all interrelated levels of contexts are fundamental to the nature of connecting students to L2 learning. The research focused on a group of four secondary-school students in Hong Kong, in an after-school ESL (English as a second language) program over 12 lessons, examining a range of teaching-learning activities. In this paper, the ecology concerned is of informational signs interlocked for meaning-making purposes; one where signs flowed along direct and immediate perception-action heuristics for achieving L2 learning goals. Drawing upon the notion of “education-friendliness” (i.e., providing students with greater access to diverse sources of information for learning), there are implications for educational practitioners to use real-world engagement that is likely to tap students’ creativity and ignite motivational sparks for using L2 to understand the world more actively and strategically.
Abstract: Investigating the phenomenon of how a learning environment affords opportunities for individual learners to learn has recently become an increasing interest among researchers of applied linguistics and psychology. Traditional perspective in this regard has tended to limit the phenomenon to the environment’s rigid conditions and novices’ controlled ...
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Investigating the Interpersonal and Textual Meaning of Steve Jobs’ Stanford Speech in Terms of Hyland’s Metadiscourse Theory
Issue:
Volume 1, Issue 4, November 2013
Pages:
90-96
Received:
14 September 2013
Published:
30 October 2013
Abstract: Despite his remarkable influence on IT industry and on our daily lives, Steve Jobs’ speeches have seldom been researched. This paper sets out to explore the interpersonal and textual meaning of Jobs’ famous Stanford speech in light of Hyland’s theory of metadiscourse (2005). Hyland (2005) categorizes metadiscourse resources into interactional metadiscourse resources and interactive metadiscourse resources. By analyzing the interactional and interactive metadiscourse resources found in Jobs’ Stanford speech, the interpersonal and textual meaning of the speech is clearly revealed. It can be concluded that by the elaborate use of various metadiscourse resources, Steve Jobs successfully projects his ideas and supports his position, and at the same time, builds a good relationship with the audience and achieve mutual communication. This article also argues that Hyland’s categorization of metadiscourse, as a significant analytical framework in discourse analysis, offers a promising application in exploring interpersonal and textual meaning of language.
Abstract: Despite his remarkable influence on IT industry and on our daily lives, Steve Jobs’ speeches have seldom been researched. This paper sets out to explore the interpersonal and textual meaning of Jobs’ famous Stanford speech in light of Hyland’s theory of metadiscourse (2005). Hyland (2005) categorizes metadiscourse resources into interactional metad...
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The Arabic Origins of "Love and Sexual Terms" in English and European Languages: A Lexical Root Theory Approach
Issue:
Volume 1, Issue 4, November 2013
Pages:
97-110
Received:
10 October 2013
Published:
30 October 2013
Abstract: This paper investigates the Arabic cognates or origins of love and sexual words in English, German, French, Latin, and Greek from a lexical root theory perspective. The data consists of 239 terms like love, hope, abhor, hate, cupid, woo, whore, slut, fuck, erotic, intercourse, sex, copulate, impregnate, fornicate, marry, wed, seduce, beautiful, and so on. The results demonstrate that all such words have true Arabic cognates, having the same or similar forms and meanings. Their different forms, however, are all shown to be the result of natural and plausible causes and courses of linguistic change in such languages. For example, English, French, Greek and Latin erotic (Eros) comes from Arabic 'arr 'intercourse, making love'; English, French, and Latin abhor obtains from Arabic kariha/'akrah, kurh (n) 'hate' via /k & h/-merger; English and German love/lieben derives from Arabic labba ('alabba) 'to love, live/stay', turning /b/ into /v/; English hope (hobby) and German hoffen is from Arabic 2ubb 'love, hope', turning /2/ into /h/ and /b/ into /f/ in the latter. Consequently, the results indicate, contrary to Comparative Method claims, that Arabic, English and all (Indo-)European languages belong to the same language, let alone the same family. They, therefore, prove the adequacy of the lexical root theory according to which Arabic, English, German, French, Latin, and Greek are dialects of the same language with the first being the origin because of its phonetic complexity, huge lexical variety and multiplicity with over 100 'sex' terms.
Abstract: This paper investigates the Arabic cognates or origins of love and sexual words in English, German, French, Latin, and Greek from a lexical root theory perspective. The data consists of 239 terms like love, hope, abhor, hate, cupid, woo, whore, slut, fuck, erotic, intercourse, sex, copulate, impregnate, fornicate, marry, wed, seduce, beautiful, an...
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A Comparison between Motherese in the West and in Chinese Mandarin
Issue:
Volume 1, Issue 4, November 2013
Pages:
117-123
Received:
26 November 2013
Published:
30 December 2013
Abstract: Motherese, a name given to the restricted sort of language spoken by mothers to their children, could have an important role in affecting the rate of language acquisition. The way children acquire language in a miraculously short time is a topic of enormous current interest, stimulated by new technology which is currently enhancing our knowledge. Various studies have shown that those children who have been exposed to motherese are more likely to acquire the language at an accelerated pace. There are researches about this subject both in China and in the West, but a comparison of the similarities and differences between motherese in the West and in China has seldom been researched. This paper sets out to explore the similarities and differences between motherese in the West and in Chinese mandarin through a qualitative and a quantitative research. Through this study, it will be of great help to children’s language development. Nowadays, with the development of the society, new mothers attach more importance to children’s language development in order to found a good starting point. Meanwhile, many Chinese mothers want to create an English environment to their children by themselves. In this sense, this study can be of great significance.
Abstract: Motherese, a name given to the restricted sort of language spoken by mothers to their children, could have an important role in affecting the rate of language acquisition. The way children acquire language in a miraculously short time is a topic of enormous current interest, stimulated by new technology which is currently enhancing our knowledge. ...
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The English Language and the Mass Media as Tools for Sustainable Development in Multilingual Nations
Dare Owolab,
Charles Ikechukwu Nnaji
Issue:
Volume 1, Issue 4, November 2013
Pages:
124-130
Received:
7 October 2013
Published:
10 November 2013
Abstract: In many multilingual nations of the world, the multiplicity of indigenous languages and cultures makes the choice of a national language for the purpose of sustainable development difficult. This paper considers the media as major sources and vehicles for development through the choice and use of appropriate language. The English language, which has transformed from its initial status of a foreign language (EFL), has since assumed the status of a second language (ESL) in many former British colonies, of which Nigeria is one, and so fits the bill as the language of wider communication (LWC). This paper shows how English can be used effectively in the mass media of communications to galvanize the populace into participating in national development, through the adoption of a level of language intelligible to the majority of the people who are consumers of mass media products through reading information as news published in the mass media. The paper considers English as used in many developing multilingual nations of the world as ideal for the purpose of mass communication for sutainable national development. Without an indigenous language as a vehicle for national integration and development in many developing multilingual nations, the one language available which is English, can be properly adopted and domesticated in the various mass media of communications to achieve national integration and development in a mutually intelligible form among all consumers of mass media products from across the various ethnic divides. The paper believes the English to be used is not the one that appeals to the Queen of England or to native speakers, but alienates the people for whom it is written. It should rather be the domesticated version of the English language that is simple enough but not a representation of linguistic errors.That version of English should reflect the local nuances of the environment that the language has found itself, since we can only speak the English that we can naturally speak.
Abstract: In many multilingual nations of the world, the multiplicity of indigenous languages and cultures makes the choice of a national language for the purpose of sustainable development difficult. This paper considers the media as major sources and vehicles for development through the choice and use of appropriate language. The English language, which ha...
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Trendy Blends: A New Addition to English Lexicon
Issue:
Volume 1, Issue 4, November 2013
Pages:
147-154
Received:
29 October 2013
Published:
20 November 2013
Abstract: New words are created in our society everyday due to several reasons. It is important to understand the processes by which new words are formed. The processes traditionally identified may not adequately account for the formation of some neologisms; they [may] need updating. Among the traditionally-identified word-formation processes, blending is the most common. Some of the trendy blends are mostly derived from commercial trade names or advertising, science and technology, or simply a desire to be clever, witty, or facetious. In this paper, I will be discussing a number of trendy new blends, focusing on those which have violated the traditional rules of blend formation. For example, netizen, a variant of citizen, is the result of the amalgamation of Internet and citizen. Here, the word net, a [front-] clipping of Internet, and the last part of citizen, (it)izen, are combined. The use of such blending has become so frequent that these new processes should be recognized and accepted as new rules. Generally, the established rule of blending is that the first part of one word is added to the last part of another word, and the new word formed conveys the combined meaning of the two words. However, this is patently no longer the only way to blend words into a neologism. Therefore, if the new rules were added to the old one, the study of neologisms would become a little easier for learners.
Abstract: New words are created in our society everyday due to several reasons. It is important to understand the processes by which new words are formed. The processes traditionally identified may not adequately account for the formation of some neologisms; they [may] need updating. Among the traditionally-identified word-formation processes, blending is th...
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Investigating the Effect of Drawing Inferences in EFL Learners Reading Comprehension Ability by Using Recall of Short Stories
Issue:
Volume 1, Issue 4, November 2013
Pages:
155-159
Received:
24 October 2013
Published:
20 November 2013
Abstract: Drawing inference is one of seven strategies in reading comprehension. Proficient readers use their prior knowledge about a topic and the information they have gleaned in the text thus far to make predictions about what might happen next. When teachers demonstrate or model their reading processes for students through think aloud, they often stop and predict what will happen next to show how inferring is essential for comprehending text. In this study, two fairly homogeneous groups of EFL learners were selected (N=46) in Arak University. They were studying in English translation. After taking a reading comprehension test to ensure that their reading comprehension differences are not significant, they were randomly assigned to attend a short-story course in two different sections, one serving as the experimental and the other as the control group, both studying the same short stories, and both being taught by the researcher as their instructor of the course. By using T-test and ANOVA, the researchers found that in recall test which administered two weeks later, the learners who can drawing inferences significantly outperformed the other learners in reading comprehension test.
Abstract: Drawing inference is one of seven strategies in reading comprehension. Proficient readers use their prior knowledge about a topic and the information they have gleaned in the text thus far to make predictions about what might happen next. When teachers demonstrate or model their reading processes for students through think aloud, they often stop an...
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Can Movies and Media Offer an Easily Accessible, Dynamic Resource to Enrich and Expand Our English Language Teaching
Issue:
Volume 1, Issue 4, November 2013
Pages:
160-165
Received:
8 November 2013
Published:
10 December 2013
Abstract: This study investigates 10 teachers' view and attitude toward using media, such as TV, movies and music as a tool in language learning, so the aim of this study is to look at how film and media can be seen as resources in teaching and also find out how teachers use and regard film and media in education. Ten upper-intermediate teachers of one of the English language institute of Shiraz were interviewed for this study. Teachers feel that one of the positive aspects of working with media is that there is an enormous amount of material to draw inspiration from and that it provides the students with an opportunity to get exposed to different accents of the English language, so the interviewed teachers expressed that films offers authentic target language input. According to the interviewed teachers a "film experience" is regarded as a powerful tool for starting a discussion or introducing a theme. The use of film can also benefit students with different learning styles. It is also likely that students' positive perception of film in teaching has effects on language learning since motivation and attitudes, according to research, affect language acquisition. The results suggest that teachers generally are positive to the use of film in education and believe that students can learn many things from audio-visual media.
Abstract: This study investigates 10 teachers' view and attitude toward using media, such as TV, movies and music as a tool in language learning, so the aim of this study is to look at how film and media can be seen as resources in teaching and also find out how teachers use and regard film and media in education. Ten upper-intermediate teachers of one of th...
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The Rise and Fall of Iranian Female Students’ Motivation at Different Levels of Language Proficiency from High School to University
Fahime Najafi,
Fatemeh Behjat
Issue:
Volume 1, Issue 4, November 2013
Pages:
166-177
Received:
27 November 2013
Published:
30 December 2013
Abstract: The present research is an attempt to find out the relationship between the rise and fall of Iranian female students’ motivation and their different levels of language proficiency from high school to university and to discover whether the motivation of Iranian female students at different proficiency levels change over an academic semester. Furthermore, the focus of the study is on the possible reasons behind the rise and fall of motivation for students at different proficiency levels .This study was conducted in Mazandaran, Iran. The participants were 80 Iranian female students from among high school students and university BA students. The data was gathered using a questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. To analyze the data, a one-way ANOVA, repeated measure ANOVA and Pearson Correlation were run. The results indicated that there is a statistically significant difference in the motivation level across different language proficiency groups over an academic semester. In addition, there is a significant positive relationship between the participants’ motivation scores and their language proficiency scores. It also revealed that there are five demotivating factors responsible for the rise and fall of motivation for students at different proficiency levels including learning contents, materials, and facilities; attitude towards English speaking community; the teacher; experience of failure, and attitude towards second language learning. Among these, learning contents, materials, and facilities are the most prominent demotives in L2 learning, and attitude towards second language learning is the least important source of demotivation.
Abstract: The present research is an attempt to find out the relationship between the rise and fall of Iranian female students’ motivation and their different levels of language proficiency from high school to university and to discover whether the motivation of Iranian female students at different proficiency levels change over an academic semester. Further...
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English Film Appreciation: Multi-Dimensional Cultural Learning
Issue:
Volume 1, Issue 4, November 2013
Pages:
178-181
Received:
20 November 2013
Published:
30 December 2013
Abstract: According to Constructivism Learning Theory, people learn language by collaboration with others in certain situations. It attaches importance to the roles of four principal factors, namely “situation”, “collaboration”, “dialogue” and “meaning construction” in learning. By watching English films, students’ enthusiasm and initiative can be motivated. Students can build their knowledge networks with “English thinking mode”. In classroom teaching, teachers can carry out various class activities by using English films as materials to help students build English cultural cognition and enhance their intercultural communication competence.
Abstract: According to Constructivism Learning Theory, people learn language by collaboration with others in certain situations. It attaches importance to the roles of four principal factors, namely “situation”, “collaboration”, “dialogue” and “meaning construction” in learning. By watching English films, students’ enthusiasm and initiative can be motivated....
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The Study of Image Schemas in Hafez Poems: Cognitive Perspective
Issue:
Volume 1, Issue 4, November 2013
Pages:
182-190
Received:
17 August 2013
Published:
30 December 2013
Abstract: This article analyzes image schemas in Hafez sonnets. After studying the sonnets, some verses chosen selectively then, analyzed descriptively and analytically, based on some image schemas mentioned by Johnson ( 1987). Image schemas are conceptual structures derived from physical experiences, cultural background and ideology of a nation. All human beings based on their unique characteristics have access to a universal collection of image schemas, such as containment, path and force schemas. But, culturally image schemas are represented differently in languages. This fact considered by Lakoff in forming conceptual metaphors and cultural differences in Metaphors We Live By. Obviously, poem is rhymed words and suitable to image conceptual structures such as metaphors and image schemas. It is essential to mention that conceptual structures mentioned are not just used in poetry but, in everyday language as well. Here‚ some sonnets by Hafez are analyzed as the corpus of this article.
Abstract: This article analyzes image schemas in Hafez sonnets. After studying the sonnets, some verses chosen selectively then, analyzed descriptively and analytically, based on some image schemas mentioned by Johnson ( 1987). Image schemas are conceptual structures derived from physical experiences, cultural background and ideology of a nation. All human b...
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Persuasive Discourse Strategies Used by Mothers at Dinner Time to Persuade Children to Eat
Issue:
Volume 1, Issue 4, November 2013
Pages:
191-198
Received:
29 November 2013
Published:
10 January 2014
Abstract: This study examines the persuasive strategies used by Mothers in persuading children to eat during dinner time in Zimbabwe. Family interaction during dinner time both reflects and recreates the interaction of the larger society and as such, examining family persuasive discourse can yield informative results of the language practices people use to accomplish persuasive acts in other contexts. To collect data for the study the researcher observed ten Mothers of Grade One students at Avondale Primary School persuading their children to eat during dinner time and interviewed the Mothers after the observations. The results showed that the Mothers use different persuasive strategies to make their children eat dinner hence the need for them to strategically shape their communicative actions to achieve their overall discourse of persuading children to eat.
Abstract: This study examines the persuasive strategies used by Mothers in persuading children to eat during dinner time in Zimbabwe. Family interaction during dinner time both reflects and recreates the interaction of the larger society and as such, examining family persuasive discourse can yield informative results of the language practices people use to a...
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Epistemic Modal Markers in L2 Learners’ Persuasive Letters
Issue:
Volume 1, Issue 4, November 2013
Pages:
199-205
Received:
19 December 2013
Published:
30 January 2014
Abstract: The present study sets out to focus on epistemic modal markers in EFL learners’ formal and informal writing samples. To this end, and by means of a proficiency test, one hundred participants were divided into two groups of higher and lower proficient, and were subsequently asked to write one formal and one informal letter on the topics provided by the researcher. The quantitative analysis revealed some differences in the use of epistemic modal markers across the two proficiency levels. That is, while the learners in the higher proficient group used more epistemic markers in their formal letters, the lower proficient learners tended to deontically modalized their sentences. The quantative analysis of the data in both formal and informal letters suggested that the level of directness corresponds not only with the formality requirements of the topic but also with the possessed pragmatic knowledge.
Abstract: The present study sets out to focus on epistemic modal markers in EFL learners’ formal and informal writing samples. To this end, and by means of a proficiency test, one hundred participants were divided into two groups of higher and lower proficient, and were subsequently asked to write one formal and one informal letter on the topics provided by ...
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