British English Research Articles

Shifting responsibility onto coparticipants: Disaffiliative accounts in request sequences

Accounts—verbal explanations for conduct—are normally understood to do affiliative work by mitigating or disavowing negative inferences generated by problematic or dispreferred actions. Using conversation analysis, this paper identifies an alternative accounting practice whereby speakers use accounts to actively disaffiliate from coparticipants. In such cases, the account serves as a vehicle for criticizing or challenging a coparticipant’s behavior. I find that speakers use these accounts to shift responsibility for the focal action by treating it as caused by or responsive to the targeted coparticipant’s (putative) misbehavior. This practice indicates that accounts can be used not only to expiate the speaker but also to police others’ behavior, although such moves are vulnerable to retaliation. Data are taken from video recordings of everyday interaction in American and British English.

A blind search for intraday gamma-ray transients with Fermi -LAT: Detections of GRB and solar emissions

***General notes. a) I have edited to UK English convention as this most closely matches your spelling and punctuation use. b) A A uses the past tense to describe the specific steps used in a paper and the present tense to describe general methods and recent findings. Please make sure this is followed throughout the paper. For details, see Sect. 6 of the Language Guide: https://www.aanda.org/for-authors/language-editing/6-verb-tenses c) All abbreviations and acronyms are introduced at first use, once in the Abstract and again in the main text. Instrument and program names are introduced at first use (when appropriate) in the main text. All abbreviations should be used consistently. Please check throughout We present a search for intraday transient gamma -ray signals using years of the Fermi Large Area Telescope data. The search is based on a recently developed variable-size sliding-time-window (VSSTW) analysis and is aimed at studying variable gamma -ray emission from gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) and the Sun. We refined the algorithm for searches for transient sources in order to solve the search problem within a reasonable amount of CPU time. These refinements allowed us to increase the number of gamma-ray bursts, solar flares, and quiescent solar events detected with the VSSTW technique by several times compared to the previous VSSTW search. The current search revealed a new gamma -ray signal recorded with Fermi -LAT on 2018 January 12. This signal is probably from a GRB and deserves an exploration of the existing archival multiwavelength observations in order to identify it in an unambiguous way. We also report a gamma -ray signal from the solar flare on 2023 December 31 that occurred during the 25th solar cycle.

Stress in French loanwords in British and American English

Abstract This paper presents a dictionary-based study of French loanwords in contemporary English in order to investigate the location of primary stress in these loanwords. Four factors are found to be significant predictors of the position of primary stress: endings, word complexity, the segmental structure of the final syllable, and syllable count. Moreover, this study confirms previous observations on the tendency for American English to have more final stress in French loanwords than British English. Finally, the implications of our findings are discussed in light of a model that assumes that English phonology consists of distinct interacting subsystems.

Lexis and Grammar Specifics of the English Language in Africa

This research work deals with the lexical and grammatical features of the English language variant widely used in Africa. The importance of the use of British English is also taken into account, as well as its transformational processes due to the interaction and mutual influence of local dialects on its structure. Examples of neologisms and modified lexical units are given, based on the influence of local culture and the lack of an equivalent in the recipient language. The article pays attention to the grammatical aspects of language in the functioning of phrasal, modal and prepositional verbs, and also reveals the peculiarities of articles and pronouns use due to the influence of autochthonous languages. The aim of the research work is to identify the specifics of the linguistic and cultural adaptation of the English language in Africa and systematize the lexical and grammatical aspects of the English language as the territorial variant type. The choice of working methods is determined by the goals and objectives of the study. In the research work the method of metalinguistic analysis, methods of contextual and definitional analysis, methods of systematization and classification of linguistic material are used. As a result of the work the high productivity of the realities functioning in autochthonous languages in the lexical structure of the English variant in African countries and the lexical borrowings of terms from autochthonous languages are revealed. This trend is also emphasized in the borrowing of entire lexical phrases from the thesaurus of native languages. With regard to the grammatical part, a significant deviation from British English is emphasized. The research work results in such grammatical changes as: the use of auxiliary verbs together with semantic ones; the functioning of a simplified form of modern forms of the verb; the productive use of uncountable nouns in speech in the form of a countable nouns; significant deviations from British English in the process of using articles, personal and possessive pronouns.

How British is English: Culture and Contemporary Language Learning

The paper examines the extent to which it is possible to displace English as a functional communication tool from its culturally rich British contexts and associations. Starting from the analysis of the relationship between culture and language, the study discusses the ties between British culture and English in the context of its emergence as a global means of communication. In addition, the paper refers to developments in language pedagogy to outline the role of British culture in contemporary English learning. The conclusion is that reducing English to a mere culturally neutral container for information is not beneficial for educational outcomes, as outlined in the two principal reference documents for foreign language learning, the CEFR and ACTFL. A joint literacy in English and its culture will not foster undesirable individual acculturation but contribute to the development of intercultural competence among learners from diverse backgrounds who bring their own negotiations with British culture.

The influence of accent and device usage on perceived credibility during interactions with voice-AI assistants

Voice-AI assistants offer innovative ways for people to interact with technology, such as delivering search results through human-sounding voices. Unlike printed text, however, voices are associated with particular characteristics, such as accents, which have the potential to influence perceived credibility. Voice-AI assistants are also a relatively new phenomenon, and while people who use them frequently may be inclined to trust them, other people may not be. The current study investigated how voice accent and frequency-of-use affected users’ credibility assessments of search results delivered by voice-AI assistants. Participants, who were native speakers of American English and self-classified themselves according to how frequently they used voice-AI assistants, listened to statements produced by neural text-to-speech in either an American English or British English accent. They then rated the credibility of both the information content and the voice itself, along several dimensions. Results showed that in multiple conditions, participants perceived information delivered by British-accented voices as more credible than that delivered by American English-accented voices. Furthermore, frequency-of-use exerted a significant effect on perceived trustworthiness of a voice. These findings have implications for the ethical design of voice-AI systems, and for human-computer interaction more generally.

Frequency and Variability in the Use of Modal Verbs in Zimbabwean English

This corpus-based exploratory study examines modal verbs in Zimbabwean English (ZimE), and British English, to determine whether there are variations in use between the two varieties. Data from the ZimE corpus and the International Corpus of English Great Britain (ICE-GB) were analysed quantitatively and statistically to gain insights into how the usage patterns of modal verbs might be influenced by the usage context. Results show variations in the frequency of can and will, with the ZimE corpus registering more frequencies compared to the ICE-GB. The frequencies of could, may, might, and would were higher in the ICE-GB compared to the ZimE corpus. Overall, the ICE-GB contained more modal verbs than the ZimE corpus. In the spoken registers, results indicate that could, may, might, shall, and would occurred more in the ICE-GB, while can and will were attested more in the ZimE corpus compared to the ICE-GB. In the written registers, the ICE-GB recorded more occurrences of could, may, might, and would. A qualitative analysis was done by means of semantic interpretations of the modal verbs in different contexts. Results show the use of can be able to occurring as a modal phrase. The effects of language contact also lead to code-switching. Both results serve as possible motivations for variation. Furthermore, the use of can and will in past time contexts, and the use of the habitual will in past contexts, account for the higher overall frequencies of can and will in the ZimE corpus.

‘You Don’t Need Me Shouting Here’: When Instructors Observe Learners in Silence

ABSTRACT The instruction of embodied skills often involves pair-like sequences consisting of an instructor’s directive to perform an embodied action and a learner’s (attempted) bodily performance of that action. This study explores the organization of such sequences in horse-riding lessons. Whereas in most of the studied data, learners’ performances of instructed actions are accompanied by continuing instructor talk, this study focuses on those rarer occasions when instructors observe learners in silence. The data show that silent observation often occurs at the beginning of an instructional sequence and also during instructed activities that are preparatory, operational, or otherwise not under evaluation. Instructors can abandon their initial silence when local events call for verbal support, showing that learners’ embodied actions are continuously susceptible to verbal commentary. In addition to silence, instructors also use embodied conduct to demarcate instruction and compliance and to position themselves as scrutinizing observers. The data are in British English.

A Study on Herbal Finish for Wound Healing on Adhesive Bandage

Textile industry is one of the largest contributing sectors of India. It is the second largest employer after agriculture, provided direct employment to over 45 million people. Medical textiles are a category of textiles specifically designed for medical purposes, including first aid, clinical, surgical, and hygienic uses. They are engineered to provide various benefits such as biocompatibility, flexibility, strength, and sterility, anti-allergic, anti-bacterial, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective properties. In that an adhesive bandage is also known as sticking plaster, medical plaster, or simply plaster in British English, is a small medical dressing used for injuries not for serious injuries to require a full-size bandage. Finishes plays a major role in the field of medical textiles, in that herbal finishes are one such category. Tridax is a genus of plants in the family Asteraceae. The most well-known species in this genusis Tridax procumbens, commonly known as coat buttons or tridax daisy. It is a perennial herb that is native to tropical and subtropical regions, and it is widely distributed in countries such as India, Nigeria, Brazil, and the United States. Tridax procumbens has been used in various folk medicinal practices. Parts of the plant, such as the leaves and roots, have been used to treat conditions like skin infections, respiratory issues, digestive problems, and even snakebites in some cultures. This paper deals with the research on tridax finish applied on a bandage to analyse the wound healing property.

A Synopsis of the Lexical Variations in British and American English

The focal point of this research work is to find out the lexical distinctions between British and American varieties of English and their persistently reciprocal impacts. Over the years, both the British and American vocabularies have been influencing each other, specially due to politics, economics, diplomatic relationships, information technology and globalization. From time to time, the variance of vocabulary in the two varieties results in increasing the number of English synonyms which is, in fact, an asset for the language. But sometimes, the synonyms may cause serious differences in meaning as some words may mean something in British English; the same may denote something else in American English and vice versa. One should, therefore, be careful and consistent about their use.It is most probable that as a result of various procedures of the change in lexical meaning and language, the two varieties would someday merge by turning them into an identical entity. So, this paper intends to provide the reader and/or the user of English with the correct application of the two varieties for our day-to-day life.

Emergency or Not? Dealing with Borderline Cases in Emergency Police Calls

ABSTRACT We examine occasions when callers phone emergency services yet preface their reason for calling as “not an emergency.” Data are phone calls to U.S. (911) and U.K. (999) emergency lines and U.K. (101) nonemergency police lines. Data were transcribed using Jefferson conventions and analyzed using conversation analysis. The “not an emergency” formulation is recurrently used to mark a shaky or borderline fit between the caller’s situation and the emergency category presumed by the dedicated phoneline. Typically, “not an emergency” formulations prefaced descriptions of a possible emergency in which the caller balances the justification for the call on the boundary of what counts as an emergency. Recurrent concerns for callers using “not an emergency” are to manage preemptive calls about impending potential emergency, and to disclaim responsibility for the decision to call an emergency service. Call takers offer callers latitude to present a complicated description of their circumstances instead of swiftly sanctioning them for an inappropriate call. Our article contributes to work on how the boundaries between categories are constructed and negotiated in interaction. Data are in British and American English.

English in Germany as a foreign language and as a lingua franca

AbstractThe massive expansion of English in Germany over the past few decades has not challenged a robustly exonormative orientation, which still by and large recognises standardised British and American English as the most authentic and prestigious representations of the language. Attitudes to the use of English in the national context are diverse, ranging from enthusiastic embracement via grudging acceptance to active resistance. This diversity of opinion reflects the fact that English is currently transitioning from a foreign language (EFL) to a lingua franca (ELF). On the national scale, ELF use is promoted in business, academia and, more generally, among young and well‐educated Germans with an international orientation, but deeply resented by sectors of society. This paper argues that English (in its lingua franca function) has become the only language other than German that has open prestige. The task ahead will be to develop strategies of intelligent multilingualism that will help to ‘domesticate’ English in the national sociolinguistic context.

A Study of Women`s Language Features in Pakistani Female Bloggers

Bloggers often write about personal interests. The content of Pakistani female bloggers' blogs might reveal their views on women's rights and empowerment, social issues, education, fashion, and lifestyle. Pakistani female bloggers' gender discourse is examined using women's language traits. This study investigates linguistic patterns and issues of interest within a specific group to get insight into the role of women in Pakistani online discourse and gendered communication in digital spaces. This study could use qualitative research methods and data acquisition. The qualitative section of this research analyses the chosen female bloggers' blog postings to identify linguistic patterns, vocabulary, grammatical structures, and other language characteristics. Pakistani English often uses progressive verbs, which are stative in British English. In conclusion, Pakistani female bloggers' writing language is revealed via data analysis. Pakistani female bloggers have a particular voice and style due to the lack of articles, the usage of prepositions with "-ing" participles, progressive features, and informal language. The study may also examine Pakistani English stative verb progression. This could involve identifying the verbs used this way and exploring the causes of this linguistic diversity. The current study only included five female bloggers. Future research should involve a wider and more diverse sample of bloggers to better understand the groups and themes being investigated.

Formation of the norm in the morphology and syntax in Indian national variant of the English language

The article examines the morphology and syntax of English in India, which deserves special study from a linguistic and literary point of view. The development of literary English in India is caused by certain linguistic, social and cultural phenomena which can be attributed to extra-linguistic factors. The authors of the article, based on the study of factual and theoretical material, come to the conclusion that for a certain time the functioning of the English language as the language of interethnic communication in India, a new version of the English language is emerging against the background of the interaction of the native and English. Thus one can observe the overall process shaped by both intra- and extra-linguistic factors that caused the formation of the particular national variant of the English language. Sociolinguistic factors, though important, are so-called because they represent an interaction between linguistic and social factors. Such an interaction of social and linguistic factors in India may also lead to the formation of the norm of English in India, the obvious signs of which, at least in morphology and syntax, have already been noted. Keywords: British English, Indian English, morphology, norm, Standard English, syntax.

Language and cultural creolisation in nigerian script texts

This article deals with the peculiarities of script texts being a part of cinematography – one of modern art form. The scientific problem is determined by the trend towards globalisation of all contemporary art types, on the one hand, and the need to preserve cultural heritage, on the other hand. The aim of the work is to identify the characteristic features of Nigerian English script texts – phenomena created due to creolisation process defined as the process of British English adapting procedure to the realities of local languages and cultures. The Nigerian script text is a creolised type of text with characteristic of unique properties – the presence of detailed instructions in the form of author’s remarks which provide expanded information for subsequent stepwise actions for the director, actors, editors, makeup and costume designers; a double process of creolisation due to the necessary adaptation to numerous local languages and cultures. It is proved that Nigerian script texts, influenced by the process of creolisation, are largely subject to grammatical transformations. The most productive grammatical changes include: the consistent use of nouns and pronouns within the same semantic group; the simplification of the specific verb forms manifested in the use of simple forms and omission of auxiliary verbs in interrogative and negative sentences. High-frequency grammatical transformation processes in Nigerian script texts are explained by the influence of tribal languages and be needs of the Nigerians to preserve the heritage of local cultures.

The PlexiQoL, a patient-reported outcome measure on quality of life in neurofibromatosis type 1-associated plexiform neurofibroma: translation, cultural adaptation and validation into the Dutch language for the Netherlands.

Half of the patients with Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) develop one or more tumours called plexiform neurofibromas, which can have a significant impact on Quality of Life (QoL). The PlexiQoL questionnaire is a disease-specific QoL measure for adults with NF1-associated plexiform neurofibromas. The aim of this study was to adapt and validate a Dutch version of the PlexiQoL for the Netherlands. The PlexiQoL was translated using the dual-panel methodology, followed by cognitive debriefing interviews to assess face and content validity. The psychometric properties were evaluated by administering the questionnaire on two separate occasions to a sample of adults with NF1 and plexiform neurofibromas. Feasibility was evaluated by the presence of floor/ceiling effects. Reliability was assessed by evaluating Cronbach's alpha coefficient and test-retest reliability, using Spearman's rank correlation coefficients. Mann-Whitney U tests were used to check for known group validity. The Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) questionnaire was used as comparator questionnaire to evaluate convergent validity. The translation and cognitive debriefing interviews resulted in a Dutch version of the PlexiQoL that reflected the original concept and underlying semantic meanings of the UK English version. Forty participants completed the validation survey. The Dutch PlexiQoL demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α 0.825) and test-retest reliability (Spearman correlation coefficient 0.928). The questionnaire detected differences in PlexiQoL scores between participants based on self-reported general health and disease severity. Convergent validity was confirmed for relevant NHP subsections. The Dutch PlexiQoL demonstrated excellent psychometric properties and can be reliably used to measure plexiform neurofibroma-related QoL in adults with NF1 in the Netherlands.

Study of Linguistic Components of Pakistani English: An Indigenized English Variety

This study explores the linguistic components of Pakistani English (PakE) and how this English variety has been indigenized in linguistically diverse Pakistan. English is recognized as an official language in Pakistan, but it is often taught without appropriate socio-cultural context. The research aims to highlight the development of PakE through examining factors that influence its evolution, and analyze main linguistic features that draw its distinction from British English. The study uses a qualitative methodology, particularly thematic analysis of audio recorded interviews with two university students. Findings of the study reveal clausal, syntactic and lexical features of PakE that deviate from standard British English variety. The findings also demonstrate how PakE speakers code-mix Urdu and English, use unique sentence formations, and transform declarative sentences into interrogatives in casual talk. Moreover, the results imply the need for greater focus on linguistic diversity and importance of inclusion of native socio-cultural contexts in English language education across Pakistan. Additionally, understanding of common features of PakE can help informing language planning and policies focused on endorsing regional linguistic identity. Further research examining additional social, cultural and linguistic variables influencing ongoing development of Pakistani English as an indigenized variety is needed.

Using Corpus Linguistics in Materials Development and Teacher Education

In published ELT materials, norms relating to written language often dominate, at the expense of spoken language. This dominance of writing typically arises as the features characteristic of everyday spoken language do not reflect the rather neat syllabi expected by teachers and students, globally. Furthermore, there are deeply held opinions relating to the usage and acceptability of features of spoken language. As a result, features of spoken language are often not represented in mainstream materials, despite a perennial request from learners for more ‘conversation’. One potential means to meet such a request is by employing corpus linguistics and spoken language research to inform ELT materials development and teacher education. Responding to this issue, this paper draws on findings from a corpus-based conversation analysis of spontaneous spoken British English to conduct workshops on materials development. The goal of these workshops is to gain a comprehensive perspective on the affordances of corpus linguistics for ELT materials development from core stakeholders: teachers. Through a grounded theory-based thematic analysis of lesson plans, recorded discussions, and survey responses, the findings of this study demonstrate that teachers find value in corpus linguistics research. Specifically, the teachers’ insights offer recourse for developing strategies for exploiting corpora better in future ELT materials development. Moreover, teachers signalled effective means through which corpus linguistics can be embedded in future teacher education.

Suggestions in Kuwaiti Arabic and British English

The present study sought to investigate the similarities and differences in the use of suggestion strategies between Kuwaiti speakers of Arabic and British speakers of English, in terms of the use of strategy types, the use of linguistic formulas and the effect of the interlocutor's status. Thirty-six participants took part in this study, eighteen Kuwaiti and eighteen British speakers, resulting in 216 suggestions. To collect data, participants were asked to complete a written Discourse Completion Task (DCT) consisting of six hypothetical situations where their responses were analysed. Martinez-Flor's (2005) taxonomy was used to code the data in which suggestion strategies were divided into three types: direct, conventionalised forms and indirect. The findings revealed that there were more similarities than there were differences between the two groups when making suggestion. the two groups preferred to employ more direct strategies than indirect strategies and conventionalised strategies. Moreover, the two groups resembled each other in the use of linguistic formulas, as hints and imperatives were utilised more frequently than other linguistic formulas. However, evidence of differences was found between the two groups regarding the effect of the interlocutor's status, where the Kuwaiti group employed more direct strategies with people of high status, whereas the British group performed more indirect strategies with people of high status.

Перевод в переводе: стратегии передачи инокультурности (по «китайским» детективам Р. ван Гулика)

This article presents an analysis of various methods of translating foreign cultural colouring in works of fiction. An exotic culture (Chinese) is mediated by the author’s native language (British English) and then serves as an object of translation for a foreign-language target audience (Russian-speaking). Such a double ethnolinguistic barrier is overcome by translators in different ways, involving various strategies. The analysis focused on Robert van Gulik’s novels The Emperor’s Pearl and Necklace and Calabash from the English-language crime fiction series about Judge Dee, translated into Russian by Zh. Grushanskaya, I. Mansurov and O. Zavyalova with a minimal time gap. The research methodology is based on comparative and contextual analysis as well as analysis of dictionary definitions using lexicographic sources. In addition, the methods of analysis and synthesis, generalization and abstraction, classification, interpretation, and description are applied. Realia as fragments of the linguistic and conceptual worldview of mediaeval China are actively used by van Gulik to create a specific colouring of Chinese culture, exotic for Europeans. From British English into Russian, they are translated by means of various techniques reflecting different translation strategies. The multiple solutions include foreignization with explanatory translation, domestication, omission and elimination of national specifics. The translation variability revealed is determined by the individual translation style due to the levelling of other factors of translation multiplicity, since the time gap between the translations is minimal, the target audience is homogeneous, and the direction of the interlanguage and intercultural contact is one-dimensional. The identified errors in translation solutions deviating from adequacy are caused by pseudo-equivalence traps and incorrect strategies for conveying foreign cultural realia in a doubly mediated translation.