Language Choice Research Articles

An Analysis of Linguistic Resources for Sports Tourism Media Discourse: A Case Study of the Women’s World Cup Final in Sydney

Sports have historically played a significant role in influencing travel, the twenty-first century witnessing a notable surge in sports tourism attributed largely to increasing globalisation and the pervasive influence of social media. International sports events hosted by countries and cities serve as potent platforms for tourist promotion, with meticulous attention to detail often reflected across various social media channels. Notably, recent editions of such events have seen women taking on crucial roles. This paper delves into the FIFA Women’s World Cup Final held in Sydney, Australia, in August 2023, analysing three distinct corpora to discern linguistic resources—the use of persuasion with personal pronouns and imperatives, among others—shaping tourism media discourse, specifically focusing on gender visibility and promotion of destination excellence. To conduct this research, we compiled a corpus of 11,549 words comprising webpages, online publications and tourism blogs, using AntConc software for the analysis. Our findings reveal that the media employ specific language choices to portray the event and its host city, projecting values such as teamwork and inclusion, often through community engagement. However, there exists an under-representation of coverage concerning sportswomen, with minimal linguistic patterns used to promote their visibility beyond the event’s title. Conversely, the host city receives extensive promotion. Consequently, this analysis serves as a pertinent case study contributing to the understanding of sports tourism media discourse representation.

Language choices reflecting social changes: multilingualism in the popular music of Guinean jelis

ABSTRACT This paper explores multilingual popular music in the Republic of Guinea (West Africa) by focussing on hereditary musicians of Manding origin, known as jelis or griots. I demonstrate how jeli songs developed in the course of recent Guinean history as divided into three periods: the Colonial period (1898–1958), the Decolonial Socialist Regime of Sekou Touré (1958–1984), and the Liberalisation period (1984 – present). While the Colonial period featured the dominance of European music and languages in the public domain, the jeli music and Maninka language appeared at the forefront of Guinean popular music stage in the radically decolonising Socialist regime of Sekou Touré. The Liberalisation period saw a growing capitalist economy and the rise of Susu urban music. In this more competitive context, the jeli songs have become truly multilingual, featuring other local Guinean languages, mainly Susu and Pular, which now appear as mixed registers, or urban vernaculars, influenced by French through code-mixing and borrowings. The transitions between local languages, however, are constrained by the song structure, first, reflecting the actual patterns of multilingual language use in Guinea, but also potentially signalling more discreet identities of the musicians reinforced via using Maninka jeli family names as professional ‘brands’.

Political protest landscapes in Catalonia: language choice, utopian/dystopian discourse and “Catalans”-“Spaniards” identities

ABSTRACT Catalonia has become a rich site to investigate minorised-language identity, with the reemergence of a movement calling for independence. Our case study analyses how pro-/anti-secessionist protests are (counter)-fought in urban Linguistic Landscapes. We approach LLs as identity-markers and place-makers delivering messages of political subversion/dominance where majority/minorised-language choice and utopian/dystopian discourse become crucial for understanding their meanings during social upheaval, with renewed nationalist protests linked to an independence Referendum. We employed a content analysis based on a semiotic/semantic interpretation and thematic categorisation of the data. We show that two antithetical “Catalans”/“Spaniards” identities reemerge which mobilise either utopian projects written in Catalan or dystopian visions in Spanish, through intertextuality. The former, categorised as pro-independence “political resistance LLs,” project a hopeful impossible to extend a liberating possible. The latter, pro-unionist “threats to Catalan protesters LLs,” reinstate order, enforcing the suppression of dissent. This reveals that ethnolinguistic identities are newly reconfigured/resignified, unpacking how a social-semiotics focus on language choice and utopia/dystopia can prefigure social conflict development.

Netflix English subtitling of idioms in Egyptian movies: challenges and strategies

Recently, subtitles in different languages have become more available and accessible, thanks to streaming platforms like Netflix, which provide viewers with multiple language choices, including Arabic and English. This study examines the strategies of subtitling Egyptian phraseological units, particularly idioms, into English. The parallel corpus of data under examination consists of two Egyptian movies, namely, “The Great Chinese Beans” and “The Humans and the Mongoose”. Following Baker’s taxonomy of translation strategies, the analysis showed that the examined idioms were predominantly translated through cultural substitution. The analysis also showed that there were instances of erroneous literal translation. Furthermore, several cases of mistranslation were identified, which could be attributed to a potential lack of understanding of the nuances and subtleties of the source and target cultures, as well as limitations and difficulties in finding appropriate equivalents. This study may hold significance for translation practitioners and scholars, specifically those focusing on subtitling, cultural translation, and the translation of idiomatic expressions.

Language maintenance, emotional investments, family values and imagined futures

ABSTRACT This research investigates how Jewish-Israeli immigrant parents’ approach to Hebrew maintenance relates to their emotional investments and connection to their homeland. It integrates a values-based perspective with Tannenbaum's Coping and Defence Mechanism framework, which centres the emotional aspect of family’s language maintenance decisions. The connection between language maintenance efforts and emotions is an understudied phenomenon that is increasingly relevant to the lived experience of immigrants. Whilst some authors have mentioned Tannenbaum’s framework in reference to the emotional aspect of language maintenance, it has yet to be applied on a theoretical or practical level to determine its pertinence to particular immigrant populations. Furthermore, New Zealand’s Israeli immigrant population remains an understudied minority group for whom emotionality is likely to impact language maintenance efforts. Thematic analysis of six semi-structured interviews revealed participants’ language maintenance efforts were inconsistently aligned with their connection to their homeland, however, could be described as coping or defence mechanisms in other ways. In particular, participants showed an investment in pursuing ‘imagined futures’ they wanted for their children through their language choices. A suggestion for the inclusion of this alongside a values-based perspective within Tannenbaum's framework is provided with the intention of broadening the framework’s applicability.

The competing role of English and Chinese in the ‘practiced’ language policies for international medical students in a Chinese hospital

ABSTRACT Informed by the theoretical concepts of ‘practiced’ language policy and space, the study investigates the language practices of English-medium Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programs for international students, focusing on the interactional norms of language choice in a Chinese hospital where international students are interned. In accordance with the tenets of Interactional Sociolinguistics, data were gathered through observation, audio recordings, and interviews with 15 international medical students and clinical supervisors over the course of one year. The study found that three mediums of interaction were adopted across different spaces in the hospital: an English monolingual medium, a Chinese monolingual medium, and an English and Chinese bilingual medium. The findings suggest that ‘practiced’ language policies are never static or prescribed, but rather constructed in relation to personhood, type of activity and place in multiple social spaces. The study offers implications for international medical education and the promotion of an inclusive language environment.

Amplifying Parental Views about Language Choice When Raising Multilingual Children: Towards a Family-Centered Approach in Professional Contexts

Multilingualism has become the norm in families all over the world. These families need to juggle their children’s linguistic identity and integration in their contexts. They may also need professional advice about which language(s) they should use at home, especially when children present with developmental disorders. There is a dearth of studies addressing the role parental views play in home-language maintenance with children with developmental disorders. This study is conducted in Spain, where Spanish is the national language, along with local languages in certain regions, as well as foreign languages. This qualitative study aimed to deepen our understanding of the views about language choice of multilingual families whose children have either typical language development or a developmental disorder in Spain. We recruited 26 parents of multilingual children aged between 5 and 10 years, from different linguistic backgrounds. Semi-structured online interviews were conducted. The data were analyzed through reflexive thematic analysis. The findings illustrate the complexity and nuance of parents’ views and decisions regarding language choice in their contexts. The themes included identity and belonging, as well as the influences of external advice on parental decisions. It is important that professionals such as speech–language therapists understand these views to enable them to deliver family-centered care.

Menasseh ben-Israel and reason of state: the intersection of ideas and politics in the petitions to re-settle Iberian Jewry (1645–1655)

ABSTRACT Menasseh ben-Israel petitioned to re-admit Jews to England in 1655. Historians have been aware that Menasseh utilized the ideas employed by Simone Luzzatto in Luzzatto’s efforts to avoid the expulsion of the Jews from Venice. Luzzatto employed the humanist language of reason of state, while Menasseh’s writings were all exegetical in nature prior to 1655. How did Menasseh, a messianist whose writings focused on explaining Jewish thought, who had shown no interest in humanist political discourse, come to employ the humanist ideas of reason of state popular in the mid-seventeenth century? Furthermore, Luzzatto’s petition is a meek request to allow Jews to continue to reside in the Venetian ghetto, while Menasseh addresses Cromwell as an ambassador of one nation to the leader of another boldly requesting to be admitted to England without disabilities. How can we explain this dramatic change in tone? This paper traces the links, as well as the crucial differences, between these two petitions by examining several other petitions on behalf of Atlantic Jewry as well as the international developments in the intervening period. This paper argues that these factors were critical in the development of Menasseh’s thought as well as his choice of language and tone.

Socio-Cultural Factors Influencing Language Use and Identity Construction Among Women in Kitui West Constituency, Kenya

This research seeks to examine and describe the complex interaction between language and identity in the lives of the women of Kitui West Constituency, Kitui County, Kenya. Grounded in ethnography, this study explores the cultural and social factors that inform language variations and identity construction in diverse women’s collectives. The targeted institutions include church-related organizations, SACCOs, and informal community-based organizations. The combined focus on qualitative and quantitative methodology: in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and sociolinguistic questionnaires fills a gap in knowledge pertaining to language and identity in multilingual African settings and provides impetus for reflections on language policy as well as women’s rights and emancipation reveal the gendered interdependence between the patterns of language choice and societal factors such as education, religion, urbanization, and economic activity. The analysis of the data provided shows that women in Kitui West have diverse linguistic resources that they negotiate every day while juggling between cultural and socially imposed roles and rights. Consequently, it fills a gap in knowledge pertaining to language and identity in multilingual African settings and provides impetus for reflections on language policy as well as women’s rights and emancipation.

The View of Slang Words in the Movie “No Hard Feelings” (2023)

This paper explores the types of slang words in the movie "No Hard Feelings," (2023) and analyses the significance within the context of the movie and contemporary Sociolinguistics. By analyzing the dialogue, the research highlights how slang words enhance character development, drives narrative progression, and reflects cultural authenticity. The research delves into the sociolinguistic implications of movie slang, examining its role in mirroring and shaping real-world language trends. The findings suggest that the strategic use of slang in the movie not only enriches the film’s realism but also influences audience perceptions and everyday communication patterns. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the dynamic relationship between film dialogue and sociolinguistic evolution, emphasizing the cultural resonance of cinematic language choices. In conclusion, the strategic use of different types of slang in "No Hard Feelings" demonstrates the power of language to convey character, context, and culture. It underscores the film's commitment to capturing the nuances of modern life, making the characters' interactions both believable and compelling

Language Switching Strategies in Multilingual Business Environments in Germany

Purpose: The aim of the study was to analyze the language switching strategies in multilingual business environments in Germany. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: Research on language switching in multilingual business environments in Germany reveals strategic use based on context and interlocutors. Code-switching is employed for nuanced communication and rapport across diverse colleagues. Language choice influences perceptions of professionalism and cultural sensitivity. Bilingual proficiency facilitates effective communication and negotiation in international settings. Cultural competence in language supports navigating organizational dynamics and promoting inclusive workplaces. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Sociolinguistic theory, communication accommodation theory & politeness theory may be used to anchor future studies on the language switching strategies in multilingual business environments in Germany. Implement comprehensive language training programs that enhance employees' language proficiency and cultural competence. Develop clear and flexible language policies that recognize the linguistic diversity within the organization and align with business objectives.

When safe is not enough: an exploration of improving guidelines on reporting mental illness and suicide

Mental illness, coping, and suicide-related stigma are influenced by social discourse. Legacy, digital and social media create and amplify existing attitudes and contribute to mindsets and behaviour, including suicidality. While internationally there have been guidelines for several decades, the focus has been on ‘safe’ language and word choices that highlight problems. However, these guidelines have not prevented deaths by suicide and have contributed to the prevalence of catastrophising of normal unpleasant emotions and social problems as mental illness. With calls in government reviews and by consumers for greater focus on consumer-centred suicide prevention and the advent of increasing biopsychosocial stressors from COVID-19, consideration of other approaches to and inclusions in media guidelines are timely and prudent. In this article, we explore how a consumer-centred coping approach would augment existing media guidelines to influence community attitudes and behaviours in a way that contributes to health and wellbeing, as well as suicide prevention.

When safe is not enough: an exploration of improving guidelines on reporting mental illness and suicide

Mental illness, coping, and suicide-related stigma are influenced by social discourse. Legacy, digital and social media create and amplify existing attitudes and contribute to mindsets and behaviour, including suicidality. While internationally there have been guidelines for several decades, the focus has been on ‘safe’ language and word choices that highlight problems. However, these guidelines have not prevented deaths by suicide and have contributed to the prevalence of catastrophising of normal unpleasant emotions and social problems as mental illness. With calls in government reviews and by consumers for greater focus on consumer-centred suicide prevention and the advent of increasing biopsychosocial stressors from COVID-19, consideration of other approaches to and inclusions in media guidelines are timely and prudent. In this article, we explore how a consumer-centred coping approach would augment existing media guidelines to influence community attitudes and behaviours in a way that contributes to health and wellbeing, as well as suicide prevention.

First Generation’s Language Attitudes in a Bilingual Context: A Study on the Bihari Community in Dhaka City

This study investigated language attitudes of the first generation of the Urdu-speaking Bihari Community in Dhaka city. In this paper, the term ‘first generation’ refers to persons who immigrated to erstwhile East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) during the partition in 1947 and were born before the liberation warof 1971.Language attitudeis defined in this research as an individual or communal expression toward Urdu and Bangla, as well as language choices and use by the first generation. The purpose of this research was to investigate language attitudes of the first generation towards their mother tongue, Urdu, and the language of the dominant community, Bangla, in a bilingual situation in the Bihari community of Dhaka, and the present condition of Urdu in Bangladesh. The primary goal was to determine if they were positive, negative, or neutral to their own language, Urdu and to the dominant Bengali language. This study adopted a mixed-methods approach, and the data were obtained through a questionnaire and interviews with some respondents of the Bihari community of Geneva camp, Dhaka. The findings highlight the impact of their language attitudes on their language use and choice in bilingual situations and reveal that the first generation has a more positive attitude toward Urdu than Bangla. This study may serve as a specimen for future academics to assess how the language of a community shifts and how language attitudes of that particular community change over time. IUBAT Review—A Multidisciplinary Academic Journal, 7(1): 01-25

The Career of Students who Use a Different Language at Home and at School

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: The objective of the research is to understand how the ethnic composition of the family and the choice of the language of the school are related. THE RESEARCH PROBLEMS AND METHODS: Minorities are often the subject of research, and within, bilingualism, language use arenas and state language education are prominent topics, how‑ ever, the issue of ethnic minority students studying in majority institutions is relatively unexplored. THE PROCESS OF ARGUMENTATION: Our research is focused on the ethnic Hungarian minority in Romania, their decisions and their experiences of education in the majority language. The present qualitative research was carried out in a semi‑structured interview format in November 2023 with 14 respondents, reached by snowball method. RESEARCH RESULTS: Our results show that, in addition to proximity to the institution and the increased possibility of doing well in the country, the school experience of parents and older children are factors behind the decision made by parents. Nevertheless, we also find that extended family, even the third generation, has an impact on school choice. CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND APPLICABLE VALUE OF RESEARCH: The research presents a perspective that focuses on the educational results of respondents most of whom proved to be successful in their respective fields. The results we found confirm hypotheses from the literature regarding the language choices of different nationalities. The research is a part of a larger project which aims at the exploration the research upon the students attending non‑native language schools.

An Analytical Review of Language Economics with a Discussion on Language Use, Policy and Planning in Sri Lanka

Language dynamics depend not only on factors as explained by sociolinguists but also on economic factors. Economics of language and economic analysis of language provide analytical framework for language choice, use of language, language development, language and economic wellbeing, language assimilation, language death, etc. This paper discusses theoretical aspects of economics of language and how language dynamics and economic factors are interrelated with a discussion on language use in Sri Lanka. The paper surveys literature on economics of language which considers language as a rational choice. Optimal language choice maximizes economic benefits subject to constraints. If a language does not serve the need of the people, the evolutionary forces work to improve its functioning, thus language remains incomplete. In a framework of human development, language skills enhance economic gains. As per the discrimination theory, marginalization of minority language speakers from economic activities was analyzed. It was also discussed that economic factors drive a society with many languages to choose one common language or to retain or preserve endangered minority languages. Another branch of research focused on the analysis of official language policies of countries. These studies were highly useful in understanding the relationship between economic factors and language issues and resulting language policy planning. In the discussion on language use in Sri Lanka, it is found that official and link language policies do not always ensure equal access to economic opportunities for different language users. Lack of official data and extensive research on language aspects and their economic concerns further restrict the implementation of better language policy and finally resolving language issues.

Language Choices and Digital Identity of High School Student Text Messages in the New Capital City of Indonesia: Implication for Language Education

This research investigates the language choices and digital identities represented in text messages exchanged by high school students in the New Capital City of Indonesia (Ibu Kota Nusantara/IKN) and the implications of these linguistic practices for language teaching. Using a corpus of messages transmitted via WhatsApp collected from 100 high school students, this study produced 2.1 million tokens of 83,414 word types. This study uses corpus linguistic analysis to investigate the distinctive features of language usage, lexical changes, and communication trends in the digital discourse of IKN high school students. Data analysis utilizes features from AntConc corpus tools, including word lists, collocations, concordances, and N-grams. Concerning the features uncovered the subtle nuances that contribute to the unique linguistic identity of the student authors. This research highlights how digital language patterns attribute individual identity within the context of IKN high school students. The data analysis discovers three linguistic patterns in the electronic texts produced by IKN High School students, reflecting their general digital identity as language users in IKN, namely (1) lexical choice, (2) orthographic selection, and (3) lexical bundles. Furthermore, the study reveals the complex construction of digital identity through language, with students negotiating social positions, connections, and personal identities via their linguistic choices in electronic texts. The research findings contribute to the implications of language teaching in the IKN area and a deeper understanding of how students within the IKN area express themselves through language in the virtual realm, thus shaping their digital identities.

Efficiency Divide: Comparative Analysis of Human & Neural Network Algorithm Development

The paper delves into a comparative analysis between human and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities in algorithm development, with a specific focus on the challenges presented in the "Advent of Code." The research thoroughly investigates the performance of Generative Pre-trained Transformers (GPTs), such as ChatGPT and Bard, in solving intricate algorithmic problems and benchmarks these results against those achieved by human participants. A sizeable portion of the study is dedicated to understanding the nuances of prompt engineering in AI and how it affects the problem-solving process, alongside exploring the choice of programming languages used by both AI and humans. The methodology of the research is extensive, involving the participation of both AI models and human subjects, who vary in their levels of programming expertise. This approach allows for a comprehensive evaluation of the correctness and efficiency of solutions, along with the time taken to resolve the given problems. The results from this study reveal intriguing insights. While AI models like GPTs demonstrate an impressive speed in problem resolution, they often fall short in accuracy when compared to human problem-solvers, particularly in tasks demanding deeper contextual understanding and creative reasoning. Furthermore, the study delves into the impact of time constraints on the effectiveness of problem-solving strategies employed by both AI and humans. It finds that under strict time constraints, AI models can quickly generate solutions, but these solutions may lack the depth and accuracy found in those devised by human participants. This aspect of the research highlights the trade-off between speed and precision in AI-driven problem solving. The research extends its implications beyond mere performance comparison. It suggests the potential for a synergistic approach where the computational efficiency and rapid problem-solving abilities of AI can be effectively combined with the nuanced understanding and creative problem-solving skills inherent in humans. This hybrid approach could redefine the future landscape of programming and algorithm development. The study not only provides a critical analysis of the capabilities of AI in the realm of algorithmic problem-solving but also paves the way for future exploration into the collaborative dynamics of human-AI interaction in programming. It highlights the evolving role of AI in programming and underscores the importance of balancing AI’s computational prowess with human creativity and adaptability in solving complex, real-world problems.

The Changing Landscape of Gendered Language in Pregnancy and Birth: Editors' Experiences.

The revision of a textbook covering prenatal and postnatal care provided our editorial team with an opportunity to critically examine language choices and incorporate gender-inclusive language. Guided by scientific evidence, professional recommendations, editorials, and a deep respect for the humanity of our clients, we undertook this task with humility and determination. This article describes the societal and clinical imperative for this change, the strategies and resources we used to make these changes, and our experiences in discussing these changes and coming to consensus with contributing authors. Challenges are discussed, as well as recommendations for authors and editors. [J Nurs Educ. 2024;63(X):XXX-XXX.].

Language Choice and attitudes in Public Institutions: The case of the University of Maroua

This study sets out to investigate on language choice and attitudes in public institutions. The study intends to scrutinize the factors that account for the language choice made by some language users at the University of Maroua, i.e., to choose any other languages different from the two official languages. To do this, a random sampling of 250 participants was used. The instrument used is a questionnaire with a purely sociolinguistic undertone. Spolsky’s (2009) Language Management and Fishman’s (1972) Domain Analysis backed up the study as frames. At the end of the analyses, it has been shown that, students, the teaching staff (involving some university Administrators) and the support staff have some positive and negative attitudes following the language choices made in relation with where the communication takes place as well as the language situations such as enabling mutual intelligibility, social inclusion/exclusion, intimacy and showing identity, solidarity and work coordination.