Word Choice Research Articles

Exploring meaning: an analysis of denotative diction and connotative diction in Indonesian language textbook stories for second grade elementary school

This study examines denotative and connotative diction in Indonesian textbooks for grade II primary schools under the Merdeka Curriculum. The main objective of this study is to assess how denotative and connotative word choice can affect the understanding of diction in primary school students' stories. Through the content analysis method, this study evaluated various stories in the textbook, focusing on word choice and its influence on teaching effectiveness. Denotative diction and connotative diction were chosen as the objects of analysis because of their critical role in helping students understand literal texts, which is the foundation for further learning at an early age. Increased consistency of diction use across all subject matter to support learning effectiveness at the primary level. It is hoped that these findings can be used as a reference for curriculum development and the preparation of better Indonesian language textbooks in the future, in accordance with the principles of Merdeka Curriculum which supports inclusive and comprehensive education. The conclusion of the study shows that the use of words with clear and unambiguous denotative meanings tends to make it easier for students to understand the concepts taught. Through connotative diction learners can develop analytical skills that are important in reading and understanding texts.

Presentation of multiple task instructional sets impacts auditory Stroop performance during dual task locomotion.

The auditory Stroop is a modification of the classic Stroop paradigm commonly used in dual-task research when the motor task requires the visual system. Despite its use, there are gaps in our understanding of this tool. For example, in visual/auditory Stroop paradigms, neutral cues irrelevant to the required response, which theoretically cause less interference/facilitation, are used to elucidate effects of visual/auditory demands on neural processes. Specifically, in auditory Stroop paradigms the use and choice of neutral cue words is inconsistent. To address these gaps, we instrumented participants with kinematic markers and a digital microphone and asked them to respond to auditory Stroop cues and neutral cue words consisting of either one or two syllables, while simultaneously performing an unobstructed locomotor task. Two blocks of trials were collected. In one block, participants had prior knowledge that either an auditory Stroop or a neutral word stimulus would be presented (Known); a second block presented both types of cognitive cues in a random order to participants (Mixed). We observed main effects of cognitive task (neutral, incongruent, congruent) and instructional set (Known, Mixed) on response times, but not on center of mass velocity. Also, more time was required to verbally respond to an incongruent compared to congruent or neutral task across all conditions, and neutral task words with one syllable resulted in longer response times compared to two syllable neutral words. We recommend that researchers include neutral cues when using the auditory Stroop test and to carefully consider their neutral word choice.

Stylometric Analysis of AI Chatbot-Generated Emails: Are Students Losing Their Linguistic Fingerprint?

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in education, particularly through AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, and Bing, has revolutionized second language teaching and learning. These chatbots, which utilize advanced natural language processing and machine learning algorithms, hold great potential. They can operate complex cognitive tasks, provide immediate feedback, enhance motivation and self-confidence, reduce anxiety and improve language skills. Despite these advantages, concerns about academic integrity, loss of unique voice, and lack of emotional depth have emerged. This research aims at conducting a stylometric analysis on 25 AI chatbot-generated emails produced by undergraduate English language learners at Sultan Qaboos University. By examining stylistic features like tone, lexical density, lexical diversity, choice of words, repetition, formality level and emotional depth, the study will provide insights into the strengths and limitations of AI chatbots in enhancing email writing skills while preserving the unique voice of student writing. Findings reveal that AI-generated emails are characterized by a repetitive structure, a high level of formality and politeness, a high lexical diversity and a lack of emotional depth and personal anecdotes. The outcomes of this research will shed light on the awareness and skills students need to acquire to optimize the use of AI chatbots without losing their linguistic fingerprint.

“We are a part of the problem they protest”: judges, representation and racial justice statements

ABSTRACT In the wake of George Floyd’s murder in May 2020, some state supreme courts decided to issue public comments to address disparities in racial justice, while others did not. We explain the decision to issue these voluntary statements as a strategic choice by state supreme court justices motivated by their retention audience and state demography. We demonstrate that state supreme courts appear responsive to their state audience when deciding to issue statements, specifically based on the number of racial justice protests by state residents and the liberalism of their state. Furthermore, state judicial retention systems and race identity in the public and on the state supreme court appear to influence word choice and sentiment in the racial justice statements issued. This extends understanding of motivations behind judges’ decisions and behavior in extra-judicial settings beyond the courtroom.

A dialog between Sino-Western legal traditions: Yan Fu’s translation of “natural law” in Montesquieu’s The Spirit of Laws

As an integral component of legal culture, legal concepts possess distinct cultural characteristics. Translating legal concepts between different cultures to facilitate effective cultural exchange and mutual understanding poses a significant challenge for legal translators. This paper examines Yan Fu’s Chinese translation of “natural law”, a key concept in Montesquieu’s classic The Spirit of Laws, as a case study to analyze the connection between legal translation and cultural traditions in the socio-historical contexts of the early 20th century China. By analyzing Yan’s choice of words, the paper unveils how Yan Fu reinterpreted Western natural law from both religious and ethical perspectives, thereby creating a dynamic dialog between Sino-Western legal cultural traditions.

Impak Pendekatan Terjemahan Terhadap Kualiti Penterjemahan Eufemisme al-Quran ke Bahasa Melayu

Translation of the Quran into Malay poses challenges due to cultural and linguistic factors. Among the difficulties faced by translators are conveying the true meaning of Quranic euphemisms and thoroughly examining the linguistic rules within society. Therefore, the application of appropriate translation methods is significant for producing high-quality works. This study was conducted to identify the impact of translation approach on the quality of the translation of Quranic euphemisms into Malay. This qualitative study was conducted by adapting the Euphemisms Translation Evaluation Model in the Quran (MPPEQ) by Olimat (2018) and Newmark's (1981) Semantic & Communicative theory. In this study, the researcher applied content analysis methods, focusing on six samples of Quranic euphemisms listed in the Corpus of Euphemism in the Quran by Olimat (2019). Four translations of the Quran into Malay were selected as study materials. The findings indicate that the applied translation approaches result in two impacts: successful translations and less successful ones. Consequently, the success and imperfection of translations depend on the approach used and the choice of words. The findings also demonstrate that methods incorporating additional explanatory insertions sometimes cause confusion in meaning due to functional lexical factors. Furthermore, maintaining the source text's register can be applied when there are similarities in linguistic and cultural elements within society. The study also found translations that do not retain the euphemistic style, resulting in discourse implications of dysphemism. In conclusion, the study has explored new dimensions related to the concept of euphemism in the Quran and its translation approaches into Malay.

Improving Student’s Writing Skill By Using Yes English Book For The Beginner Level

Writing skill is a hard skill among others because it has to be a concern more about it, and we need to follow some rules that related to every single step, they are word choice, coherent, correlation, and grammar. The students should choose the proper word to express meaning so that the readers catch what information they wrote. The information of each paragraph, main idea, and the argumentation of the researcher should be coherent. Grammar also plays important role in writing. The use of correct grammar will not be confusing the readers. Moreover, the error of using grammar will make a serious misunderstanding toward the readers. The successful of learning writing is not merely depending on the students, but it needs a teacher contribution to reach the learning of English writing.

Online media sentiment analysis for US oysters

AbstractSentiment analysis, a form of data analytics, utilises information from online discussions, reviews, and social media posts to assess consumer sentiments. This study utilised data collected from social media using online listening procedures to assess online sentiments on oysters from January 2019 through December 2022. The analysis utilises machine learning algorithms to extract consumer sentiments, opinions, and demands from online chatter from different online domains. The online sentiments are determined as positive, negative, or neutral based on their word choice, tone, and context. The information provided gives insights into perception, which is valuable information for oyster producers, seafood industry stakeholders, and marketers to identify consumer preferences and formulate appropriate strategies accordingly. The results suggest that while farmed oysters are gaining popularity, there are still some concerns and criticisms around the industry. Positive words associated with mentions of oysters in general include ‘great’, ‘love’, ‘delicious’, ‘enjoyed’, and ‘oyster bar’, while negative words associated with oysters include ‘water’, ‘raw oyster’, ‘bad’, and ‘not eat’. The overall percentage net sentiment associated with all oysters in the United States is positive at 63%. The net sentiment associated with wild oysters is positive, at 51%, and that of farmed oysters is 58%. The oyster industry could invest more in public education, sustainability, and water‐cleaning initiatives to improve its image. Utilising social media to monitor and shape public perception can help the industry address concerns and enhance oyster‐related sentiments, offering valuable insights for marketing and sales strategies.

Post-Modernism, Deconstruction of Christian Religious Education, and Cultural Projection in Central Kalimantan

The purpose of this research is to examine cultural participation in Central Kalimantan in the context of Christian education, whether as a curriculum, subject, or livelihood of Christian learning, in the midst of the postmodern wave. The aim is to explore postmodernist ideas in Christian education that are non-totalitarian, acknowledge the non-homogeneity of truth, and allow for diversity and freedom of thought. This research method prioritizes postmodernist thinking and culture in Christian religious education through a literature study. Secondary sources are taken from journal references (Scopus and Sinta) and several dissertations related to Christian education. The main sources for analysis are books by Karl Henri Nouwen, Franz-Magnis Suseno, Polanyi, and Jean-François Lyotard. The language used is clear, objective, and value-neutral, with a formal register and precise word choice. The logical structure ensures a clear and concise flow of information with causal connections between statements. The text is free from grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and punctuation errors. The text adheres to conventional structure and formatting features, with consistent citation and footnote style. No changes in content have been made. The results indicate that postmodernism, which rejects grand narratives and totalitarianism, as well as the omission of imperialism in Christian education, plays a role in the form of a living culture in Central Kalimantan. This culture emphasizes the balance of life, respect for creation, and the ritualistic and spiritual sacredness of religion, which are reflected in education, including Christian education

A Lexico-semantic Analysis of the University Anthem of Lagos State University of Education, Lagos, Nigeria.

Anthems have been written and sung over the years to project and celebrate the entity being portrayed. In a bid to effectively convey the needed information and messages on the object being portrayed, word choice and meanings associated with and their collocations are expected to perform the task at hand. Using Halliday's (1994) Systemic Functional Linguistic theory because it lays emphasis on both the context and the function of language, this paper does a lexico-semantic analysis of the anthem of the Lagos State University of Education (LASUED). Our analysis amongst others reveals that the words in the anthem are not chosen at random; they are carefully selected to evoke a sense of pride, unity and shared identity among members of the university pride, unity ideology and values of the institution are beautifully conveyed.

JAMOA OLDIDA NUTQ SO‘ZLASHNING LINGVISTIK VA EKSTRALINGVISTIK JIHATLARI

The art of public speaking involves a complex interplay of linguistic and extralinguistic elements that are crucial for effective communication. Linguistic aspects encompass the choice of words, sentence structure, grammar, and overall coherence of the message. These elements are essential for conveying the speaker's ideas clearly and effectively to the audience. Additionally, the tone, style, and register of language used play a significant role in engaging the listeners. Conversely, extralinguistic aspects encompass non-verbal components such as body language, facial expressions, gestures, posture, eye contact, and vocal delivery. These elements greatly influence how the audience perceives the speaker and the message being conveyed. For instance, maintaining eye contact can establish a connection with the audience, while appropriate gestures can enhance the impact of the spoken words.

Enhancing Machine-Translated Tourism Texts: Post-Editing Practices of Indonesian Students

This study investigates practices among students majoring in the English Education Study program at Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara Indonesia in post-editing machine-translated tourism texts. Utilizing a descriptive qualitative approach, we analyzed the post-editing practices of these students. The texts postedited were authentic Indonesian tourism texts sourced from lonely planet website. The findings revealed machine translation errors in three main areas: lexico-semantic errors, grammatical errors, and syntactic errors. Lexico-semantic errors often involved incorrect word choices and mistranslations of nuanced terms. Grammatical errors were prevalent in the misuse of tense, agreement, and article usage. Syntactic errors included improper sentence structure and word order, leading to awkward or unclear translations. As a result of these errors, it was observed that students did some corrections to polish the machine translated text, from the most dominant type of correction to the least dominant, including correcting lexical choices, correcting word form, correcting word order, omissions, additions and deleting. It is recommended that future studies involve more diverse participants with different text types so as to generate a more comprehensive finding.

Cross-cultural adaptation of the writer-reader relationship in non-translated and translated English health information websites on HIV and TB diagnostic testing

The ideal multilingual health information website is relatable to all readers. Natives and immigrants should have a culturally adapted website in their language hosted by their place of residence that imparts the facts and incites a call to action to improve health, and ultimately reduces disease in the diverse community. The writer’s word choices and attitude as conveyed through the text influence the reader’s decision-making process. This paper will examine the differences between the non-translated and translated English versions of multilingual health information websites on HIV and TB diagnostic testing. These samples pertain to a large interdisciplinary study whose purpose is to determine whether the multilingual health communication websites are appropriately written regarding health literacy, and whether each cultural population, in terms of language adaptation, would receive the health information as intended. The study questions whether there exist differences between the translated and non-translated texts in English, Spanish and Catalan; this paper focuses on the two English sub-corpora. A comparable corpus of seventy-three multilingual health information websites underwent a quantitative and a qualitative analysis. The methodology is based on adaptations of Clerehan et al.’s (2005) Evaluative Linguistic Framework to assess the writer-reader relationship. The findings show statistically significant differences between the two English subcorpora as regards the writers’ and translators’ approach; the non-translated English sub-corpus contained more relational and engagement markers, whereas the translated English sub-corpus had more persuasion markers. These results should serve researchers and professionals in the translation and language sciences as well as the public health field for, respectively, future studies and techniques to improve the composition of multilingual health information texts in culturally diverse countries.

APPLICATION OF QAULAN BALIGHA COMMUNICATION PRINCIPLES BY USTADZ FELIX SIAUW ON THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL

ABSTRACT In the current digital era, social media platforms such as YouTube have become a very effective medium for disseminating information and da'wah. This research analyzes the application of the principles of qaulan baligha communication by Ustadz Felix Siauw in content published on his YouTube channel. Qaulan Baligha is one of the principles of communication in Islam which has four signs: words that touch the heart, contain wisdom, fluency in speaking and the choice of words that are easy to understand which emphasizes clarity and accuracy. The aim of this research is to determine the application of Qaulan Baligha communication principles carried out by Ustadz Felix Siauw and to provide knowledge that Islamic communication principles can be applied efficiently and the importance of clear and appropriate communication in conveying da'wah messages through digital media. This research uses a qualitative approach, descriptive content analysis method. Data collection was carried out by means of non-interactive participant observation, coding and documentation. Then the data was analyzed using data reduction techniques, data presentation and drawing conclusions for the entire research carried out. The subjects in this research were preaching videos uploaded on Ustadz Felix Siauw's YouTube channel with the titles "How to be enthusiastic about life", "Tips & Tricks on how to stay istiqomah" and "Sinful but successful". The results of the analysis show that Ustadz Felix Siauw consistently applies Qaulan Baligha principles in various aspects of his communication and preaching delivered in language that is straightforward, precise and easy to understand and is able to reach audiences from various backgrounds. Keywords: Islamic Communication, Qaulan Baligha, Ustadz Felix Siauw, Youtube

Rhetorical Construct of the Self: An Exploration of Writings of Teacher Education Students with Delayed College Enrollment

Understanding people’s thinking and actions through exploring their word choice in written discourse can provide an objective analysis of their behavioural patterns in responding to life adversities. This study utilising quantitative and qualitative approaches is an attempt to investigate the coping mechanisms as response to the challenges of pursuing a bachelor’s degree of teacher education students who had postponed their college enrollment after graduating from high school. This investigation revolved around analysing students’ written essays for personality type profiling using M. A. K. Halliday’s Transitivity Theory and exploiting their aspired professional identity employing Lakoff and Johnson’s Conceptual Metaphor Theory. The analysis of students’ written essays dealing with life challenges revealed their dominant actor, carrier and senser-personality types that reinforced their self consciousness enabling them to be reflective and strategic in addressing life challenges. Moreover, the conceptual metaphor “Teachers are Heroes”, as disclosed by the metaphorical constructs of their aspired professional identity, helped them develop motivation, as they realised the significant role which professional teachers play in the society. This self-identification derived from their projected personality types and the motivation they gained from realising their aspired professional identity served as a coping mechanism by stimulating their confidence in dealing with the challenges associated with continuing their college education. To enhance self-awareness and promote self-reflection among teacher education students, this study advocates the integration of the theories of transitivity and metaphor into teacher education curricula for professional identity development.

Spanish translation of the Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) compilation

BackgroundMost implementation science resources (e.g., taxonomies) are published in English. Linguistic inaccessibility creates a barrier to the conduct of implementation research among non-English-speaking populations, so translation of resources is needed. Translation into Spanish can facilitate widespread reach, given the large proportion of Spanish speakers around the world. This research aimed to systematically translate the Expert Recommendations for Implementation Change (ERIC) compilation into Spanish as an exemplar for the linguistic translation process.MethodsUsing the World Health Organization guidelines, this work translated the ERIC compilation strategy names, short definitions, and thematic clusters through a three-step process: 1) forward translation into Spanish by a native Spanish-speaking implementation scientist, 2) back-translation into English by a bilingual global health researcher, and 3) piloting via virtual focus group discussions with bilingual researchers not conducting implementation research. To achieve a generalizable translation, recruitment targeted a multicultural group of Spanish-speaking researchers. At the conclusion of each step, the transdisciplinary research team (N = 7) met to discuss discrepancies and refine translations. The Spanish version of the ERIC compilation was finalized through group consensus. Reflections from research team meetings and focus group discussions were synthesized qualitatively.ResultsGiven that dialectical nuances exist between Spanish-speaking regions, efforts prioritized universally accepted terminology. Team discussions focused on difficult translations, word choice, and clarity of concepts. Seven researchers participated in two focus groups, where discussion surrounded clarity of concepts, alternative word choice for Spanish translations, linguistic formality, grammar, and conciseness. Translation difficulties highlighted lack of precision in implementation science terminology, and the lack of conceptual clarity of words underscored limitations in the application of the compilation.ConclusionsThe work demonstrated the feasibility of translating implementation science resources. As one of the first systematic efforts to translate implementation resources, this study can serve as a model for additional efforts, including translation into other languages and the expansion to conceptual modifications. Further, this work yielded insights into the need to provide conceptual clarity in implementation science terminology. Importantly, the development of Spanish resources will increase access to conduct implementation research among Spanish-speaking populations.

From experience to empathy: An empathetic VR-based learning approach to improving EFL learners’ empathy and writing performance

English as a foreign language (EFL) writing is vital in interpersonal and cross-cultural communication. Writing refers to a complicated, dispersed, dialogic, and mediated process of discovery and creation, generally considered to be one of the most challenging skills for EFL learners. Nowadays, some students struggle to create words that resonate with readers since they lack real-life experience and empathy cultivation. Virtual reality (VR) not only provides realistic experiences but is also known as the “ultimate empathy machine.” Therefore, this study proposed an empathetic VR-based learning (E-VRL) approach to provide learners with access to authentic experiences and further promote learner empathy. To assess the validity of this approach, 63 junior high school students were recruited to participate in a quasi-experiment, and were randomly divided into an experimental group (EG) which used the E-VRL approach and a control group (CG) which used the VR-based learning (VRL) approach. The results showed that the E-VRL approach improved students’ cognitive empathy and dialogic empathy more than the VRL approach. Additionally, it was found that students in the EG outperformed those in the CG in terms of the use of ideas and content, word choice, and voice in their writing. This study proves the efficacy of the presented E-VRL approach, and provides valuable insights for future research on the design of VR-based EFL writing activities and VR environments.

A Stylistic Analysis of The Poem “The Passionate Shepherd to His Love” by Christopher Marlow

This study aimed to analyze Christopher Marlow’s poem “The Passionate Shepherd to His Love”. The poem was interpreted stylistically from the choice of words, sentence arrangements, and the poetic devices used by the writer to present his thoughts to the audience. The literary devices included in the analysis were symbolism, imagery, simile, metaphor, hyperbole, and other sound devices like alliteration, consonance, assonance, and rhyme. Moreover, the study also provided an analysis of the structure and theme of the poem. By conducting this research, the researchers were able to shed light on the literary approaches, sound devices such as symbolism, imagery, simile, metaphor, hyperbole, and other sound devices like alliteration, consonance, assonance, and rhyme, hidden meanings, and artistic worth of the Poem “The Passionate Shepherd to His Love” by Christopher Marlow.

Gaya Komunikasi Pengguna Media Sosial Tiktok dalam Berpendapat Mengenai Kasus Pelecehan Seksual

This research aims to analyze the communication style of TikTok social media users in expressing opinions regarding cases of sexual harassment. The research method uses a qualitative approach by collecting data through observation of TikTok content related to cases of sexual harassment. This research focuses on analyzing communication styles, including word choice, facial expressions, body movements, and visual elements used by TikTok users. The research results show variations in the communication styles used by TikTok users in conveying their opinions regarding sexual harassment cases. Some users tend to use humor or creative language, while others are more serious and prioritize facts. These findings provide insight into how TikTok users adapt their communication styles to address sensitive issues such as sexual harassment on social media. The implications of this research can be used to understand the dynamics of online communication in the context of relevant social issues.

Language and Power Dynamics in Automobile Advertising: A Multimodal Discourse Analysis of Word Choice and Semiotics

Language and Power Dynamics in Automobile Advertising: A Multimodal Discourse Analysis of Word Choice and Semiotics