Cross-language Research Research Articles

The triality of roles for the trilingual researcher: Processes from a community-engaged qualitative cross-language health study

There are numerous ethical and procedural challenges when conducting cross-language research, and there is a need to discuss the role of multilingual researchers, as much of the existing literature focuses on working with third-party interpreters or translators. In this article, we expand the recommendations for cross-language research for multilingual researchers and health studies, through an examination of literature and processes from a Community-Engaged Qualitative Photovoice project. We present adapted cross-language research methods for future cross-language research studies. These adapted methods include seven considerations: (i) What and why? Considerations for Study Design, (ii) When do we translate, and how many times? Question development, pilot testing, transcription, and translation, (iii) Who? The role of the translator/interpreter during the research process, (iv) Who again? Translator/interpreter credentials, (v) What are you really saying? Dynamic equivalence, (vi) Do your ears deceive you? Reflexive reflective reflexivity, and (vii) Triality, not just Duality, of the role of the Researcher.

‘Caring’ Through Translation: A Dialogue on Ethics and Inclusivity in Cross-Language Research

Cross-language research involving translation is prevalent in the social sciences yet under-discussed in terms of its ethical impact on participants or the translator her/himself. This paper applies a feminist ethics of ‘care’ to the topic of translation in cross-cultural, cross-language research. We argue for the importance of emotional intelligence and awareness of emotional labor involved in meaningful, ethical translation between the researcher, translator, and participants. The paper itself is a reflexive conversation between a translator and researcher following six months of data collection involving over 120 interviews and 10 work-life histories. We discuss the opportunities and limitations for more emotionally evolved translation in cross-cultural research, discussing specific strategies for caring about, taking care of, caregiving and care receiving through translation. Applying the ‘caring through translation’ framework promotes deeper collaboration and relationality between researchers, translators, and participants, grounded in feminist ideals of equitable, ethical knowledge production.

Research in a Closed Political Context, COVID, and Across Languages: Methodological Lessons, Messages, and Ideas

This study offers a number of contemporary qualitative and mixed methods research lessons regarding cross-language research and research in closed social and political contexts such as post-Soviet countries, especially how such research may be adapted to disruptions like those posed by the COVID pandemic or other disasters. The lessons draw from a study of policy learning among government officials in Kazakhstan which illustrated several methodological strengths and weaknesses and generated a number of methodological recommendations. In particular, while the literature on best practices for research in closed contexts emphasizes deep interactions to develop trust, the COVID pandemic and other disruptions may force researchers to transition to online modalities and constrain options. We suggest strategies to overcome these limitations, including supplementing findings from interviews with content analysis or other multimethod approaches. Additionally, we argue that researchers in post-Soviet and post-colonial contexts must be particularly attuned to the challenges of cross-language research and the combination of local languages with the language of the colonial power. These lessons hold relevance for researchers working in a variety of contexts as they conduct research during times of disasters and geopolitical instability.

Towards an Anticolonial Photovoice: A Research Practice Guide to Theoretical and Methodological Considerations

Photovoice researchers must avoid an ahistorical application of the method by critically examining the implementation and dissemination of photovoice projects. Recognizing that photovoice is not automatically empowering and that dismantling power dynamics is an ongoing struggle requiring constant vigilance to ethical, methodological, and representational issues, I propose an anticolonial framework for photovoice, drawing on the work of anticolonial scholars. This approach acknowledges the legacies of colonialism and racism within health and research systems, an imperative for researchers working with Indigenous and marginalized communities. I address multiple phases of a photovoice project, problematizing power relations in each phase and suggesting how to anticolonially adapt theoretical orientations and methodological processes. Areas under-addressed in the photovoice literature, such as epistemic justice, recruitment power relations, decolonized concepts of rigor, problematization of pseudonyms/anonymizing, and cross-language research and writing, are discussed, interweaving analyses with practical guidance from and outcomes of my photovoice research with Indigenous and mestizo communities in Ecuador.

How do we design and conduct cross-language research? A reflexive approach building on Squires' criteria

PurposeThis paper demonstrates complexity surrounding cross-language research involving an interpreter and illustrates how the author attempted to ensure methodological rigor through modifying and applying Squires' criteria to the design and conduct of her education research.Design/methodology/approachThis research employed Squires' recommendations for cross-language research as methodological guidelines for designing and conducting cross-language research. The research involved focus group discussions with teachers working in an ethnic minority boarding school in Laos and an interpreter who helped translating/transcribing interviews in Lao to English and data analysis.FindingsFrom applying Squires' criteria, this paper introduces a reflexive set of recommendations for researchers conducting a wide range of qualitative cross-language research.Originality/valueMost meta-criteria for cross-language research are developed to evaluate the quality of cross-language research. However, the soundness of a set of meta-criteria as one tool to evaluate all cross-language research might be questionable due to qualitative studies' diverse epistemological grounds. This paper argues that meta-criteria can serve as a critical and reflexive guide for cross-language researchers when used from the research design and on. The paper also suggests a new set of recommendations which may facilitate more reflexive approaches to cross-language research.

Methodological and ethical challenges in cross-language qualitative research: the role of interpreters

ABSTRACT Interpretation in cross-language qualitative research presents a range of methodological and ethical challenges. Among these are the interpreters’ influence on data generation and interview power dynamics. Having translators review and/or produce an independent translation of recorded interview material for comparative purposes is regarded as one of the ways researchers can control for these challenges. However, there are other reasons why translations of interpreted materials are valuable. This paper explores these issues by reporting an interview focused on investigating the experiences of a non-Icelandic family as their child made the transition to an Icelandic preschool. In this case, the interpreter influenced data generation in a semi-structured interview; a situation that was only fully revealed in follow-up translation. The findings suggest that while the follow-up translation demonstrates discrepancies and the interpreter’s tendency to modify both questions and responses during the interview, comparative analysis of the oral interpretation and translation of the interview text opens up new dimensions in the data that would otherwise have gone unnoticed by the researcher.

Methods, Ethics, and Cross-Language Considerations in Research With Ethnic Minority Children.

Qualitative research seeking the perspectives of minority children on child health issues such as childhood obesity and healthy weight care is limited, especially in nursing research. Our objective is to share methodological, ethical, and cross-language knowledge gained from conducting an ethnonursing research study. This study focused on providing a voice for ethnic minority children in childhood obesity literature. The purpose of the study was to discover cultural influences on healthy weight care in children of Burmese refugees of Karen ethnicity. Researchers may exclude children of ethnic minorities from studies because of the distinct challenges in conducting cross-language research and research with children. We critically examine these challenges. The challenge of being a stranger was addressed by a period of immersion in the children's activities prior to data collection, in addition to volunteering as an English teacher with Karen adults. The immersion period was crucial for developing the trust needed in child-inclusive research and research in ethnic minority communities. The challenge of designing an inclusive study with families who experience language barriers was addressed with an interpreter who not only spoke Karen but was also a part of the Karen community. The interpreter provided the authentic sociocultural language equivalence needed for the study's rigor. Ensuring the child's voice was clearly heard was addressed with member checking. Methodological changes necessitated by a pandemic were a distinct challenge discussed in detail. We described methods useful for nurse researchers seeking transformative knowledge to reduce health disparities in childhood obesity. Nurse researchers may use these methods related to cross-language research and child research for designing research inclusive of minorities with language barriers. The perspectives of children from ethnic minorities are needed to inform culturally congruent healthy weight care for their communities. The goal in providing transparency of the difficulties, successes, and recommendations for methods in research with children of Burmese refugees is to encourage more nurse researchers to work with marginalized groups. Nurse researchers can inform evidence-based, culturally appropriate interventions to address health inequities of minority communities by including the voice of children from these communities.

Interpreting the Data: Reflections on ASL-English Cross Language Research

Cross language research typically ignores the role the translator and translation play in the research process. This paper adds to the literature by examining some of the challenges experienced during the translation and interpretation aspect of research. This autoethnography explores the positionality of a non-native user of American Sign Language who conducted research with native American Sign Language users. Findings indicate that translation and interpretation in research is not simply a matter of rote process and deserves more attention as an integral aspect of cross-language research.

The effects of metaphonological awareness training on L3 Mandarin tone acquisition by Cantonese learners

ABSTRACT According to the speech learning model [Flege, J. E. (1995). Second language speech learning: Theory, findings, and problems. In W. Strange (Ed.), Speech perception and linguistic experience: Issues in cross-language research (pp. 233–277). York Press], learners whose first language (L1) is a tonal language (e.g. Cantonese) can be confused by similar yet different tones in their L1 and another tonal language (e.g. Mandarin). Encouraged by the biliteracy and trilingualism language policy in Hong Kong, L1 Cantonese learners of Mandarin have been committed to learning the third language (L3) Mandarin tones but are struggling with that task. The main purpose of this study is to examine Cantonese learners’ perceptions and production of Mandarin tones, and to investigate learners’ performance in production tasks before and after implementing metaphonological awareness protocols. Twenty-five Cantonese learners studying at a local university were recruited to complete the production, perception and verbal protocol tasks. Based on Wrembel’s [2015. Metaphonologcial awareness in multilinguals: A case of L3 Polish. Language Awareness, 24(1), 60–83. https://doi.org/10.1080/09658416.2014.890209] framework, this study categorised the participants’ statements of metaphonological awareness shown in their self-correction and self-reflection performances in the introspective and retrospective protocols. The error rates and patterns in the production and perception tasks were analysed. Metaphonological awareness training has a significant positive effect on improving learners’ Mandarin tone pronunciation.

Strategies for overcoming language barriers in research.

This paper seeks to describe best practices for conducting cross-language research with individuals who have a language barrier. Discussion paper. Research methods papers addressing cross-language research issues published between 2000-2017. Rigorous cross-language research involves the appropriate use of interpreters during the research process, systematic planning for how to address the language barrier between participant and researcher and the use of reliably and validly translated survey instruments (when applicable). Biases rooted in those who enter data into "big data" systems may influence data quality and analytic approaches in large observational studies focused on linking patient language preference to health outcomes. Cross-language research methods can help ensure that those individuals with language barriers have their voices contributing to the evidence informing healthcare practice and policies that shape health services implementation and financing. Understanding the inherent conscious and unconscious biases of those conducting research with this population and how this may emerge in research studies is also an important part of producing rigorous, reliable, and valid cross-language research. This study synthesized methodological recommendations for cross-language research studies with the goal to improve the quality of future research and expand the evidence-base for clinical practice. Clear methodological recommendations were generated that can improve research rigor and quality of cross-language qualitative and quantitative studies. The recommendations generated here have the potential to have an impact on the health and well-being of migrants around the world.

A Discursive Void in a Cross-Language Study on Russia: Strategies for Negotiating Shared Meaning

ABSTRACTDiscursive voids in emerging markets present opportunities and challenges to debate meanings and taken-for granted assumptions. This article uncovers various strategies used by the researcher and the research participants to address the discursive void and to negotiate shared meaning about employee empowerment in Russia. In the absence of a concept for empowerment in the languages of the study, the researcher and the research participants engaged in joint sensemaking to bridge discursive voids. We contribute to the discussion of qualitative cross-language research in emerging markets by identifying the strategies used not only by the researcher, whose view has dominated previous research, but also those of the research participants. The researcher in our study addressed the discursive void by taking on the dual role of researcher-translator, engaging in contextual approach to translation, consulting external interpreters, and using iteration and flexibility in the course of the research process. Our research participants resorted to proverbs to address the discursive void, make sense of empowerment, and render it locally meaningful. Proverbs are a valuable methodological tool for sensemaking and theorising about context-specific phenomena in IB research.

Meeting in the Middle: Using Lingua Franca in Cross-Language Qualitative Health Research in Papua New Guinea

With words as data, qualitative researchers rely upon language to understand the meaning participants make of the phenomena under study. Cross-language research requires communication about and between linguistic systems, with language a site of power. This article describes the use of the lingua franca of Tok Pisin in a study conducted to explore the implications of male circumcision for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention for women in Papua New Guinea. Utilizing a transformational grounded theory methodology, researchers conducted an analysis of data from an HIV prevention study. Researchers then facilitated individual interviews and interpretive focus groups to explore preliminary categories identified during the analysis. Most focus groups and interviews were conducted in the local lingua franca Tok Pisin, which is neither the researchers’ nor most participants’ first language. Audio recordings were transcribed and analyzed. Researchers returned to research participants to discuss research findings and recommendations. Following critical reflection by the authors and further discussions with participants, it was evident that using Tok Pisin enriched the research process and findings. Using the lingua franca of Tok Pisin enabled interaction in a language closer to the lived experience of participants, devolved the power of the researcher, and was consistent with decolonizing methodologies. Participants reported the use of Tok Pisin, em i tasim (pilim) bun bilong mipela, “it touches our bones,” and enabled a flow of conversation with the researchers that engendered trust. It is critical researchers address hierarchies of language in order to enable cogeneration of quality research findings.

Knowledge Repository of Ontology Learning Tools from Text

Ontologies are one of the fundamental elements of the Semantic Web, and they have gained a lot of popularity and recognition because they are viewed as the answer to the need for interoperable semantics in modern information systems. The intermingling of techniques in areas such as natural language processing, information retrieval, machine learning, data mining, and knowledge representation provide a lot of possibilities for development of ontology learning approaches. A rise in focus on the ability to cope with the scale of Web data required for ontology learning forces the potential growth of cross-language research, emphasizing the automatic or semi-automatic generation of the tools dedicated to text mining and information extraction. This paper presents the integration of ontology learning tools from text in the knowledge repository to incorporate the applied techniques and outputs of an ontology learning algorithm into the one complex multifunctional solution. The proposed knowledge repository covers various applicability of existing techniques of learning ontologies from text, and offers competency question-based reasoning mechanism for individuals to specify their profiles of ontology learning tools. The validation stage is also provided in the form of applied reasoning.

Narrative Depictions of Working With Language Interpreters in Cross-Language Qualitative Research

The role of the interpreter in cross-language qualitative research warrants methodological consideration at the onset and throughout the research. This study used a narrative approach to portray how two researchers’ epistemological positionings about the interpreter role were negotiated within the practical realities of conducting research. Data were obtained from a semistructured interview with an experienced cross-language researcher and field notes of my subsequent experiences working with interpreters. Findings suggest that the researcher–interpreter relationship is shaped by the epistemological views of the researcher, researcher experience and seniority, study design and resources, and the context in which the research occurs. Understanding how researchers’ views and approaches to working with interpreters evolve across different career stages and adapt to different circumstances can provide new insights to prepare researchers for cross-language research and to promote rigorous qualitative research.

Language-Specific Effects in Cross-Language Research and Their Implications for Second Language Acquisition: A Theoretical Enquiry

Abstract Both in the theoretical framework of applied linguistics and empirical studies, second language acquisition is either examined within the universalist postulation of an innate language acquisition device or it is discussed in a pluralist manner featuring the great variety of language-specific influences. The present paper focuses on the latter issue, aiming to review some of the recent studies on the role of the mother tongue in second language speech perception and production. Our main interest is in phonetic learning. Thus, we shall particularly turn our attention to certain theoretical–empirical data regarding second language speech perception and production, such as the perceptual assimilation model, the native language magnet theory, and the articulatory setting theory.

“很”類程度副詞語源義跨語言考察

In this paper, we considered the etymological meaning of the ‘很’ type adverbs of degree, and found the common semantic features of these kinds of vocabularies. Through cross-language research, we found that these similarities are based on the common cognitive mechanism of human beings. And with the cognitive mechanism of metonymy, the ‘很’ type adverbs of degree have completed the grammatical evolution from etymological meaning to degree meaning.

Navigating Nuances of Language and Meaning: Challenges of Cross-Language Ethnography Involving Shona Speakers Living With Schizophrenia.

For people living with schizophrenia, their experience is personal and culturally bound. Focused ethnography enables researchers to understand people's experiences in-context, a prerequisite to providing person-centered care. Data are gathered through observational fieldwork and in-depth interviews with cultural informants. Regardless of the culture, ethnographic research involves resolving issues of language, communication, and meaning. This article discusses the challenges faced by a bilingual, primary mental health nurse researcher when investigating the experiences of people living with schizophrenia in Zimbabwe. Bilingual understanding influenced the research questions, translation of a validated survey instrument and interview transcripts, analysis of the nuances of dialect and local idioms, and confirmation of cultural understanding. When the researcher is a bilingual cultural insider, the insights gained can be more nuanced and culturally enriched. In cross-language research, translation issues are especially challenging when it involves people with a mental illness and requires researcher experience, ethical sensitivity, and cultural awareness.

Mediated research encounters: methodological considerations in cross-language qualitative interviews

Given increasing globalisation, the continuing prevalence of emergencies, and the importance of rigorous research to ensure the mental health needs of populations exposed to emergencies are effectively met, cross-language research will continue to arise. Drawing upon the lead author’s experience of conducting a cross-language qualitative study in three post-conflict settings in South Asia, this article discusses methodological considerations raised when interviewing with interpreters. These include considering interpreter positionality and matching; the approach to cross-language mediation during interviews; and assessing the quality of interpreter facilitated interviews. Drawing upon approaches taken in this study, the important choices researchers face about how these are managed are examined, considering the roles of researcher and interpreter positionality, the research context, and the epistemological underpinnings of the research. The discussion further illuminates the interrelated methodological, practical and ethical considerations for other researchers embarking upon similar research.

The language variable in educational research: an exploration of researcher positionality, translation, and interpretation

ABSTRACTIn qualitative educational research, the languages spoken by the participants and the researchers can greatly impact the quality of the data collected. This paper will explore the advantages and disadvantages of being an insider researcher by virtue of speaking the same language(s) as the participants. Whether the researcher is a linguistic insider or outsider, he or she will need to make important decisions with regard to translation and interpretation when conducting cross-language research. Such linguistic decisions can also impact the quality of the data collected and the trustworthiness of the research. The advantages and disadvantages of translation and interpretation in qualitative educational research will be explored. This paper offers researchers and students suggestions for conducting cross-language educational research in an ethical and transparent manner.

Cross-linguistic differences in articulatory timing lag in consonant cluster perception

Cross-language research on consonant cluster production has shown that consonant clusters in different languages are produced with different degrees of articulatory timing lags. The present study examines perceptual sensitivity to these cross-linguistic timing differences in consonant clusters. Native German listeners were tested on an AXB similarity judgment test using stimuli including consonant clusters produced by German and Georgian speakers. (German consonant clusters are produced with relatively shorter lag between two consonants than Georgian ones.) Stimuli were /bla, gla, gna/ syllables recorded along with articulatory (EMA) data. Short lag German tokens and long lag Georgian tokens were selected as A and B, with Xs of varying degrees of lag chosen from either Georgian or German recordings. Results showed that German listeners are sensitive to the cross-linguistic differences in articulatory timing lag: when the timing lag of X was closer to A, participants were more likely to choose A. Moreover,...