Dominant Language Research Articles

Scaling Globalization: The Circulation of Language Resources in Two Indonesian Global Social Movements

This study explores two social movements in Indonesia to measure the extent to which the locals mobilize towards the center. This objective departs from two contradictory statements, namely 'Global Language' (Crystal, 2003; see also the issue of Linguistic Imperialism) which argues that globalization always moves towards the center and produces uniformity, and another statement which argues that globalization results in varieties and differences (Blommaert, 2007, 2010; Machin & van Leeuwen, 2003; Pennycook, 2006). Therefore, two significant global social movements in Indonesia were chosen in this article. The first one is the social movement of Tragedi Kanjuruhan which started from specific local issues and narratives, and the second one is Global Climate Strike social movement which started from global issues shared by people worldwide. Both social movements have a specific language rhetoric. It is shown through the languages used in each social movement which reflects locality and globality. To examine this mobilization, this study employs scaling or scale measurement as a method (see sociolinguistic scales from Blommaert, 2010; scalar practice from Canagarajah & De Costa, 2016), focusing on scope and value (horizontal and vertical measurement). From the analysis, it is known that the differences in linguistic resources contribute to different elements of locality and mobility which circulates with different motives. In the end, this study can offer valuable insights into understanding how global and local are mobilized in one example of globalization.

Factors of Language Dominance Chosen by Young Self-Learning Bilinguals on X Platform

This study aims to explore the patterns of English language dominance among young self-learning bilinguals on platform X, while also uncovering the factors that affect their ability to communicate with others in English. Additionally, it examines how the use of English as the dominant language impacts these young bilingual learners. The research employs a qualitative approach, gathering data through in-depth interviews with participants and focusing on the social media accounts of bilingual youth engaged in independent learning on platform X. The collected data is analyzed through a data condensation process leading to conclusions. The findings indicate that specific languages play a significant role in fostering emotional connections and enhancing language proficiency, which in turn influences the dominant language usage among young self-learning bilinguals on X by creating meaningful connections through language. Furthermore, the study discusses how a language can develop linguistic skills through patterns of communicative interaction, which can affect each individual's language preferences and proficiencies. It highlights the positive correlation between proficiency in one language and proficiency in another, emphasizing the various interaction dynamics among factors such as language skills, personal backgrounds, language delivery, and the ability to interpret and understand communication outcomes.

Writing globally: South Korean adolescents' digital multimodal composing practices in a global online community

AbstractThis design‐based study explored the digital and linguistic practices of South Korean adolescents from a rural area within the Write4Change global online community, emphasizing their use of image‐driven tools. Framed within the cosmopolitan literacies perspective, these adolescents adeptly merge local and global dimensions, integrating their multilingual identities, and compelling visual narratives into their work. They navigate English, the dominant language of the online community, while incorporating multilingual elements to enrich community dialogues. These practices reflect their linguistic adaptability and digital literacies and underscore the significant role of cosmopolitan literacies in transforming literacy studies. The study highlights the impactful digital practices of South Korean adolescents, contributing to a broader understanding of inclusivity and diversity in global literacies.

Science should save all, not just some.

Discussions around global equity and justice in science typically emphasize the lack of diversity in the editorial boards of scientific journals, inequities in authorship, "parachute research," dominance of the English language, or scientific awards garnered predominantly by Global North scientists. These inequities are pervasive and must be redressed. But there is a bigger problem. The legacy of colonialism in scientific research includes an intellectual property system that favors Global North countries and the big corporations they support. This unfairness shows up in who gets access to the fruits of science and raises the question of who science is designed to serve or save.

LOTE in academic journals: a scoping review of selected African databases

ABSTRACT The challenge of ‘linguistic imperialism’ prevails in Africa, perhaps to a greater extent than in other non-Anglophone areas, because African countries are often plurilingual and pluricultural. By default and design, English becomes a lingua franca. This scoping review investigates the use of languages other than English in open-access academic publications originating from Africa. The review quantifies the use of African languages in academic publications from 2010 to 2020. Four African databases are surveyed: African Index Medicus, African Journal Archive, African Journals Online and SABINET Open Access. A total of 670 journals were scoped. This article finds that only fifty-seven journals allow publication in languages other than English. From these journals, between 2010 and 2020, only twenty-six articles appeared in an African language. The Google Scholar site reports the highest citation for articles written in the aforementioned African languages is one.

Comparison of the Use of Indonesian, Foreign Languages and Regional Languages in Naming Places in the Mataram Region

This research was motivated by the emergence of various names of places in the Mataram city area with names in foreign languages. On the one hand, the use of foreign languages aims to make it easier for foreign immigrants to understand places in Indonesia, but on the other hand, the use of foreign languages in the public sphere, in the form of advertising and promotion of goods and services, is under the pull of globalization/internationalization interests. Prestige or a sense of pride in using a foreign language is an interesting aspect to study further. This research aims to record the use of language in naming tourist and culinary attractions in the city of Mataram and see the dominance of language. Data was collected using the documentation method, then the data was analyzed using the content analysis method which includes data reduction, data presentation and drawing conclusions. Data is presented in the form of tables, diagrams and narrative text. Based on the results of the analysis, two linguistic features were found in naming places, namely monolingual and bilingual. The monolingual feature is divided into 57 foreign languages, 47 Indonesian languages, and 9 regional languages. Meanwhile, the form of the bilingual feature is divided into two, namely a combination of foreign languages and regional languages with 13 data and a combination of foreign language and Indonesian with 3 data.

The English-language learning difficulties of older migrants in New Zealand: A life course perspective

ABSTRACT Older migrants are often later-life language learners by necessity. While the bulk of extant research on older language learners focuses on those who elect language learning as a constructive leisure pursuit, for older migrants with low proficiency in the dominant host country language, progress in language learning is a key factor that contributes to their independence, social inclusion, and well-being. Drawing on the life-course perspective, this article examines the language-learning difficulties (LLDs) of older Chinese migrants in New Zealand who have attended English courses, and who need basic communicative language ability in their daily lives. We identified three main life-course related factors that contribute to their language-learning difficulties and detract from their commitment to formal learning. These LLDs result from perceived shortcomings in individuals’ prior educational background, factors related to individuals’ current circumstances that impact their sense of agency, and unsatisfactory current formal learning experiences. We offer recommendations aimed at improving formal learning opportunities for this learner group.

Testing theories of the vocabulary spurt with monolingual and bilingual infants.

Sometime before their second birthday, many children have a period of rapid expressive vocabulary growth called the vocabulary spurt. Theories of the underlying mechanisms differ: Accumulator models emphasize the accumulation of experience with words over time to yield a spurtlike pattern, while cognitive models attribute the spurt to cognitive changes. To test these theories, English-French monolingual and bilingual children with different exposure to each language were studied. Dense, longitudinal data were analyzed from 45 infants aged 16-30 months, whose expressive vocabulary was measured on a total of 617 occasions in English and/or French. Single-language (English and/or French), concept (number of concepts lexicalized across both languages), and word (sum of both languages) vocabulary scores were computed. Infants' exposure to each language and their exposure balance were measured using a language exposure questionnaire. Logistic curves were fitted to each infant's data to estimate the timing (midpoint) and steepness (slope) of the vocabulary spurt in single-language, concept, and word vocabularies. Seventy-six percent of infants showed a spurt in at least one vocabulary type, and bilinguals were less likely to show one in their nondominant than their dominant language. For single-language vocabulary, infants with more exposure to a language had earlier spurts. For combined vocabularies (concept and word), monolinguals and unbalanced bilinguals had earlier and steeper spurts than balanced bilinguals. Results better support the predictions of accumulator models than cognitive theories and show that infants follow different vocabulary acquisition trajectories based on their language background. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Challenging Native Speakerism: TEFL in Indonesia Beyond Native Speaker Fallacy

This article examines the English native speaker fallacy and its implications in the field of Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) in Indonesia. The NS fallacy refers to the belief that Native English-Speaking Teachers (NESTs) are inherently superior and more competent in teaching English, disregarding the importance of their Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PKC). Through a synthesis research methodology, this article involves examining, integrating, and synthesizing existing conceptual and empirical studies related to teacher professional identity, NESTs, TEFL, and its implementation in Indonesia. The findings suggest that the notion of standard English taught in EFL classrooms should be questioned, as it is influenced by linguistic imperialism and marginalizes World Englishes. In Indonesia, the dominance of standardized English tests further reinforces the perception that NESTs are more competent in teaching standard English. To challenge native speakerism, the article argues for a shift in focus from linguistic proficiency to pedagogical expertise when evaluating NESTs' qualifications. Emphasizing the value of Pedagogical Content Knowledge can lead to a more inclusive and equitable hiring process, where NESTs are assessed based on their teaching capabilities and experience. By prioritizing pedagogical expertise, educational institutions can promote a culturally responsive learning environment that embraces linguistic diversity and enhances the quality of English language education in a globalized world.

KAJIAN SOSIOLINGUISTIK BAHASA INDONESIA PADA PETANI DAN BURUH TANI DI KECAMATAN COMAL

This research is based on the use of Indonesian among marginalized communities. In everyday life, Indonesians still does not attract public attention. This research aims to describe the use of Indonesian among farming communities and farm workers in Comal District, Pemalang Regency. This type of research is descriptive qualitative which aims to describe the use of Indonesian in the people of Sikayu Village, Comal District, Pemalang Regency. The data collection technique in this research was carried out using skilled listening and involvement techniques.The results of the research show that in the language variation category, farmers and farm workers predominantly master Javanese. This is confirmed by the results of interviews which state that the most dominant language used is Javanese. Meanwhile, the results of interviews with the speech community category show that farmers and farm workers are already accustomed to using Javanese when communicating or interacting anywhere. Based on the results of this analysis, it can be concluded that the use of Indonesian in the speech community in Sikayu Village, Comal District, Pemalang Regency, is an example of a bilingual community. The use of Indonesian among marginal farmers and farm laborers in Sikayu Village is influenced by social status and the place of use.

Spanish in The Linguistic Landscape of San Diego County: A Case of Linguicism?

This study aims to examine the linguistic landscape of six neighborhoods in San Diego County, focusing on the prevalence of languages and the role of Spanish, a heritage language in the region. The neighborhoods were categorized into three areas with predominantly Latinx populations (Latin areas) and three with predominantly White populations (White areas). Signage in these areas was analyzed across five categories: (a) language(s) used on signs, (b) dominant languages displayed, (c) functional purposes of languages (informative vs. symbolic), (d) types of translations provided, and (e) public vs. private authorship. The findings reveal a preference for English in White areas, whereas Latin areas exhibit greater use of both English and Spanish, with bilingual signage being common. Moreover, Latin areas show greater diversity in types of translations and a significant symbolic function of Spanish on signs. These patterns shed light on local power dynamics between the two predominant languages in the area. They suggest that Spanish and bilingualism are predominantly confined to Latin areas, with even these neighborhoods displaying relatively low levels of Spanish presence. This marginalisation of Spanish diminishes linguistic empowerment and influence for speakers of this heritage language. The study exposes opaque relationships between the dominant White population and the subordinated Latinx group, interpreted through power dynamics and the expansion of White public space alongside linguistic imperialism of English. These dynamics perpetuate racialisation and oppression, particularly affecting speakers of minoritised languages such as Spanish. The consequences include language anxiety among historically underrepresented groups and identity crises. Ultimately, this research provides insights into the status of Spanish as a heritage language in Southern California.

Unsettling lingua franca through translation: Solidarity in migrant cities

Migrational cities are inherently cosmopolitan and translational. In such cities, language is no doubt one of the most difficult barriers for migrants, who are often identified because they speak Englishesrather than English—not only when they donotknow the language of their new “homeland” but also, perhaps even worse, at that stage when they are supposed to have learned it.Many of them never manage to speak the dominant language “well”; they are deemed to speak “weirdly” in terms of both grammar and accent. In this context, translation has much to say. Translation operates within a politics of language. Being translational does not necessarily mean finding common linguistic grounds—or lingua franca, conventionally defined as stable and neutral languages that bridge incommensurable cultures. This paper examines whetherlingua franca can instead be conceived of as being built on uncommon and unsettled grounds, more specifically as temporary, ever-shifting registers borne out of the conference of diverse tongues in particular time-spaces. Translationis understoodas a way to creolize the lingua franca to forge a language that is native to no one and thus potentially available to everyone. This redefinition of lingua franca can lead to a new understanding of solidarity in multilingual cities by advocating for a translationthat highlights rather than smooths over difference.

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’.

Non-participation and the stability of Dominant Language Constellation in contextual shifts: the case of a Hong Kong multilingual student

ABSTRACT This study explores how a multilingual Hong Kong student exercised agency to maintain a stable Dominant Language Constellation (DLC) amidst significant shifts in sociolinguistic contexts. Employing an intrinsic case study approach, the study collected data through interviews and written documents, which were then analysed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that the multilingual student strategically managed his language use by compartmentalising Cantonese, Putonghua, and English into distinct domains, a practice he maintained consistently across different environments, including Hong Kong, Beijing, and Montreal. Key sources of his agency were identified, such as his self-conception as an introverted individual, parental influence, and the demands of his educational contexts. His strategic non-participation in social interactions helped him avoid linguistic discomfort and maintain psychological stability. This study contributes to the field of multilingualism by illustrating how agency can be manifested through deliberate non-participation and strategic language use, offering new insights into the dynamic interplay between individual agency and sociolinguistic environments.

Students' Attitudes towards the Use of English in Bosnian Advertisements

One of the significant changes within Bosnian society and educational reality after the last war is the teaching and learning of English as a dominant foreign language at each level of the educational system, but also through the various forms of non-formal and informal education. This fact has a profound impact on the everyday communication of children and youth and their growing up in the post-war and globalized world. In this regard, this study investigated the attitudes of newer generations of Bosnians, who have learned English since kindergarten age and are highly proficient, towards the use of English in advertisements. Different advertisements were presented to respondents, i.e. the students of the University of Tuzla, and then they were given a questionnaire consisting of statements that measured their attitudes toward English in advertisements. A questionnaire was given in the form of a Likert’s scale and the data received were analyzed using the SPSS software. As it was expected, respondents showed positive attitudes towards the use of English in Bosnian advertisements. They did not feel threatened and claimed that English did not jeopardize the position of their mother tongue. Additionally, they rated advertisements containing English elements with higher marks than advertisements containing Bosnian only. Finally, the respondents claimed that English enriched their culture in general.

Facilitative Processing of Grammatical Gender in Heritage Speakers with Two Gender Systems

Abstract This study investigates facilitative processing of grammatical gender in heritage Spanish speakers whose dominant language is German, using eye-tracking in the Visual World Paradigm. Bilinguals with two gender systems are known to have an integrated mental lexicon with shared gender features that are co-activated during language processing and can result in interference. The present study shows that, despite observed effects of gender congruency with German, heritage speakers were able to use gender information on prenominal articles in Spanish to facilitate lexical retrieval of the target noun. This suggests that processing of gender agreement in the heritage language is resilient to competition from gender in the dominant language during real-time spoken-language comprehension. Moreover, direct comparison with previous results from heritage Spanish speakers in the USA does not show evidence that overall speed of facilitative processing in the heritage language is modulated by the presence or absence of gender in the majority language.

Comparing pragmatic abilities across multiple languages in adults with ADHD: Insights from a self-report questionnaire

ABSTRACT Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is associated with pragmatic language impairments in children, but less is known about the communicative abilities of adults with ADHD, especially when using a second or third language. In this study, we developed a questionnaire to collect self-report measures of a set of pragmatic skills in a person’s first, second and third language, comparing adults with and without an ADHD diagnosis. One hundred seventy-nine multilingual adults with (N = 91) and without ADHD (N = 88) completed the survey. As predicted, adults with ADHD reported more pragmatic difficulties than the control group. More specifically, people with ADHD showed pronounced impairments in regulating their behaviour in spoken interactions in the form of excessive talking, frequently interrupting others, and speaking without thinking first. Notably, these types of hyperactive and impulsive behaviours were significantly reduced when people with ADHD communicated in a second or third language. For pragmatic difficulties related to inattention such as concentrating on a conversation, both groups tended to be more inattentive in their third language compared to their first and second language. The understanding of non-literal language was only affected by ADHD in the first language and was generally more taxing in a language with lower proficiency levels. Our study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of how ADHD affects different kinds of communicative abilities in multilingual adults. It also has implications for clinical practice, highlighting the importance of assessing symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity in a person’s dominant language.

До питання про мовно-культурну асиміляцію переселенців з бойківщини на донеччину в україні

The article is devoted to a study of the dynamics of linguistic and cultural assimilation of migrants from the Boyko region to the Donetsk region in Ukraine and the establishment of relevant factors that contributed to this process or delayed it. The research was carried out on the material of two centres of compact resettlement of the Boykos, who found themselves in different linguistic, cultural and social conditions. The author focuses on the role of the presence/absence of the dominant dialect of the recipient microsociety, the degree of linguistic and cultural affinity between the migrants and the host microsociety, the conflictogenicity of the situation, the language of education and the language of the city in the process of the assimilation of the migrants and their descendants.

Almanya'daki Türk Asıllı Bulgar Öğrencilerin Ana Dillerini Geliştirme Süreçleri: Aachen Örneği İbrahim Geçit

Considering the population of Turkish citizens living outside Turkey and the size of the countries they live in, it is important for the future of Turkey and the Turkish language that the Turkish language is maintained and passed on to the future. This study examines the processes of preserving and developing the mother tongue of Bulgarian students of Turkish origin living in Aachen, Germany. In particular, the research deals with the language use habits of these students in Turkish and German, language fidelity and attitudes towards their language. It explores how language maintenance interacts with demographic factors such as educational attainment, place of residence, marital status, etc. and finds that students show a strong tendency to preserve their mother tongue, but that the use of Turkish may decrease over time as German is the dominant language. The data used in the study were collected by interview method, one of the qualitative research methods, and the research was conducted using a phenomenological design. The population of the study consists of Bulgarian students of Turkish origin who continue their education in three different schools in the city of Aachen in Germany. The sample of the study consisted of 30 Bulgarian students of Turkish origin studying in three different schools in Aachen, Germany. The results of the study also discuss the effects of language policies and educational systems on this process and provide recommendations to support the language maintenance processes of Bulgarian students of Turkish origin living in Germany. Keywords: Language Maintenance, Bilingualism, Cultural Identity, Educational Policies, Bulgarian Students, Mother Tongue

Sprinting in two languages: Picture naming performance of older Spanish-English bilinguals on the Multilingual Naming Test Sprint 2.0.

The present study examined how years of immersion in a nondominant language affect (a) the degree of bilingualism as measured by picture naming scores and (b) the bilingual disadvantage relative to monolinguals. Forty-two older Spanish-English bilinguals named pictures in an expanded rapid administration version of the Multilingual Naming Test (MINT Sprint 2.0) in both languages and completed a language history questionnaire. English-speaking monolinguals (n = 138; from Gollan et al., 2024) named pictures in just one language. Spanish-dominant bilinguals named more pictures in the nondominant language but fewer pictures in the dominant language relative to English-dominant bilinguals. Increased years of immersion in the nondominant language increased naming scores in that language but decreased naming scores in the dominant language. When controlling for differences in age and education level, monolinguals named more pictures than bilinguals even in their dominant language, a difference that was numerically smaller for English-dominant bilinguals. However, two bilinguals who stated that they prefer to be tested in English scored much higher in Spanish. Older bilinguals name fewer pictures than demographically matched monolinguals even when bilinguals are tested in their dominant language and especially if they report many years of immersion in their nondominant language. The bilingual disadvantage can be magnified if self-reported language preference is used to determine the language of testing. Accurate interpretation of bilingual picture naming scores requires a thorough language history and objective assessment in both languages, which can be done in relatively little time using rapid administration procedures. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).