Idioms Research Articles

The force behind illocutionary speech acts: Directive, commissive, expressive, and declarative

The main purpose of this study is to examine the force and power of language expressions categorized under the rubrics of the types of illocutionary speech acts (directive, commissive, expressive, and declarative), particularly speech acts of permission, apologies, and compliments. A total of 30 male and female EFL (English as a foreign language) students who studied at Ajloun National University participated in this study. The data were collected through discourse completion tasks (DCTs). The students were asked to write down what they identified as permissions, apologies, and compliments similar to what they would use in real-life situations. The responses to the DCTs were analyzed based on suitable taxonomy of compliment and apology response strategies. The frequency of occurrence and percentage of each type were quantified. The analysis of the data confirmed that EFL learners used various strategies in expressing apologies, permissions, thanks and compliments thus leading to the following conclusions: Most EFL students use thanking and complimentary expressions in both formal and informal situations. Secondly, Jordanian EFL learners successfully identified the speech act of permission issued by explicit and implicit performative expressions and declarative construction rather than interrogative and imperative construction. Finally, it was noted that the most frequent responses expressing apologies were IFIDs (illocutionary force indicating devices).

Investigating how cultural differences influence the translation process and the strategies used by translators to bridge cultural gaps

This study investigates the impact of cultural differences on the translation process and the strategies used by translators to bridge these cultural gaps. Through qualitative interviews with professional translators specializing in literature, business, legal, and technical translation, the research identifies key strategies employed to address cultural challenges. These strategies include localization, adaptation, the use of cultural equivalents, annotation, and consultation with cultural informants. The findings reveal that these strategies are effective in maintaining both translation accuracy and cultural relevance. Localization tailors content to the cultural context of the target audience, while adaptation handles idiomatic expressions and culturally specific references. Cultural equivalents preserve the emotional and cultural impact of the source text, and annotations provide necessary explanations for cultural references without direct equivalents. Consultation with cultural informants enhances the accuracy and appropriateness of translations, particularly in specialized fields. The effectiveness of these strategies is supported by concrete examples from the translators' experiences, demonstrating successful applications across various fields. The study's findings align with established theories in translation studies, such as those proposed by Venuti, Nida, Baker, and House, reinforcing the importance of cultural competence in translation. This research highlights the complex interplay between language and culture in the translation process and underscores the necessity for tailored strategies to address cultural nuances. The study contributes to the theoretical understanding of cultural translation and offers practical recommendations for translators. As global communication continues to expand, the role of culturally competent translators remains vital in facilitating cross-cultural understanding and interaction. Future research should explore the evolving role of technology in translation and its implications for cultural competence.

A Highly Robust, Multifunctional, and Breathable Bicomponent Fibers Thermoelectric Fabric for Dual-Mode Sensing.

Wearable thermoelectric (TE) materials are seen as excellent candidates for flexible electronics because of their unique self-powered properties, multistimulus sensing and human waste heat conversion. However, currently reported flexible TE materials still face challenges such as poor durability, uncomfortable wearing and sensing signals crosstalking each other. Herein, this study describes a hot-air cross-linking method for the preparation of multifunctional TE fabrics with enhanced durability. Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fibers with core and sheath structures having different melting points were selected as flexible substrates. Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were embedded stably on the surface of the sheath layer in the presence of heat treatment. The fiber-welded structure created by thermal cross-linking improves the durability of TE fabrics, including consistent mechanical and electrical properties after a 6 h wash test and 6000 compression cycles. The unique fiber structure of TE fabrics ensures excellent breathability (313.7 mm s-1 at 200 Pa), which meets the breathability requirements for human wear. In addition, the fiber-prepared sensors have excellent compressive strain response (20 ms response time and 30 ms recovery time) and precise temperature discrimination (0.17 K minimum discrimination temperature) for accurate real-time monitoring of the sensed signals. Thus, the TE fabrics can be used for human motion recognition, including pulse monitoring, sign language expression, and motions in joint areas. Moreover, the fabricated wearable TE device is connected to a Bluetooth module for wireless transmission, which can be used for mechanical and temperature sensing of the robot arm without signals crosstalking. This new durable TE fabric paves the way for the next generation of smart wearable technology.

An Analysis of Structural Units and Modification of the Idiomatic Expressions on Speech Videos

This research analyzed idiomatic expressions in speech videos on the TEDx Talks YouTube channel. This study used descriptive linguistics to collect qualitative data and used analytical techniques. The data were taken from nine speech videos from TEDx Talks YouTube channel, after collected the idiomatic expressions, the data were categorized using two theories: Biber’s (1999) and Ernst’s (1981) theories. This study found 54 kinds of structural units of idiomatic expressions with the most dominant were prepositional phrase idioms with total 21 idioms, followed by selected verb + noun phrase idioms with total 14 idioms, next selected verb + prepositional phrase idioms with total 13 idioms, and lastly noun phrase idioms with total 6 idioms. This study also found 11 idiom modifications, and internal modifications were the most appeared with total 5 idioms, followed by external modifications with total 4 idioms, and lastly conjunction modification with total 2 idioms. The implications of this research can be used in teaching and learning for EFL/ESL.

Expressive sign language system for deaf kids with MPEG-4 approach of virtual human character

Expressive sign language system for deaf kids with MPEG-4 approach of virtual human character

Lateralization of activation within the superior temporal gyrus during speech perception in sleeping infants is associated with subsequent language skills in kindergarten: A passive listening task-fMRI study

Brain asymmetries are hypothesized to reduce functional duplication and thus have evolutionary advantages. The goal of this study was to examine whether early brain lateralization contributes to skill development within the speech-language domain. To achieve this goal, 25 infants (2–13 months old) underwent behavioral language examination and fMRI during sleep while listening to forward and backward speech, and then were assessed on various language skills at 55–69 months old. We observed that infant functional lateralization of the superior temporal gyrus (STG) for forward > backward speech was associated with phonological, vocabulary, and expressive language skills 4 to 5 years later. However, we failed to observe that infant language skills or the anatomical lateralization of STG were related to subsequent language skills. Overall, our findings suggest that infant functional lateralization of STG for speech perception may scaffold subsequent language acquisition, supporting the hypothesis that functional hemisphere asymmetries are advantageous.

A - 46 Relationship between Working Memory and Externalizing Behaviors in Children from a Clinical Population: an Exploration of the Role of Expressive Language

Abstract Objective Externalizing behaviors affect children’s functioning in different domains. Previous studies revealed the impact of working memory, mainly through its role in goal keeping, goal-related search, and response selection. This study explored the role of expressive language in the relationship between working memory and externalizing behaviors in children. Method The data were collected from 50 children at a private practice agency (male: 76%; Age M = 4.16, SD = 1.13). All participants were diagnosed with at least one neurodevelopmental disorder. Their index score on the Externalizing Problems from Behavior Assessment System for Children, 3rd Edition, index score on the Working Memory from Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales, 5th Edition, and expressive language subscale score from Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, 3rd Edition were collected. A mediation analysis was performed. Results The mediation analysis results showed a significant indirect effect (B = −0.081, 95% CI [−0.172, −0.015]) of working memory on externalizing behaviors through expressive language. It suggested that poorer working memory was associated with less expressive language, which then resulted in more externalizing behaviors. The direct effect between working memory and externalizing behavior was statistically significant (B = −0.331, p < 0.001), indicating that expressive language only partially mediated the relationship between working memory and externalizing behaviors. Conclusions The study provided empirical support for the mediating effect of expresive langaguge on the relationship between working memory and externaizing behaviors in children from a clinical population. It informs that the use of evidence-based interventions on expressive langauge skills might potentially help address externalizing behaviors in children.

Parenting stress in infancy was associated with neurodevelopment in 24-month-old children with congenital heart disease.

Having a child with congenital heart disease (CHD) is stressful for parents, but research on the impact this stress can have on child development has been lacking. We investigated the associations between parenting stress when children were infants and neurodevelopmental outcomes in toddlers with CHD. This study was carried out at the Neurocardiac Clinic at the Sainte-Justine University Hospital in Montréal, Canada. Patients born from 2012 to 2019 and followed up to 24 months of age were recruited. Parenting stress levels were measured when the child was 4-6 months and 24 months and the child's neurodevelopment was assessed at 24 months. Multiple linear regressions analyses were carried out. We studied 100 children (56% boys) with CHD. Most of the parenting stress scores were below the clinical threshold. However, they accounted for a significant part of the variance in the children's cognitive (15%-16%), receptive language (14%-15%) and gross motor outcomes (15%-18%). They had no impact on the children's expressive language or fine motor outcomes. Higher parenting stress was associated with poorer neurodevelopmental outcomes in toddlers with CHD. Early screening of parenting stress in CHD clinics is necessary to provide individualised intervention for parents and optimise neurodevelopmental outcomes in children.

“Language of Values” in Domestic Internet Media: Cognitive-and-Discursive Aspect

The article discusses the problem of detecting and interpreting the value components of Russian words in the Internet media discourse, which do not have an explicit language expression. The method of cognitive-and-discursive analysis of corpus data is applied. It is based on the research technique of identifying semantic auras (semantic prosody) of the word studied in its immediate contextual environment in texts. The material under study is comprised of contexts extracted from the newspaper corpus as part of the Russian National Corpus. The relative adjective progressivnyj (progressive, advanced), which does not have any evaluativeness in the lexical-semantic system of the Russian language, in its discursive realization demonstrates an implicit positive or negative evaluation, induced in the context, regularly arises. The author came to the conclusion that positive evaluation associated with the semantic components “promoting progress, advanced” and “imbued with advanced ideas, sentiments” is most often realized. However, in a number of uses, the immediate or further contextual environment contributes to implication and negative evaluation, which is caused by ideas about “excessive” progressiveness, i.e. exceeding the norm, from the speaker’s point of view, and that progress also concerns the negative aspects of social or cultural life.

An effective framework for measuring the novelty of scientific articles through integrated topic modeling and cloud model

Novelty is a critical characteristic of innovative scientific articles, and accurately identifying novelty can facilitate the early detection of scientific breakthroughs. However, existing methods for measuring novelty have two main limitations: (1) Metadata-based approaches, such as citation analysis, are retrospective and do not alleviate the pressures of the peer review process or enable timely tracking of scientific progress; (2) Content-based methods have not adequately addressed the inherent uncertainty between the qualitative concept of novelty and the textual representation of papers. To address these issues, we propose a practical and effective framework for measuring the novelty of scientific articles through integrated topic modeling and cloud model, referred to as MNSA-ITMCM. In this framework, papers are represented as topic combinations, and novelty is reflected in the organic reorganization of these topics. We use the BERTopic model to generate semantically informed topics, and then apply a topic selection algorithm based on maximum marginal relevance to obtain a topic combination that balances similarity and diversity. Furthermore, we leverage the cloud model from fuzzy mathematics to quantify novelty, overcoming the uncertainty inherent in natural language expression and topic modeling to improve the accuracy of novelty measurement. To validate the effectiveness of our framework, we conducted empirical evaluations on papers from the Cell 2021 journal (biomedical domain) and the ICLR 2023 conference (computer science domain). Through correlation analysis and prediction error analysis, our framework demonstrated the ability to identify different types of novel papers and accurately predict their novelty levels. The proposed framework is applicable across diverse scientific disciplines and publication venues, benefiting researchers, librarians, science evaluation agencies, policymakers, and funding organizations by improving the efficiency and comprehensiveness of identifying novelty research.

Acquired motor speech disorders in childhood epilepsy.

To evaluate a group of children with epilepsy and motor speech regression, with the aim of characterizing their speech disorders, electrographic features, and outcomes. Children referred to a tertiary developmental epilepsy clinic with epilepsy and motor speech regression were identified retrospectively. A clinical history was taken, and longitudinal speech and cognitive data were recorded. Speech samples were scored for severity and speech features. Seizure frequency and epileptiform discharges in the interictal electroencephalogram were analysed. Eighteen children (10 female) were evaluated, including seven with Landau-Kleffner syndrome and six with Rasmussen syndrome. Speech regression occurred at a mean age of 5 years (SD = 2 years 6 months), which was concurrent with seizure onset or peak seizure burden in eight children. Speech features included dysarthria (n = 13), phonological errors (n = 7), and dyspraxia (n = 6). Electrographic abnormalities occurred most frequently in the left centrotemporal and right frontal regions. Among children who were followed up, intelligibility of speech was affected in 13 at baseline and seven at follow-up (p = 0.03). Expressive language standardized scores increased from a mean (SD) of 50.0 (11.3) to 91.4 (27.8) in children with Landau-Kleffner syndrome (mean change = 41.4, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.04-82.8, p = 0.0498) and decreased from 75.2 (15.3) to 59.0 (9.8) in children with Rasmussen syndrome (mean change -16.2, 95% CI -9.0 to -23.4, p = 0.002) over the follow-up. Motor speech disorders in epilepsy were severe, multifarious, and often fluctuated with seizure burden. Symptoms typically improved, especially in children with Landau-Kleffner syndrome, but rarely fully resolved.

Telehealth general case parent training for children at risk for autism.

Parent-mediated interventions for infants and young children with an increased likelihood of autism may help ameliorate developmental concerns; however, generalization of parents' teaching strategies to novel child target skills has not been consistently demonstrated. This study expanded our parent training program, Parent Intervention for Children at-Risk for Autism (PICARA), by incorporating telehealth general case training (PICARA-TGCT) to promote generalization of teaching skills. Five parent-child dyads participated. Child target skills were chosen from the categories of imitation, receptive language, and expressive language. A concurrent multiple-baseline-across-participants design was used to evaluate the effect of training across two cohorts of parent-child dyads. Dependent variables included the percentage of correct parent teaching skills and the percentage of child correct responses. Parent teaching skills increased across all participants for both trained and untrained child target skills, as did child skills. This study provides support for PICARA-TGCT as an efficacious and efficient early intervention model.

Beef brands: Strategic resources for the advancement of competitiveness

The objective of this work was to analyze the characteristics of the beef brands available in Brazil through graphic identity from two perspectives: the descriptive evaluation of labels and the analysis of their respective websites. This study investigated 154 brands available for sale in supermarkets and specialized websites. The frequency analysis was based on a specific cut of the material with the aid of MAXQDA12® and SPSS, 20® software. It was found that the nonverbal language used in the products mainly employs features such as: multicolored labels, innovative or intermediate design and symbols used illustratively to approach customers intuitively. Verbal language stands out for its categorization, indication of preparation, animal characterization (age and race), certification and sensorial aspects appear as a trend of the current application. Descriptions of the production system, animal welfare, environmental and social responsibility are poorly associated with beef brands in Brazil. Based on this analysis, analytical frameworks were developed, which can be used as a support tool for managing new brands or elaborating improvements in the pre-existing ones. In addition, it can provide managers and researchers with information that characterizes and describes brands and ultimately complements them with relevant consumer information through the disclosure sites in a clear and accurate way.

Tailoring Semantic Interventions for Older Adults: Task-Focused and Person-Centered Approaches.

In this narrative review, we explore the latest evidence on semantic interventions for older adults, including both prevention and rehabilitation/remediation efforts, discussing them particularly in the context of dementia. Cognitive interventions vary in their level of structure, encompassing standardized (task-focused tasks) and unstandardized tasks (person-centered tasks). These interventions also differ in their target: rehabilitation or prevention. Addressing semantic knowledge/semantic memory/semantics is important, primarily because its efficiency impacts other cognitive domains. Semantic tasks are commonly included in preventive and rehabilitation programs, typically as standardized tasks with pre-defined semantic referents. On the other hand, person-centered approaches introduce personally relevant semantics, allowing patients to share thoughts and experiences with expressive language. Although these approaches offer benefits beyond cognitive improvement, their lack of structure may pose challenges. Our question club (CQ) program blends structured activities with personally relevant semantics, aiming to harness the advantages of both methods. Additionally, in this narrative review, we discuss future challenges and directions in the field of semantic interventions.

The The development and psychometric properties of the Chiang Mai Aphasia Screening Test for stroke

Background: The aphasia screening test detects language and speech impairments, clarifying individuals’ language and speech abilities before administering a standardized aphasia diagnosis test. Objective: This study aimed to develop and validate an aphasia screening test for suspected cerebrovascular accident (CVA) patients with communication difficulties. Materials and methods: The study underwent two phases: developing and assessing psychometric properties. Five experts established content validity across receptive language, expressive language, reading, and writing. The Chiang Mai Aphasia Screening Test (CMAST) was evaluated on 14 CVA patients with and 14 without aphasia. Results: The content validity showed item-objective congruence ranging from 0.80 to 1.00. Sensitivity and specificity were 96.30% and 69%, respectively, with a maximum Youden’s Index at 65.30% and a cut-off point of 43 points. Concurrent validity was high (phi coefficient =0.67), and significant score differences (p<0.001) in construct validity confirmed the tool’s ability to distinguish aphasic from non-aphasic patients. Inter-rater reliability (ICC=0.99) and internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha =0.97, 95% CI 0.95-0.98) were observed. Conclusion: The CMAST, comprising 45 items, exhibits sufficient validity and reliability for screening individuals suspected of aphasia due to CVA.

A Comparative Research of the English Translation of Hurry from the Perspective of Translation Aesthetics

As one of the significant representatives of modern Chinese prose, Zhu Ziqing’s “Hurry” is renowned for its profound reflection and delicate description. This research, from the perspective of translation aesthetics, conducts a comparative analysis of the English translations of Zhu Ziqing’s prose “Hurry” by Zhu Chunshen, Zhang Peiji, and Howard Goldblatt. By comparing the differences among the three translators in terms of language processing, cultural transformation and transmission, as well as reader orientation and acceptance in translation, this research explores the influence of different translation aesthetic concepts on the translated texts. The results indicate that Zhu Chunshen’s translation emphasizes fidelity to the original language style and artistic conception, Zhang Peiji’s translation excels in fluency and naturalness, catering more to the taste of contemporary English readers, while Howard Goldblatt’s translation is more precise and accurate in language expression, also retaining the original emotion and meaning, with a focus on the phonetic beauty and imagery of language. This research provides valuable insights into the application of translation aesthetics and translation practice.

A Studying the Music, Dance, and Performance Styles in Shi Jing-Feng

Background and Aim: Shi jing, the earliest collection of poetry in ancient China, collects 305 poems from the beginning of the Western Zhou Dynasty to the middle of the Chun qiu Period(11th century B.C.E.-6th century B.C.E.), and is divided into three parts, namely, the Feng, the Ya, and the Song. This paper can actively explore the types of dances and performance forms unique to the Shi jing-Feng from the literature, expanding the ideas for the theoretical study of ancient music and dance, which is of great social significance and artistic value. Materials and Methods: This paper uses the documentary research method to discover textual records on the types of music dance and performance forms of the fifteen vassal states. A case study method is used to select representative chapters from the five types of music and dance for specific analyses. The main informants of this paper are divided into three groups: experts on the Shi jing, researchers from museums and cultural centers, and performers of ancient music and dance. The validity of the collected data was tested using mathematical statistics. Results: A study of the Shi jing - Feng concept, its composition and contents, and the characteristics of its language and methods of expression. From 160 poems, 17 poems with music and dance records are selected and analyzed in terms of the types of music and dance as well as the forms of performance. Conclusion: Based on the results of the study, the concept of "Shi jing-Feng", the three accounts of the process of its formation, and its specific characteristics are clarified. Five types of music and dance are derived from the text, namely, the witch dance, the ten thousand dance, the shooting and hunting dance, the collective song and dance, and the banquet and drinking music and dance, and it is summarized that the Chinese pre-Qin music and dance adopt the integrated performance form of poetry, music, and dance in a trinity.

ChatMol: interactive molecular discovery with natural language.

Natural language is poised to become a key medium for human-machine interactions in the era of large language models. In the field of biochemistry, tasks such as property prediction and molecule mining are critically important yet technically challenging. Bridging molecular expressions in natural language and chemical language can significantly enhance the interpretability and ease of these tasks. Moreover, it can integrate chemical knowledge from various sources, leading to a deeper understanding of molecules. Recognizing these advantages, we introduce the concept of conversational molecular design, a novel task that utilizes natural language to describe and edit target molecules. To better accomplish this task, we develop ChatMol, a knowledgeable and versatile generative pretrained model. This model is enhanced by incorporating experimental property information, molecular spatial knowledge, and the associations between natural and chemical languages. Several typical solutions including large language models (e.g. ChatGPT) are evaluated, proving the challenge of conversational molecular design and the effectiveness of our knowledge enhancement approach. Case observations and analysis offer insights and directions for further exploration of natural-language interaction in molecular discovery. Codes and data are provided in https://github.com/Ellenzzn/ChatMol/tree/main.

Contrasting Realities: Italian Advertisements and Non-Sexist Linguistic and Social Norms

This research aims to scrutinise whether sexism is confined solely to the Italian advertising domain or extends into the language employed by the general populace and the broader cultural fabric of society. In Italy, despite numerous efforts made over the past decades to eradicate sexism in advertising campaigns, marketers frequently resort to its various manifestations, deeming it a powerful tool for attracting potential consumers. The prevalent utilisation of the female image in a sexist manner, portraying women as objects of desire, remains commonplace. Surprisingly, even renowned influencers aligned with the radical feminist movement often incorporate such tactics in their social media content. Sexism manifests through two principal avenues: firstly, the erotic portrayal of women’s bodies and/or their sensual behaviours, frequently coupled with language expressions encompassing with dual meanings; secondly, the perpetuation and reinforcement of stereotypical gender roles. While the latter has largely diminished in the contemporary era, the former persists prominently. This case study research employs a qualitative analysis approach. Various data sources, including legal documents, historical records, and contemporary media, are critically analysed. The findings suggest that, despite the societal and linguistic rejection of sexism in contemporary Italy, where gender equality prevails across social, economic, and legal realms, the advertising industry continues to rely on such practices heavily.

Teaching Idiomatic Expressions Through Storytelling Based on Narrative Thinking

The purpose of this paper is to observe how efficiently idiomatic expressions are taught through storytelling based on narrative thinking. Storytelling is an enjoyable technique, and it is believed that students can learn cultural and historical knowledge from idiomatic expressions. Therefore, the combination of storytelling and idiomatic expressions can be an effective method for teaching sporadic EFL learners who struggle with consistent English study. Five working adult learners were selected as participants and provided with idiomatic expressions from YouTube Shorts. After 12 weeks, they took four tests: vocabulary, idiomatic expression translation, idiomatic expression memorization, and grammar. Additionally, participants’ responses were collected through a survey. Results showed that all participants performed excellently on the vocabulary test. The translation of idiomatic expressions was successful, with four participants achieving perfect scores and one missing only one item. In the idiomatic expression memorization test, all participants demonstrated good results. In the grammar test, they showed notable proficiency. In response to open-ended questions, all participants agreed that learning English with idiomatic expressions through storytelling was enjoyable. Based on these results, this study suggests that learning idiomatic expressions can enhance the interest and engagement of sporadic learners.