Plural Research Articles

Translanguaging on Social Media by Educated Arabs

Translanguaging is the ability to move smoothly between the languages that a person knows. A sample of Facebook posts written by a sample of educated Arabs was collected. All the participants are native speakers of Arabic and have a good command of English or French as English/French was the medium of instruction in their major area of specialization such as medicine, computer, and engineering. The study aims to find out whether educated Arabs are capable of communicating equally well in both English/French (L2) and Arabic (L1) especially that Arabic is diaglossic having a standard form used in school textbooks, print material and formal situations and a colloquial form used in daily communication with family and friends. Data analysis showed that most educated Arabs are incapable of translanguaging. They communicate better and are more proficient in English/French than Arabic. Their weaknesses are manifested in their use of slang and Colloquial Arabic rather than Standard Arabic. Many completely ignore Standard Arabic spelling and grammar rules. They spell words the way they pronounce them in their local dialect. Many make agreement, definite article attachment, plural formation, and derivation errors. They code mix, i.e., transliterate English/French words and insert them in Arabic posts (cases الكيسز, schemes اسكيمز, share شير). They do not seem to know the Arabic equivalents of simple general and specialized English/French words (center سنتر, neuro نيورو, maps المابس). They even substitute simple Arabic words with English ones (shoes, fans, café, like, comment). It seems that educated Arabs are unable to think in L1 and L2 simultaneously. Their knowledge of English/French surpasses that of Arabic. They transfer the foreign pronunciation and structures to Arabic. Recommendations for reinforcing the native language and enhancing translanguaging skills are given.

Taylorism, trade unions and participatory management

Purpose This study aims to demonstrate that in the latter years of his life, Frederick Winslow Taylor embraced union participation in management decision-making and that interwar US Taylor Society members and organized labor extended his support for this endeavor. Design/methodology/approach This study engages with primary materials not previously present in the management history literature and secondary works generated by researchers in disciplines commonly ignored by management scholars. Findings This study contests the claim that the scientific managers reached out to unions only after Taylor’s death and demonstrates Taylor welcomed union participation in the management of enterprises, held it was necessary to “show” and not merely “tell” unions that scientific management could be “good” for them, that his inner circle and organized labor jointly promoted these propositions within F.D. Roosevelt’s New Deal administration, and that the US union movement was eventually compelled to settle for a form of industrial relations pluralism that limited their participation to bargaining over the conditions of employment and consequently doomed them to a disastrous future. Practical implications This study might support trade unionists develop strategies that may dampen employer hostility and thus revitalize the labor movement and assist management studies rediscover insights that once enabled the discipline to evolve beyond the enterprise. The latter is necessary for this study to live in an age when an increasing number of liberal market economies are characterized by austerity and retrenchment. Originality/value This study provides new evidence that demonstrates that Frederick Taylor embraced union participation in enterprise management and also that Taylor Society members actually made a significant contribution to Roosevelt’s New Deal labor policies.

The Semantic-Functional Variety of the Lithuanian Mental Verbs manyti ‘Think’ and suprasti ‘Understand’

The article explores the syntactic and semantic-functional variation of two Lithuanian mental verbs manyti ‘think’ and suprasti ‘understand’ in contemporary Lithuanian by showing how these verbs have been affected by the semantic changes of (inter)subjectification and pragmaticalisation. The aim is to identify which forms of the verbs, specifically 1st, 2nd person singular and plural verb forms, imperative forms or non-agreeing participles, display the traces of these semantic changes. The data were drawn from the Corpus of Contemporary Lithuanian Language and the database of spoken Lithuanian Kalba Vilnius. The qualificational meaning of the mental verbs under analysis correlates with their complement taking predicate (CTP) usage and shows that CTPs controlling a kad / jog ‘that’ complement clause are undergoing the semantic change of (inter)subjectification. The qualificational meaning of these verbs no longer marks the process of thinking and understanding, as found in their non-qualificational meaning, but rather denotes the evaluation of the proposition in terms of the sources of knowledge or likelihood (epistemicity). The further development of manyti ‘think’ and suprasti ‘understand’ in the process of (inter)subjectification is marked by their qualificational meaning that correlates with their parenthetical CTP use. This development results in the pragmaticalisation of mental verbs, which is evidenced by their adverbial distribution, structural changes and pragmatic meanings. Although the verbs manyti ‘think’ and suprasti ‘understand’ in their qualificational meaning are more prevalent in spoken discourse, the prevalence of their non-qualificational meaning in written discourse confirms that these mental verbs are still in the ongoing process of structural and semantic-functional change.

Analyzing Grammatical Errors to Improve English Writing Among Thai High School Students’ Interlanguage and Vocabulary Use

This study examines the grammatical errors and vocabulary types in the writings of Thai high school EFL students. Employing Dulay et al.’s (1982) surface strategy taxonomy, errors were categorized into omission, misformation, addition, and misordering to identify predominant error patterns. Additionally, the study assessed the vocabulary range via the General Service List and the Academic Word List. Findings indicated a significant reliance on high-frequency words and less frequent use of AWL vocabulary, stressing gaps in readiness for academic study. The study highlights the diagnostic value of error analysis in revealing insights into learners’ interlanguage development, reflecting their evolving understanding and hypothesis testing about the target language influenced by their first language. Grammatical errors, such as incorrect use of singular and plural forms, articles, and tense inconsistencies, were common, suggesting learners face structural and syntactic challenges. Omission errors emerged as the most prevalent, followed by misformation, addition, and misordering, indicating areas needing focused grammatical instruction. Vocabulary analysis revealed an 82.30% overlap of the first 1,000 GSL words in students’ texts, contrasting with the minimal use of AWL words, essential for academic success. The findings advocate for enhanced instructional strategies integrating GSL and AWL vocabularies and emphasizing systematic grammatical error correction to improve language proficiency and academic readiness. Future research should include more diverse learner populations and a broader range of error types to provide insights into language acquisition challenges and solutions. This study contributes to refining teaching methodologies and curriculum development to better prepare students for future academic challenges.

Plurality and identity: on the educational relations between chemistry and physics

We present an approach to the question of the educational relations between chemistry and physics based on the one hand, on an inferentialist account of scientific representation (Suárez M., (2024), Inference and Representation. A Study in Modelling Science, Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press). On the other, we have drawn on the notion of science identities, as is currently used in science education. We argue that the representational practices of chemistry are the key competencies for the development of a chemistry identity. We extrapolate this conclusion to physics. The problem of representational plurality, that is, that some objects can be represented divergently in these sciences is thus linked to that of identity plurality, to the question of whether it is possible for a person to simultaneously hold a chemistry and a physics identity. We study the educational implications of this situation within the framework of Lev Vygotsky's sociocultural pedagogy to conclude that the difficulties inherent to representational plurality in chemistry and physics are sociological: university degrees are built around a single, well-defined, identity, thus tending to exclude any form of plurality that compromises this uniformity. As an application of these conclusions, we have studied the question of the introduction of the quantum description of molecules in chemistry education at an undergraduate level. We conclude that this introduction should not be based on the molecular orbitals approach but, instead, on the valence bond method.

Micro-field of Verbal Plurality in Latin

The presented research deals with one of the components of the functional-semantic field of aspectuality namely the microfield of verbal plurality. Despite the fact that verbal plurality is the subject of numerous studies, it has not been analyzed on the material of the Latin language, which determines the relevance of the study. Within the framework of the aforementioned microfield, the analysis made it possible to single out the semantic zones of iterativity, multiplicativity, and distributivity. The presence of a certain number of similar acts separated by a time interval, the identity of actants and situations are characteristic features of iterativity with its subspecies refactivity, rarity and exaggerativity. Refactivity indicates a single repetition of a situation, realized at the word-forming level with the help of the prefix re- or the single use of the adverbs like rursum, iterum. Rarity and exaggerativity are scalar values, denoting situations whose frequency is lower or higher than expected. Multiplicativity implies the repetition of the same type of situation with the same set of actants in one time interval without intervals between its “quanta”, as a result of which the situation is presented as continuous within the time interval. A type of multiplicativity is habituality to expres habitual situations, which are considered as a characteristic feature of the subject. Usitativity is distinguished as a subtype of habituality to characterize habitual situations existing under certain conditions. Distributivity involves the performance of an action by one of a set of actants and, depending on the sphere of distribution of the situation. Its subspecies are subjective, objective, locative, subversive and cislocative distributivity. The existence of certain semantic differences between iterativity, multiplicativity, and distributivity gives reason to consider them as subfields united within the microfield of verbal plurality by the sign of quantification. All of them are characterized by an identical set of markers, with lexical ones dominating. An extremely important role in the formation of verba plurality belongs to the context, which is decisive in the absence of formal means of expression.

Leksiniai veiksmažodžiai lietuvių sakytiniame akademiniame diskurse: dėstytojų pozicijos švelninimas humanitarinių ir socialinių mokslų seminaruose

This study investigates the use of lexical verbs as hedging devices in Lithuanian academic discourse, based on data from the VuSemCorp corpus, which comprises seminar texts from the humanities (philosophy, literature, linguistics) and social sciences (sociology, political science, communication studies). The analysis focuses on the frequency, semantic categories, and pragmatic functions of lexical verbs in lecturers’ speech. Findings reveal that lecturers strategically employ lexical verbs to acknowledge alternative interpretations, soften criticism and directives, and demonstrate politeness. Hedging their utterances enables lecturers to adopt the role of guides or facilitators rather than authoritarian figures, thereby cultivating an open, interactive, and collaborative learning environment. An interdisciplinary perspective highlights that the use of lexical verbs for hedging varies by discipline. Sociology, linguistics, and philosophy demonstrated the highest frequency and diversity of hedging verbs. Lecturers in these fields showed a pronounced tendency to soften statements using first-person singular and plural forms, marking their subjective opinions and sharing interpretative responsibility with students. This linguistic strategy reflects a stronger emphasis on engaging students in co-constructing knowledge specific to these disciplines. Additionally, this article emphasizes the roles of (inter)subjectivity, politeness, and speaker commitment in the relatively understudied domain of Lithuanian spoken academic discourse. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how hedging shapes communication dynamics in academic settings.

The cheese, the worm, and the law: Grassroots legal cosmopolitanism in the Manchurian borderland, 1906–1927

Abstract This article tells the story of 36 Chinese peasants and their audacious campaign to defend their private rights on two tiny islands in Manchuria from the Japanese empire and a Chinese warlord regime. A borderland in Northeast Asia, Manchuria was a site of intense inter-imperial rivalry in the first half of the twentieth century. Using newly discovered local Chinese archival documents as well as sources produced by Japanese, Korean, and American actors, I discuss how the peasants leveraged their knowledge of multiple property regimes in the borderland to delay and deflect the demands of two states. This microhistory of a transnational dispute illustrates the workings of a form of convergent legal pluralism in the Northeast Asian borderland. While historians agree that state capacity grew substantially in the East Asian borderlands in the early twentieth century, the case shows how that growth also complicated the nature of the state and created new possibilities of bottom-up socio-legal action. It exemplifies the kind of legal cosmopolitanism grassroots actors practised in a world of justice dominated by not-so-cosmopolitan nation-states.

A Problem of Perspective: Religions in Africa or African Traditional Religion

This study critiques study of African religions as a singular phenomenon under the umbrella term "African Traditional Religion" and rejects this reductionist approach, suggesting that a more detailed approach that recognises the diversity and plurality of religions on the African continent would allow for more insightful results in the study of religion in Africa. Along with Islam and Christianity, many religions indigenous to African peoples are still practised in Africa. Information about African religions was first provided in the works written mostly by Westerners. The works written by Christian missionaries, anthropologists, soldiers and researchers on religious life in Africa, both before and after the colonial period, have been the trendsetters of the "religion in Africa" literature. In such studies, Africa was analysed as a totality and the term " African Traditional Religion" was created. Besides, these studies were mostly biased, they often looked at religious phenomena from the perspective of Christianity and tried to Christianise them, and even more importantly, they made generalisations and presented all religions as a single religion. Later works by Africans were mostly written by Africans who converted to Christianity. This has led to the continuation of the reductionist and generalising approach in the relevant literature. Studies conducted from this perspective have typically situated African religions within frameworks that emphasize concepts such as the Supreme Being, spirits, ancestor veneration, magic, and sorcery. By highlighting these shared phenomena and oral traditions, this reductionist and orientalist perspective has contributed to the perception of African religions as a singular, cohesive entity. Even today, this effect can be seen in many works. Just as it is an erroneous approach to consider the peoples of Africa as a single race or nation, it is equally problematic to consider the religions of Africa as a single religion. This approach, which places the understanding that there is a single religion in the whole continent based on some similarities observed among the religions in Africa, has prevented the understanding of religious diversity in Africa and African religions. Although it may seem like a practical and problem-free approach, it is obvious that this perspective hinders the understanding of African religions and hence the understanding of Africa. The articles and books analysed in the context of this study have been instrumental in identifying a number of problems associated with this perspective. Many researchers have used the singular term 'Traditional African Religion' and failed to acknowledge the differences between religions. Others have used the term “African Traditional Religion” in the singular, but have stated that religions in Africa should be considered in the plural. Some other researchers have sometimes used a singular and sometimes a plural expression and stated that these can change according to the context, and that both expressions are correct. A small number of researchers also acknowledged that the appropriate term is “religions in Africa” or “African Traditional Religions” in the plural form, in accordance with the points raised in this study. Therefore, this study argues that the individual characteristics of African religions should not be generalised and represented as a single phenomenon, but that a more accurate understanding of these still living religions, with particular emphasis on their differences, will contribute to the understanding of Africa.

From formalism to intuition: probing the role of the trochee in German nominal plural forms in L1 and L2 German speakers

From formalism to intuition: probing the role of the trochee in German nominal plural forms in L1 and L2 German speakers

Present Indicative in Late Medieval Warwickshire: A Case Study of National Library of Wales, Brogyntyn ii.1 in Comparison with other Sources

Abstract National Library of Wales Brogyntyn ii.1 is a fifteenth-century miscellany including texts in Middle English, which is localisable in the Warwickshire area. The manuscript was copied by around ten scribes who produced a wide range of endings for the third person singular and plural forms of the present indicative. This paper seeks to systematise and analyse these forms with the aim of identifying the reasons for the different usages of verbal endings of the English written in Warwickshire at the end of the Middle English period. Apart from the two main types (‘‑th’ type and ‘‑s’ type) which have been widely investigated for different periods of the history of English, the data include two more types, one of which contains minority forms that have frequently been ignored in most works on the verb endings. Each scribe’s production is tackled from different angles, including the phonological and the syntactic and prosodic environments of the occurrences. In addition to the information extracted from the Brogyntyn manuscript, data from different sources in text corpora (LALME, LAEME, MEG‑C and MELD) have been collected for comparison with the results obtained in the main analysis. The main findings of this research indicate that the variety of forms used in Warwickshire literary manuscripts in the fifteenth century are not linked to any sort of linguistic constraints but to the linguistic past of that area and are most likely connected to textual transmission. The non-literary sources contemporary with the Brogyntyn manuscript share only some of these less common endings, implying a smoothing out of variation in the possible inflections during the fifteenth century.

„წმიდანი იგი წიგნნი მოწამეთანი“ თუ „წმიდანი იგი ნაწილნი მოწამეთანი“ „შუშანიკის წამების“ ერთი იკითხვისის დაზუსტებისათვის

At the beginning of „Tortures of Shushanik“ the word „mar­tyrium“ is mentioned which meant a Christian church or a cons­truc­­tion erected on the graves of saints in old Georgian. When Varsken changed his religion, Shushanik told him: „Your father erected martyrium and built churches…“ Abuladze, 2020, 15). Besides that, martyrium also meant reliquaries, such as boxes, crosses, icons, necklaces, and sometimes even books, which con­tained special nests for keeping martyrs pieces. Is it possible that in the text the author meant reliquaries? The author writes about Shushanik when she was forced to leave the church for the castle: „And she went and took Gospel and Holy Book of Martyrs“ (356v). This is the oldest version of the manuscript. But according to all the rest, or ten manuscripts (with very few stylistic or orthographic changes), Shushanik took pieces of saints: „And she went and took Gospel and relics of martyrs“ (A130, 172). Shushanik really could have had the Gospel (and Psalms as well), because the existence of translations of biblical books in the 5-th-6-th centuries is confirmed in Georgian reality in the forms of palimpsests: frag­ments from the Sabatsminda four chapters (A999, V century), from the prophets of Isaiah (A 884, the 5-th century), frag­ments of Jeremiah from Cairo Geniza (VI-VII centuries), frag­ments of the Gospel(A 89, A 844, VI-VII centuries), etc. But what is meant by the phrase: „Holy is the book of martyrs?“ According to the phrase, the queen brings several books with the Gospel, books describing the merits of the martyrs. There is also a point of view that this may be a collection of hagiographic readings. We think, that neither of these points is true. Why should the queen take some books to the evening prayer? We can’t even think of a collec­tion as „the books“ is in the plural form in this phrase. We think here we have to deal with the wrong opening of the valve. In the translated version of the phrase „Tsni igi ntslni/ntsni mostametani it is easy to have lost letters. Thus, the version of Parkhli manuscript that Shushanik took the books describing the deeds of martyrs from the church to the palace should not be correct. Is it possible that Shushanic had reliquaries with her, i.e. „the holy one is part of martyrs?“ The traditions developed in the artistic centers in the Chris­tian Eastern countries were reflected in the Toreutics of the pre-Christian Era. It is known that works of applied art from the men­tioned centers as well as from Rome and Byzantium: pendant icons, medallions, crosses, pyxes, censers, and reliquaries were wi­dely im­ported to us. Such reliquaries were very common in ancient Geor­gia. Probably, Shushanik should have had this kind of part with her. Thus, although it is documentarily proved that in the 5-th century in Georgia there already was a liton of translated (and we think original) mar­ty­rological writings, Kymenian readings, but „The Tortures of Shushanik“ cannot be used as an argument for this. It is more logical to think that Shushanik takes the reliquary from the church to the palace, a reliquary in which the relics of the holy martyrs are kept, especially, since this version is also supported by the ten manuscripts that have survived to this day and not „holy are the books of Martyrs“, that is the version offered by many chapters of Parkhli.

Special pronominal forms in Saaroa

Abstract Saaroa has a special set of pronominal forms not found in most other Formosan languages, as first noted by Pan (2018). This study departs from his claims that these forms only function as plurals. In fact, extensive Saaroa texts collected by different linguists (Li 2023) at different periods of time indicate that they can be either singular or plural. The functions of both the special free and bound forms will be clarified. Above all, they are contrastive. The origin of the special forms in Saaroa is suggested as a diffusion from Kanakanavu, which has similar forms with similar functions recorded earlier and is geographically adjacent. That the first person plural forms may function as singular is found not only in a few other Formosan languages, but also in unrelated languages. This study has thus cross-linguistic evidence and implications for languages in general.

Singularity and Plurality in Standard Arabic: A Semantic Message for Translators of ri:ħ (Wind) and riya:ħ (Winds)

This paper argues that the relationship between the singular and plural forms of a noun in Arabic is not merely grammatical. It specifically shows that the relationship does not only entail that a plural noun refers to more than two persons or things and that each form may hold a certain semantic significance, depending on the context. In order to prove this assumption, the paper reports the results of a study which draws on data collected from Standard Arabic: Common expressions, proverbs, poetry, prophetic traditions, and the Holy Quran (HQ), concerning the singular noun ريح ri:ħ (wind) and its plural رياح riya:ħ (winds). A mixed-method approach that relies on semantic analysis is adopted. In particular, wherever any of these two words is spotted, it is analyzed semantically, and the meaning/description of the word is traced. The analysis showed that there are two main semantic differences between the singular ‘wind’ and the plural ‘winds’ in Arabic. While the former refers to force, destruction, and pain; the latter refers to good things or tidings. In addition, the singular refers to a fixed indivisible entity that exists in one place as it is created for one purpose only. The plural, on the other hand, is distributable and may exist in different places, blow from different directions, and perform different purposes. Translators, therefore, need to take this distinction in mind when these two entries are involved in translation from Arabic to English or any other language. In particular, they need to add supporting adjectives to deliver the embedded message.

Models and monism

In this paper, I critically examine the monist interpretation of the logic-as-model view that Erik Stei puts forth in Logical Pluralism and Logical Consequence. I will argue that, in addition to the three dimensions presented in the book, there is a fourth dimension on which pluralism in logic could arise, namely epistemological pluralism. An example of such a form of pluralism is model pluralism, being the idea that we need multiple models to fully account for the subject matter of logic. Such a form of pluralism is well-recognized and widely acknowledged in (model-based) science. I argue that if we endorse the logic-as-model view, then we should also recognize such a form of model pluralism in logic. While model pluralism is consistent with metaphysical monism — the idea that there is ultimately only one extra-systemic logical consequence relation — it does put pressure on the idea that there is one uniquely best model that fully captures that phenomenon.

Religious pluralism of Muslim practices in China: the cases of ritual participation from Hui and Uyghur societies

Abstract In this article we explore the practical conditions of ritual practices of Hui and Uyghur Muslims in China. Ceaseless conflicts among different religious ideas and elements exist, but they are integrated into religious pluralism, which meets the needs of Muslims' daily practices. Furthermore, we probe the reasons for the resulting religious harmony through investigating the historical process of the formation of religious pluralism, and showing present ritual performances in which there is a hierarchically built ritual structure functioning to make religious integration possible, though different opinions regarding diverse religious elements occur elsewhere among Hui and Uyghur Muslims. Finally, the discussion supports the related assertion that rituals can be reliable and effective ways of understanding the sociological and psychological functions of religions, or religious beliefs, and other related socio-cultural realities.

Diminutivization and expressive lateralization in Tiania

AbstractIn this paper we provide a descriptive account of the interacting morphological, phonological, and lexical factors determining how diminutives are marked in Tiania [etianíá], an understudied variant of the Central Kenya Bantu language Kimeru. As in other languages, diminutivization in Tiania can indicate a decrease in size or quantity or express positive endearment or negative scorn, depending on the noun and the context. We will show that diminutivization is effected by transferring nouns into singular noun class 12 and plural class 13, as in other Bantu languages, but with two interesting variations: First, depending on the lexical class of the input noun, the diminutive prefixes will either replace or precede the noun’s prefix. In the latter case, the diminutive plural prefix may be added to either the singular or plural form of the base noun, again depending on the latter’s noun class. The second interesting variation is that the majority of nouns which have an /r/ in their stem or prefix replace such /r/’s by [l], something we refer to as “expressive lateralization”, e.g. e-rinyá ‘pit, cave (class 5)’ → ka-linyá ‘a small pit (class 12)’, ri-étwa˚ ‘name (class 5)’ → ka-li-étwa˚ ‘a sweet name’. To study the first variation, we systematically survey the diminutivization of nouns from all noun classes, singular and plural. To study the second variation, we track every one of 330 nouns with /r/ with respect to lateralization. In attempting to explain why such lateralization should occur, we consider augmentative and depreciative noun to noun derivations which also undergo /r/ → [l] as well as other derived word classes, e.g. adjectives, which sometimes undergo expressive lateralization, depending on whether they are denominal or deverbal (verbs never show such effects). Being that this is the only reported case we know of expressive lateralization, Tiania is both of typological interest as well as a mystery within Bantu and beyond.

Academic literacies as a theoretical underpinning for Learning Development support

Research into academic literacy or literacies, however the term is defined, and how the field relates to disciplinary practice, has been debated in recent decades (Lillis and Scott, 2007; Lillis, 2019). Consideration of academic literacies is also a key component of the Learning Development community as the profession has evolved and developed its own identity. Is the term defined as ‘literacy’ or ‘literacies’? Is it a core component of Learning Development practice, or is it more tied to disciplinary and curriculum-based delivery? By understanding the literature around the definition and the development and application of academic literacies, can we consider how this relates to current perceptions and understanding of the field in a Learning Development context and what impact it may have on student learning? This workshop provided participants with the opportunity to hear about current research being undertaken by the ALDinHE research virtual Community of Practice (vCoP) to investigate our current understanding of academic literacies, how they are (or it is, if considered a singular literacy) perceived across the Learning Development community, and how we might measure its impact on our practice and student learning. For simplicity within this paper, academic literacies will be referred to as a plural form. Due to the historical creation of Learning Development teams in response to sector changes in higher education, this workshop provided participants with the opportunity to hear about the current research on academic literacies. Participants were also able to discuss their own experiential views to develop a shared understanding of how we may apply this understanding to practice, and what the impact on our work may be. The workshop aimed to help define our understanding of academic literacies—both in terms of the literature and in practice—and take away ideas and examples of practice that we can apply in our own work.

Analyzing Morphological Errors and Contextual Influence in Senior High School Students' Written Works: A Qualitative Study

Morphological skills are essential for developing linguistic competence, as they underpin various aspects of language acquisition, including reading comprehension and effective writing. This study examined morphological errors in the written works of 25 Grade 11 students in the Oral Communication course at Northern Abra National High School, exploring how these errors reflected their understanding of word formation rules and the influence of contextual factors like educational background and language exposure. Using a document analysis design, the research involved evaluating students’ assignments and essays to identify error types and frequencies. A systematic coding process categorized errors through qualitative content analysis, revealing themes related to inflectional, derivational, and compounding errors. The study identified common morphological errors in the written works of 25 Grade 11 students enrolled in the Oral Communication course. Inflectional errors were the most prevalent, comprising 40% of the total, with students frequently misusing verb conjugations and plural forms, indicating a fundamental misunderstanding of grammatical rules. Derivational errors accounted for 30%, highlighting confusion around suffix and prefix application. Compounding errors, at 20%, involved incorrect separation and formation of compound words, leading to clarity issues in writing. Affixation errors made up 10%, reflecting overgeneralization and misuse of affixes. Also, students from well-resourced families made 12% fewer morphological errors than those from under-resourced families, with dedicated language programs leading to a 20% reduction. Teacher expertise contributed to a 15% decrease in errors. Students exposed to multiple languages had 30% fewer errors, with those speaking three or more languages showing a 40% reduction, highlighting the benefits of multilingualism on language skills. Moreover, students with both quality education and extensive language exposure made 35% fewer errors than those lacking either factor. These findings emphasize the need for educational equity and multilingualism to enhance morphological skills. A combined approach integrating quality instruction with diverse language experiences is recommended to improve writing proficiency. Generally, the educational background and language exposure significantly impact Grade 11 students' morphological accuracy. Students from well-resourced schools made fewer errors, especially with effective language instruction, while multilingual students demonstrated enhanced writing proficiency. The synergy between quality education and diverse linguistic exposure is essential for improving students' linguistic skills. To address morphological challenges, educational policies should focus on integrating robust language programs and promoting multilingualism, fostering better writing outcomes for all students.

“Prophets” and their Wrongful Killing: Homily or Hymn? Hearing a Qur’ānic Term and Refrain in the Light of Syriac Tradition

The Qur’ān names a number of individuals who are also known from the Bible. These biblio-qur’ānic figures include the heroic and malevolent, human and otherwise. Among these figures are a number of individuals whom Islamic tradition would consider as prophets. Their qur’ānic mentions range from detailed narratives to brief allusions. “Prophet” is rendered by the Arabic word nabiyy. The Qur’ān employs two plural forms of this term: the broken Arabic plural (anbiyā’) and the common Semitic plural (nabiyyūn/nabbiyyīn). In contrast to general Arabic usage, in the Qur’ān, it is the sound – and common Semitic – plural form of the word that is most employed, with nabiyyūn/nabiyyīn appearing 3x more frequently than anbiyā’. And, in four of its five occurrences, anbiyā’ occurs in a refrain of “killing the prophets without right”. This paper examines the Qur’ān’s employment of anbiyā’ vs. nabiyyūn against a presumed background of Syriac Christian polemics.