Regional Languages Research Articles

Commentary on: MNREAD acuity charts in regional languages.

Commentary on: MNREAD acuity charts in regional languages.

A Brief Review: C. Rotundus of Phytochemical and Pharmacological Study

This article's goal is to investigate and confirm the therapeutic benefits and safety margins of traditional medicines use by the tribal community to treat a range of illnesses as detailed in our nation's ancient literature. For thousands of years, herbs have significantly improved the quality of human life. The old and most popular of medicine in the world today is herbal medicine. Flavors, cosmetics, colors, and medications. Natural-source drugs are pharmacologically effective and have little side effects, making them ideal for preventative medicine. Cyprus rotundus L. Is also known as moth or in regional languages. It is available across the country. Natural-source drugs are pharmacologically effective and have little side effects, making them ideal for preventative medicine. Cyprus rotundus L. Is also known as moth or in regional languages. It is available across the country.

Measuring Vaccine Literacy in Switzerland: How is the situation after COVID-19?

Abstract Background Vaccinations are one of the most effective medical health interventions and one of the most important preventive measures. However, the population is often unsure about vaccination, and the roles and responsibilities of the key actors seem often unclear. To adequately protect the population against vaccine-preventable diseases, the Swiss Confederation, the Cantons and other stakeholders have developed the National Vaccination Strategy and an associated action plan. For its implementation, studies on the population’s knowledge, attitudes, skills, and vaccination behavior are crucial. Thus, the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health launched a study to assess vaccine literacy and its relation to vaccination readiness and behavior in the adult population in Switzerland. Methods A representative sample of 2,500 people living in Switzerland will be surveyed in summer 2024. The online questionnaire will include validated instruments, e.g. the HLS19-VAC Instrument to measure vaccine literacy or the 7C Vaccination Readiness Scale, as well as questions on correlates of vaccine literacy, vaccination readiness and behavior. Results The results of the survey will be presented, with a focus on vaccine literacy, vaccination readiness and behavior and their correlates. Specifically, differences among the three main language regions and between specific population groups will be shown. Further, a comparison with data from previous studies will be presented. Conclusions Despite having an advanced healthcare system, to date Switzerland has only partially reached its objectives in terms of vaccination, both for individual protection and collective immunity. New data on vaccine literacy, vaccination readiness and behavior as well as on the influencing factors are needed, especially after the pandemic, to guide effective future actions and measures to improve the vaccine coverage and public health in Switzerland. Key messages • Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the topic of vaccination in general has received increasing attention and may has changed people’s knowledge and attitudes towards vaccination. • Newest data on vaccine literacy, vaccination readiness and behavior are necessary to inform future, targeted actions and increase vaccine uptake.

Development of E-Learning Modules to Improve Knowledge and Skills of The Taliabu Regional Language of High School Students

This study aims to produce e-modules for the Taliabu regional language that are valid, practical, and effectively improve high school students’ knowledge and language skills. This study used research and development methods with the Borg & Gall model. This research was conducted at SMAN 3 Taliabu Island with a total of 71 subjects. Data collection techniques used interviews and tests. The data analysis technique used a paired sample t-test by carrying out analysis requirements in the form of the Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality test and homogeneity test. The expert test results showed that the Taliabu regional language e-Module was very feasible and practical for use by students and meets the criteria. The results of the Taliabu regional language e-module trial explained that there were differences in the level of knowledge and skills of students before and after using the e-module, this was proven by the results of the paired sample t-test which obtained a significance value (2-tailed) of 0.000 (p <0.05).

The Amazigh language in Melilla (Spain): an approach to its uses and meanings

ABSTRACT The Amazigh language in the city of Melilla (Spain) is recognised as a regional and minority language, but it is not recognised as a co-official language, nor does it have the status of an official language. The unequal relationship between the official language, Spanish, and the Amazigh language has not only linguistic but also social implications, which have been little studied in this particular territory. Against this backdrop, we propose to investigate the situation of the Amazigh language in this context. For this purpose, an exploratory sociolinguistic study has been carried out, which approaches the uses, attitudes and opinions of the Melilla population – speakers and non-speakers – of the language in relation to the role it plays in the life of the city, its contribution to individual and collective cultural identity, as well as the role of political decisions on these dynamics. To this end, a mixed methodology was applied, including a questionnaire, as a pilot application, focus groups and semi-structured group and individual interviews. Among the conclusions, it is clear that there is a differential valuation of languages, which leads to inequalities. In response, the study recommends strong institutional support.

Individual variation in the functional lateralization of human ventral temporal cortex: Local competition and long-range coupling.

The ventral temporal cortex (VTC) of the human cerebrum is critically engaged in computations related to high-level vision. One intriguing aspect of this region is its asymmetric organization and functional lateralization. Notably, in the VTC, neural responses to words are stronger in the left hemisphere, whereas neural responses to faces are stronger in the right hemisphere. Converging evidence has suggested that left-lateralized word responses emerge to couple efficiently with left-lateralized frontotemporal language regions, but evidence is more mixed regarding the sources of the right-lateralization for face perception. Here, we use individual differences as a tool to adjudicate between three theories of VTC organization arising from: 1) local competition between words and faces, 2) local competition between faces and other categories, 3) long-range coupling with VTC and frontotemporal areas subject to their own local competition. First, in an in-house functional MRI experiment, we demonstrated that individual differences in laterality are both substantial and reliable within a right-handed population of young adults. We found no (anti-)correlation in the laterality of word and face selectivity relative to object responses, and a positive correlation when using selectivity relative to a fixation baseline, challenging ideas of local competition between words and faces. We next examined broader local competition with faces using the large-scale Human Connectome Project (HCP) dataset. Face and tool laterality were significantly anti-correlated, while face and body laterality were positively correlated, consistent with the idea that generic local representational competition and cooperation may shape face lateralization. Last, we assessed the role of long-range coupling in the development of VTC laterality. Within our in-house experiment, substantial correlation was evident between VTC text laterality and several other nodes of a distributed text-processing circuit. In the HCP data, VTC face laterality was both negatively correlated with frontotemporal language laterality, and positively correlated with social perception laterality in the same areas, consistent with a long-range coupling effect between face and social processing representations, driven by local competition between language and social processing. We conclude that both local and long-range interactions shape the heterogeneous hemispheric specializations in high-level visual cortex.

Participation in organised sports and longitudinal development of physical activity in Swiss youth: the population-based SOPHYA cohort

BACKGROUND: Maintaining physical activity throughout life is crucial for overall health and wellbeing. Yet the age-related decline in average physical activity, a natural phenomenon also observed in animals, poses a challenge. This study aimed to investigate whether participation in organised sports supported by the Swiss Youth+Sports (Y+S) programme is associated with sustaining or enhancing physical activity among children and adolescents during 5 years of follow-up. METHODS: The longitudinal study was nested in the population-based SOPHYA (Swiss children’s Objectively measured PHYsical Activity) cohort. Participants aged 6–16 years at SOPHYA1 (2014) with complete accelerometer data from baseline and follow-up assessment (SOPHYA2, 2019) were included. The primary exposure was participation in organised sport during the follow-up period, calculated by linkage with the Y+S database as the number of days with at least one activity in Y+S-offered programmes for ages 5 to 20 years. The primary outcome was the categorisation of participants into physical activity “improvers” or “worseners”. Improvers in the respective physical activity categories – total activity counts per minute (CPM), minutes in moderate-to-vigorous activity (MVPA), minutes in light activity (LPA) and minutes in sedentary behaviour (SB) – increased or maintained their active physical activity during the 5 follow-up years. Information on confounders and effect modifiers (sex, age, body mass index (BMI), language region, household income, education) was obtained by self-report at baseline. Logistic regressions examined the relationship between organised sport participation and the probability of being a physical activity improver in each physical activity intensity category separately. Covariates for the final models were selected through a stepwise procedure based on the Bayesian information criterion from a maximal model containing all covariates as well as all two-way interactions with organised sport and between them. All models were a priori adjusted for technical variables (season of measurement; wear time; duration of follow-up). RESULTS: The analysis included 432 participants. There was a strong CPM, MVPA and LPA decline from 2014 to 2019, but an increase in SB. Nevertheless, the prevalence of improvers was 22.5% for CPM, 9.5% for MVPA, 26.9% for LPA and 9.7% for SB. Engagement in organised sport between 2014 and 2019 was positively associated with CPM, MVPA and SB, but not with LPA improver status. For 30 additional days of participation in organised sport over the five years of the study, the odds of being an improver vs being a worsener increased by 4.0% for CPM (95% CI: 0.13–7.69), 6.2% for MVPA (95% CI: 0.82–11.54) and 6.0% for SB (95% CI:−1.49–13.97). CONCLUSION: The results provide supporting evidence that organised sport in the context of the Swiss Y+S programme may empower the young to maintain an active lifestyle and even offset the age-related decline in physical activity.

Language Preservation through Popularization of Regional Indian Music: A Data-Driven Approach

The increased global connectivity due to internet penetration has resulted in the dominance of international languages and the decline of regional languages. To help preserve these languages, this study identifies the non-native regions in India that offer the most promising opportunities for expanding the popularity of music for each of the 14 regional languages. It analyses the audio features of 41,000 songs from 14 Indian languages on Spotify, employing two approaches – clustering algorithms and Random Forest Regressors. An overlap between the regions identified by both methods for any given language is considered a robust result, providing greater confidence in the results. The results show that while geographical proximity is a significant factor in determining non-native market fits for the music of a given language, alignment in preferences of audio features driven by cultural similarities plays an integral role as well. The findings have important implications for music industry stakeholders, including artists, management, digital platforms, and governments, who can leverage this data to devise strategies to expand the reach of regional music. This includes designing targeted marketing strategies, fostering cross-regional artist collaborations, and optimizing content recommendation algorithms, among others.

Pre-Stimulus Activity of Left and Right TPJ in Linguistic Predictive Processing: A MEG Study.

The left and right temporoparietal junctions (TPJs) are two brain areas involved in several brain networks, largely studied for their diverse roles, from attentional orientation to theory of mind and, recently, predictive processing. In predictive processing, one crucial concept is prior precision, that is, the reliability of the predictions of incoming stimuli. This has been linked with modulations of alpha power as measured with electrophysiological techniques, but TPJs have seldom been studied in this framework. The present article investigates, using magnetoencephalography, whether spontaneous oscillations in pre-stimulus alpha power in the left and right TPJs can modulate brain responses during a linguistic task that requires predictive processing in literal and non-literal sentences. Overall, results show that pre-stimulus alpha power in the rTPJ was associated with post-stimulus responses only in the left superior temporal gyrus, while lTPJ pre-stimulus alpha power was associated with post-stimulus activity in Broca's area, left middle temporal gyrus, and left superior temporal gyrus. We conclude that both the right and left TPJs have a role in linguistic prediction, involving a network of core language regions, with differences across brain areas and linguistic conditions that can be parsimoniously explained in the context of predictive processing.

Intergenerational Language Transmission of Frisian and Low Saxon in the Netherlands

An important mechanism for language maintenance is transmission from parents to their children. This mechanism is stronger for the regional language Frisian than it is for Low Saxon in the northern Netherlands. In this study, we assessed many variables potentially associated with parental language transmission for these regional languages. We analyzed questionnaire responses from around 25,000 Frisian and Low Saxon speakers participating in the Lifelines cohort study. Transmission was strongly associated with whether their children's other parent speaks the same language, and with the frequency of language use in different social contexts. Other important factors included language attitudes and the degree of urbanization of the respondent's neighborhood. Taken together, these findings suggest that language maintenance for Frisian and Low Saxon could potentially be bolstered by adequately stimulating positive language attitudes and the use of the language in different social contexts by both the government and smaller societal organizations.

Demystifying multilingual LIS journals in Scopus: Languages, coverage, metrics, and implications

This study aimed to investigate the languages, countries, geographic distribution, and commonly used journal metrics of multilingual Library and Information Science (LIS) journals indexed in Scopus. The Scimago Journal Rank (SJR) portal was used as a proxy for Scopus-indexed LIS journals. Through examination of the homepages of 249 LIS journals listed in SJR, 42 multilingual LIS journals were identified. For this study, multilingual journals were defined as those publishing in a combination of English and other languages. The findings revealed that although English-only journals have historically dominated the field, a significant number of multilingual journals have been indexed in Scopus over the past two decades. The 42 identified multilingual journals span 25 countries and encompass 18 languages, reflecting a diverse linguistic landscape in LIS scholarship. Notably, 67% are Open Access (OA) and affiliated with major publishers, including university presses. Spain and Brazil emerge as key players, accounting for 27% of all identified multilingual journals, highlighting the importance of their regional languages in LIS scholarship. However, the study also uncovered disparities in journal metrics and rankings, with multilingual journals consistently scoring lower than their English-only counterparts. Despite efforts to include regional and local journals in major databases, these results underscore the persistent challenges multilingual publications face in achieving and maintaining Scopus indexing.

Technology and Local Language: Development of An Android-Based Sundanese-English Electronic Dictionary for The Baduy Community in Indonesia

Although a large amount of research on Sundanese language has been conducted, little attention has been paid to technology-based Sundanese language use. Therefore, academic and practical efforts should be made to contribute to the preservation of regional language use by developing educational technology-based innovations. The purpose of this research is to develop an Android smartphone-based bilingual dictionary application to facilitate English learning and Sundanese language preservation, especially for the Baduy tribe community. This research is categorized into research and development using the Design Based Research (DBR) method. This research was conducted in four stages, namely: (1) initial analysis stage, (2) prototype design development stage, (3) trial stage, and (4) reflection stage. Research data were collected through instruments including literature studies, interviews, expert assessments, and questionnaires. Then the data was analyzed descriptively as material for developing Android dictionary prototypes to be tested and evaluated until a qualified application model was obtained. The results showed that the development of an Android smartphone-based Sundanese dictionary contributes to English learning and Sundanese language preservation. Implications and recommendations from this research and recommendations are also discussed for future research.

Monitoring equity in the delivery of health services: a Delphi process to select healthcare equity indicators.

Health equity is a key component of quality of care and an objective for a growing number of quality improvement projects for deontological, ethical, public health and economic reasons. To monitor equity in the delivery of health services in Switzerland, there is a need to implement valid, measurable and actionable equity indicators, along with vulnerability stratifiers such as migrant status, which could lead to differences in quality of care. The aim of this study was to develop a set of healthcare equity indicators and stratifiers targeting inpatient and outpatient populations and to test their feasibility. A scoping literature review and inputs from a national interprofessional expert taskforce provided a set of indicators and vulnerability stratifiers. The most valid and measurable indicators and stratifiers were retained using a Delphi process. They were then operationalised, and their implementation tested in three Swiss hospitals from the three language regions. A taskforce of 18 experts, including a patient representative, selected 11 indicators that evaluate structures, processes and outcomes, and five vulnerability stratifiers. Although most indicators and stratifiers could be implemented in all three hospitals, data availability was limited for some variables, including patient satisfaction and access to interpreters for foreign-language patients. The equity indicators and stratifiers identified by this two-stage process have content validity, wide patient coverage and are focused on inequities in the healthcare system that are actionable through improvement projects. Both the indicators and the project methodology could be replicated in institutions aiming for more equitable care.

A Typology Linguistic Study: Is the Sibolga Coastal Dialect Ergative?

This research explores the existence of ergative language features in the Sibolga Coastal dialect. Qualitative descriptive methods were used to analyze data obtained from nine folktale titles in Bunga Rampai Rakyat Tapanuli Tengah (The anthology of central Tapanuli folktales). Of the nine stories, ten clauses were found to show an ergative pattern, where the subject in the first clause acts as the object in the second clause. The findings show that the Sibolga Coastal dialect language has the characteristics of an ergative language in its structure, with a pattern where the subject of the first clause becomes the object of the following clause. These findings indicate a tendency to use ergative language features in the Sibolga Coastal dialect. This research concludes that the Sibolga Coastal dialect uses ergative language features, although in limited quantities. These findings contribute to understanding the syntactic structure of the Sibolga Coastal language and provide new insights into the phenomenon of ergative language in the local context. The implications of this research include supporting the development of linguistic studies and regional language studies and contributing to language teaching and translation in the region. Future research can be expanded to further investigate the features of ergative language in the Sibolga Coastal dialect and the context of its use in daily interactions.

Who Are They? Redefining Demarcation of Research Participant Characteristics and Related Conceptualizations

ABSTRACTIn any research that involves people, whether as respondents or participants, demarcation of their characteristics is crucial for necessary context. These can include their roles (e.g., patient, caregiver), relationships (e.g., partner), and demographics such as age range, [dis]ability, ethnicity, gender, language, race, socio‐economic group or geographic region. Yet, despite this need for precision, terminology used for demarcation is often treated as intuitive (“y'know”). For example, age demarcations seem to be obvious but are often laden with vagueness, lack of standardization, and/or acknowledgement of differences in age ranges. Some demarcations might also be influenced by country norms or by disciplinary interpretations (e.g., legal vs medical). Considering the emphasis on respect for diversity and the need for rigor in research it seems timely to open a discussion of the many questions to be answered when demarcating characteristics of research participants. Using examples, this panel will explore some applications and definitions of demarcations.

Новообразования в публицистических текстах региональных СМИ на эрзянском языке: словообразовательный аспект (на материале журнала «Сятко» / «Искра»)

The aim of the research is to identify the lexical peculiarity and word-formation processes in journalistic texts of regional mass media. The paper examines neologisms, lexical units created based on the internal resources of the regional (Erzya) language. The work emphasizes the important role of the media in preserving, enriching, and transmitting native languages. The scientific novelty of the research lies in conducting a structural and semantic analysis of neologisms, which, based on extensive linguistic material, allowed for identifying and characterizing the main productive word-formation models and methods of word formation in the modern language of the media in Erzya. As a result of the research, it was found that the most productive methods of word formation include suffixation, root affixation, compounding, and substantivization. It was also noted that the neologisms identified from journalistic texts perform a stylistic function of influencing the reader (listener) due to their rich emotional-expressive charge and wide semantic content.

Maintaining the Existence of Regional Languages in Lohiatala Village, Kairatu Barat District, West Seram Regency

Maluku as an archipelago region contains cultural richness from various aspects by its indigenous people, especially local languages ​​which are a means of conveying thoughts and ideas. Local languages ​​themselves have institutionalized identity values ​​within the indigenous people who adhere to them because reality shows that the language in question confirms its origin. The difficulty is the inability of society to adapt to the development of globalization without ignoring regional languages ​​as local wisdom and identity. Of course this shows a shift to the point of language extinction, the existence of indigenous countries is also threatened due to the loss of identity as a marker of their identity. From the description of the reality of this indigenous community, strategic steps need to be taken, namely consolidating the local language (Alune) of Lohiatala Country which in the past was used to interact by ancestors into written form, this is because in the present it is generally unknown to the younger generation or school-age children. Furthermore, it is followed up by writing a dictionary of local language vocabulary so that it can be studied by the community today and in the future. This activity will be carried out through one of the Tridharma of higher education, namely Community Service with a verification method (confirmation of the writing of the definition of the local language per vocabulary accompanied by its meaning in Indonesian) against the results of the search that has been carried out in 2023, and the publication of the dictionary book "Bahasa Alune Orang Lohiatala" with ISBN

OF THE DEAR DICTIONARIES. ON THE SPECIAL LEXICOGRAPHY OF GERMAN IN ROMANIA – AN ENCOURAGING REVIEW

Starting from some considerations about the historic language usus, the article presents the status and the peculiarities of Romanian German. Statements regarding the current linguistic status of the German language in Romania and its speakers are being made with regard to the present linguistic context, aiming to highlight the profile of German as a regional language and to point out the need for its lexicographic charting in specialised dictionaries.

Penerapan Kearifan Lokal di Bandar Udara Internasional Sam Ratulangi di Manado

Sam Ratulangi International Airport in Manado plays a strategic role as the main gateway for tourists visiting North Sulawesi, making significant contributions to local tourism and the economy. The implementation of local wisdom at this airport, such as the use of regional languages and the integration of cultural elements in terminal design, aims to enrich the tourist experience and showcase the cultural richness of North Sulawesi. However, challenges remain regarding capacity and service quality, as well as maintaining the authenticity of local culture. This study aims to analyze how the application of local wisdom at Sam Ratulangi International Airport impacts the tourist experience in North Sulawesi and to evaluate the local cultural values implemented at the airport in enhancing the visitor experience. The research design uses a qualitative approach with a case study method to assess the application of local wisdom at Sam Ratulangi International Airport, Manado. The study, conducted in July 2024, combines interviews, observations, and documentation to gather data. Interviews with airport managers, local communities, and passengers provide insights into the impact of local wisdom. Observations focus on cultural elements at the airport, while documentation includes official data and relevant literature. Data validity is tested through triangulation of techniques and sources. Data analysis involves reduction, presentation, and conclusion drawing to address or refine the research problem. The study findings indicate that the application of local wisdom at Sam Ratulangi International Airport, such as traditional Kolintang music, batik exhibitions, and the use of regional languages, enhances the tourist experience by creating a distinctive atmosphere that introduces North Sulawesi's culture. Local values such as "mapalus" (community cooperation) and "torang samua basudara" (we are all brothers) are reflected in the friendly and efficient service, leaving a positive impression and shaping tourists' views of the region as rich in culture and humanitarian values.

Deskripsi Media yang Digunakan oleh Guru Kelas I dalam Modul Ajar Pembelajaran Membaca di SDN 9 Sungai Ambawang

The learning media used includes human-based, print, visual, and audio-visual media, which are aimed at helping students understand the basic reading material. This study examines the use of learning media in teaching reading for grade 1 students of SDN 9 Sungai Ambawang, an elementary school in a rural area with limited facilities. This research uses a qualitative approach with a descriptive method, through observation and interviews with teachers. Data analysis is carried out qualitatively with the stages of data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. The results showed that human-based media, such as lectures and discussions, were most predominantly used (56%), while visual and audio-visual media were underutilized (16% and 4%). Although the limitations of the means affect the use of more modern media, teachers' innovations in utilizing simple media are still effective in helping students learn to read. This study recommends increasing the use of visual and audio-visual media to increase students' interest and understanding, as well as the importance of paying attention to local contexts, including the use of regional languages in reading learning.