Spoken Language Research Articles

Connections between the Middle Armenian and Western Armenian Languages in the System of the Imperative Mode: Imperative (Singular)

Key words: language, verb, derivative verb, conjugation, mode, conjuction The connection between the language systems of Western Armenian and Middle Armenian are at different linguistic levels. Considering the verb conjugation system, it can be noted that it was Middle Armenian that mostly influenced the development of Western Armenian language: so, the connection is systematic. This article is an attempt to present connection of the Middle Armenian and Western Armenian languages in the system of imperative mode. It has been noted that the imperative was simplified in Middle Armenian from the perspective of composition. The endings է, իր, ա for ե, ի, ա conjugations in Western Armenian singular mode are formed in the Middle Armenian inbase of Grabar; then they have transferred into Western Armenian. Conjugation Ու in the modern Western Armenian language has already turned into archaisms that are used for providing a tone of antiquity to the speech. Changes in the verb system began in the early period of Middle Armenian within the spoken language. Thos changes penetrated into the written language from the first sub-period of Middle Armenian. By this time the use of the new forms had begun to spread, although the old forms were being used alongside the new forms. In the second sub-period, the new versions, that the Western Armenian has inherited, were fully established. The Western Armenian language also inherited the changes in the affixes of the base, in particular, in many verbs there was a decrease in the phoneme, as a result of which the sounds ա and ե of the affixes -ան-, -են- were shortened, for example գտանել- գտնել, մտանել-մտնել, գիտենալ-գիտնալ, վախենալ-վախնալ etc. The imperative has saved the same semantic features in both Western Armenian and Middle Armenian languages. In Western Armenian, imperative is also expressed by verbs belonging to other modes; this feature is also characteristic of Middle Armenian

Statistical relationships between surface form and sensory meanings of English words influence lexical processing.

Across spoken languages, there are some words whose acoustic features resemble the meanings of their referents by evoking perceptual imagery, i.e., they are iconic (e.g., in English, "splash" imitates the sound of an object hitting water). While these sound symbolic form-meaning relationships are well-studied, relatively little work has explored whether the sensory properties of English words also involve systematic (i.e., statistical) form-meaning mappings. We first test the prediction that surface form properties can predict sensory experience ratings for over 5,000 monosyllabic and disyllabic words (Juhasz & Yap, 2013), confirming they explain a significant proportion of variance. Next, we show that iconicity and sensory form typicality, a statistical measure of how well a word's form aligns with its sensory experience rating, are only weakly related to each other, indicating they are likely to be distinct constructs. To determine whether form typicality influences processing of sensory words, we conducted regression analyses using lexical decision, word recognition, naming and semantic decision tasks from behavioral megastudy data sets. Across the data sets, sensory form typicality was able to predict more variance in performance than sensory experience or iconicity ratings. Further, the effects of typicality were consistently inhibitory in comprehension (i.e., more typical forms were responded to more slowly and less accurately), whereas for production the effect was facilitatory. These findings are the first evidence that systematic form-meaning mappings in English sensory words influence their processing. We discuss how language processing models incorporating Bayesian prediction mechanisms might be able to account for form typicality in the lexicon. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Critical Pedagogy in Curriculum Decision Making

Critical pedagogy has recently started to have an impact on the field of TESOL—teaching English to speakers of other languages—by introducing some new socio-political views of language teaching and linguistics. In this research, two main aims are set forward. The first aim is to explain the new concept of critical pedagogy and make suggestions for how it can be incorporated into the TESOL profession. The second is to investigate students’ and teachers’ perceptions of the concept and fundamental tenets of critical pedagogy, as well as the extent to which these tenets are utilised in formulating curricula in the context of Kurdistan. This study adopted a mixed-methods research design to employ instruments for gathering and analysing data from numerous sources. The sample for the study was 120 students who completed a questionnaire. Fourteen students from the same sample participated in focus groups and, seven teachers took part in semi-structured interviews. All participants voluntarily agreed to participate in the research and were affiliated with Soran University in Iraq's Kurdistan region. The findings of this empirical study demonstrate that the stakeholders make the curricular decisions using a monologic approach rather than a dialogic one and that students and lecturers are not engaged in the decision-making process. The results also show that both teachers and learners are not very satisfied with the banking model of education and would like to be allowed to actively participate in the design and development of teaching curricula from a critical perspective.

Investigating linguistic and genetic shifts in East Indian tribal groups

South Asia is home to almost a quarter of the world's total population and is home to significant ethnolinguistic diversity. Previous studies of linguistic and genetic affiliations of Indian populations suggest that the formation of these distinct groups was a protracted and complex phenomenon involving multiple waves of migration, cultural assimilation, and genetic admixture. The evolutionary processes of migration, mixing and merging of populations thus impact the culture and linguistic diversity of different groups, some of which may retain their linguistic affinities despite genetic admixture with other groups, or vice versa. Our study examines the relationship of genetic and linguistic affinities between Austroasiatic and Indo-European speakers in adjacent geographical regions of Eastern India. We analyzed 224 mitogenomes and 0.65 million SNP genotypes from 40 unrelated individuals belonging to the Bathudi, Bhumij, Ho, and Mahali ethnic groups from the Eastern Indian state of Odisha. These four groups are speakers of Austroasiatic languages who have adopted elements from Indo-European languages spoken in neighbouring regions. Our results suggest that these groups have the greatest maternal genetic affinity with other Austroasiatic-speaking groups in India. Allele frequency-based analyses, genome-wide SNPs, haplotype-based methods and IBD sharing further support the genetic similarity of these East Indian groups to Austroasiatic speakers of South Asia rather than regional populations speaking Indo-European and Dravidian languages. Our study shows that these populations experienced linguistic mixing, likely due to industrialization and modernization that brought them into close cultural contact with neighbouring Indo-European-speaking groups. However, linguistic change in these groups is not reflected in genetic mixing in these populations, as they appear to maintain strict genetic boundaries while simultaneously experiencing cultural mixing.

Investigating the effects of speaking tasks in clubhouse on EFL learners’ speaking and foreign language speaking anxiety

This quasi-experimental study examined the effects of speaking tasks on EFL learners’ speaking skills and Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety (FLSA) using a mobile application conducted outside the classroom. A total of sixty Iranian upper-intermediate level EFL students were divided into experimental and control groups to compare the effectiveness of speaking tasks using the Clubhouse application. Data were collected using the FLSA scale and the speaking pre-and post-test scores of the participants. The speaking proficiency of the participants was assessed based on the IELTS band descriptor, which included fluency and coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range and accuracy, and pronunciation. Utilizing one-way ANCOVA and Mann-Whitney U test, it was concluded that participation of the experimental group in speaking tasks at the Clubhouse improved their speaking proficiency and reduced their anxiety when speaking in the target language compared to traditional classes. The findings of the study call for the integration of synchronous mobile-based apps such as Clubhouse for out-of-class speaking tasks to improve EFL learners’ speaking skills and reduce their FLSA levels.

An Investigation Into English Learners’ Speech Acts Using a Semi-Automatic Annotation Tool

This paper explores the speech acts most frequently performed by learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) through the Dialogue Annotation and Research Tool (DART), a semi-automatic annotation tool. The study used learner corpus research and an English as the first language (L1) speaker corpus as a reference to compare the speech acts performed by the EFL learners. The study involved 90 EFL learners of four nationalities. A spoken learner corpus was built with the dyadic interlanguage English conversation register. The most frequently performed speech acts were generally different for the English L1 speakers and the EFL learners. The speech acts labeled as correctSelf, referProcess, expressNonAwareness, and stateReason were in the top 10 for EFL learners, whereas they were not in the top 10 for the English L1 speakers. This difference was caused by three factors: the English proficiency of the EFL learners, the frequently used formulaic phrases, and the task requirements. Moreover, the corpus annotation has a problem with unrecognized speech acts, primarily due to the redundancies and fragments in the learner discourses. The findings of this study reveal the complementary relationship between grammatical and pragmatic performances.

The Effect of a Program Based on Oral Corrective Feedback on Improving Secondary Stage Students' English language Speaking

The Effect of a Program Based on Oral Corrective Feedback on Improving Secondary Stage Students' English language Speaking

Análisis de los Rasgos Distintivos en la Lengua de Señas Peruana (LSP)

This research focuses on the following objectives: 1) to document and describe the distinctive function that has phonological value, and 2) to identify the distinctive features in Peruvian Sign Language (PSL) in the area of manual configuration (point of articulation, movement, space) and non-manual features. In this sense, it contributes to the study of one aspect of the phonology of PSL. For this purpose, filming was carried out and language users were consulted. The methodology included fieldwork with a group of deaf people in Lima. This exploration is pioneering for LSP, since it constitutes a first effort to provide empirical evidence on the distinctive functions of manual forms in this system. To this end, it is shown that sign language has a phonology whose basic elements (distinctive features) can be identified using the same methods as in spoken languages.

Effects of Language Status and Interpreter Use on Inpatient Rehabilitation Outcomes

Introduction: Non-English-speaking patients are at a disadvantage during inpatient rehabilitation due to language barriers and medical conditions including strokes and brain injuries. A qualified interpreter is not always used for various reasons depending on the setting. Studies have shown a lower functional independence and greater disability of minorities when discharged from rehabilitation. Further research is needed to investigate the communication barrier gaps in care. Question and Significance: Our goal was to determine if the use of interpreter services for non-English-speaking patients influences outcome measures from inpatient rehabilitation including CARE Tool scores, length of stay, and discharge disposition. Methods: Our study was a retrospective chart review of patients admitted to the rehabilitation service at Corewell Taylor between 10/1/19-12/31/21, which included 2018 English-speaking patients and 105 non-English-speaking patients over 18 years old. We gathered information via UDSMR data set and chart review including demographic data, disposition factors, CARE Tool scores, language status, and if an interpreter was used. Data was examined via Fisher’s exact tests. Analyses were performed using R Statistical Software. Results: Our data showed the proportion of non-English-speaking patients who used a professional interpreter was 0.73 (95% CI [0.64 – 0.82]). The proportion of non-English-speaking patients using any interpreter (professional or family) was 0.85 (95% CI [0.76 – 0.91]). There was a statistically significant association between language spoken (English vs non-English) and both gender (p=0.002) and race/ethnicity (p<0.001). No significant associations between interpreter use and any demographic characteristics/outcomes of interest were found. Conclusions: Our data showed no statistically significant association between interpreter use and CARE Tool scores, length of stay, or discharge disposition. We found that most of those needing interpretation used professional interpreter services. Therefore, interpreters are likely beneficial to improve communication with patients in inpatient rehabilitation, but further research is warranted regarding its effect on outcome.

DEVELOPING A COLLOCATION LEARNING MANAGEMENT MODEL FOR ENHANCING ELF ORAL COMMUNICATION IN THAILAND

The significance of collocation in English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) for oral communication has been largely neglected. This study aims to develop a collocation learning management model that would enhance the oral communication skills ofEnglish ELF university students in Thailand. The study provides insights. Initially, the main challenges discovered were content enhancement, limited activities and learning arrangements, low motivation, and non-cooperative conduct. A learning managementmodel for English collocations was also introduced to address the issues. The model's theoretical concepts, objectives, learning management phases, social system, reaction principle, and support system have been identified. Furthermore, the model improved students' listening, speaking, and basic language skills in higher education. Additional investigation is required to ascertain the enduring scholarly achievement of this model when combined with other pedagogical methodologies and its integration and practical application across all language skills for prospective utilisation in comparable educational settings.

The Role of Co-Curricular Activities in Improving English Language Speaking Skill of Grade Ten Students at Pinyudo Secondary School in Gog Woreda Gambella, Ethiopia

The purpose of this study was to examine the roles of Co-Curricular Activity (CCAs) in improving English language speaking skill of grade ten Students of Secondary School at Gog Woreda in Gambella Regional state. The study was designed using quesi-experimental research design. To collect the necessary data among the existing grade ten students, 44 students selected from section using simple random technique were used as study sample. From these students 22 were assigned as experimental group and the remaining 22 students assigned to form the control group. To data was collected using test as instrument. The data gathered were analyzed using statistical tools such as: means, standard deviations; and significance level were conducted with the T test using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 24). The finding of the study indicated as there was a difference between the experimental and control groups students English speaking performance. In addition, the findings showed as there is significance difference in the mean score of the experimental and control groups of students participated in the study. Moreover, the finding showed as there is difference with regard to aspects of speaking skills between the learners. Based on the findings it was recommended that the school teachers and administration should give high attention for implementation of CCAs in the school integrating it with regular class room lessons. In addition, the school’s teachers and students should conduct experiences sharing with other schools which have better implementation of CCAs. Furthermore, curriculum designers at different level are highly recommended to use CCAs as integral part of regular class room lesson in designing materials. Moreover, future researchers are recommended to make deep investigation including other variables on the area.

Lexical richness in Lithuanian beginner learners’ spoken and written language: a focus on production

ABSTRACT The present research explores the productive vocabulary that beginner learners of Lithuanian as a foreign language use when speaking and writing. This study is based on the newly developed Lithuanian Learner Corpus (LLC) and uses its subcorpus of beginner texts (103,148 tokens). It measures lexical richness in Lithuanian learner language (LLL) by examining lexical variation, distribution of lexical word classes, lexical errors, and formulaic language in spoken and written language. The results show that beginner learners of Lithuanian use minimal lexical resources, and lexis used for pragmatic purposes is scarcely employed in either mode.

Orthodoxy and Literacy as Factors in Preserving Nagaibak Ethnic Group

This article addresses the issue of the threat of disappearance facing the Nagaibak people, one of the small ethnic groups in Russia. The Nagaibaks are a non-literate ethnic group, whose population is steadily declining. In the 19th century, there were over 12,000 of them, but today there are just over 5,700 individuals. The identity of the Nagaibaks is based on collective memory, rooted in Orthodoxy, Cossack heritage, and their unique Turkic language. The relevance of this study lies in the necessity of preserving a people whose distinctive culture is of great interest to modern historians, ethnographers, and art scholars. The aim of this research is to demonstrate the originality of the Nagaibak language and the significant role of Orthodoxy in their fate, as well as to identify ways to save the ethnic group from assimilation into neighboring nations. The novelty of this work lies in its emphasis on the collective memory of the Nagaibaks, reflected in their spoken language, folklore, prayers, holiday names, rituals, and attributes. A linguistic project is presented, the implementation of which will lead to the introduction of Nagaibak script. In addition to supporting Orthodox worship, dictionaries published with the author’s involvement, a Russian-Nagaibak phrasebook, the development of an alphabet, grammar, and a guide for Nagaibak language teachers will ensure the preservation of this unique ethnic group in multicultural Russia.

The role of acculturation and acculturation stress in suicidal behaviors among Latina Adolescents: A systematic review of research

Acculturation has a central role in the theorization and research on Latina teens suicide attempts. In this article, we report on a systematic review on the literature to describe and assess what has been thought and studied about the role of acculturation, and related phenomena on the suicidal behaviors of Latina adolescents. Methods. We conducted a systematic review of studies published in English from 2000 to 2020 about Latina adolescents in the U.S. who reported suicidal ideation and behaviors, and included analysis about acculturation, acculturation proxies (e.g., generational status), and/or acculturation stress. Results. Ten articles met inclusionary criteria. Most studies used quantitative methods (n = 7) and enrolled US-born participants of Latino descent (60–74.8 %), who were second-or later generation (74–91.6 %). Latina adolescents who attempted suicide did not differ in their acculturation levels when compared to their non-suicidal peers. Researchers studied four acculturation proxies in relationship to suicidal behaviors: Cultural status (n = 1), country of birth (n = 2), generational status (n = 1), and language spoken at home (n = 1). Cultural status had no impact on suicidal ideation or attempts, and the findings about generational status were not conclusive. Acculturation stress and associate phenomena increased the risk for suicidal ideation (n = 2) and suicide attempts (n = 2). Conclusion. It is essential to approach the risk factors contributing to suicidal behaviors from a multifaceted viewpoint, where acculturation stress and acculturation take part. The current evidence does not uphold the suggested central role of acculturation in the suicidal behaviors of Latina teens.

Development Material Teach for Improving The Ability to Speak In Indonesian

Study This aim For develop And evaluate effectiveness module learning in increase ability speak in Language Indonesia on student class 9 JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL Country 3 Padangsidimpuan. Approach study use design development (RD) with models ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation). the module designed For facilitate learning independent students and strengthen Skills speak. Research result show that use module learning in a way significant increase ability speak student. The results of data analysis from the pre-test and post-test show enhancement score ability speak significant students in a way statistics. Additionally, students respond positive to module this, with part big from they feel more motivated And believe self in speak Language Indonesia. Importance the role of the teacher in implementation module is also proven important in reach success learning. Teacher Which trained and involved active in learning can increase effectiveness module. By Because That, training Teacher become factor key in integration module in learning. In conclusion, use module developed learning with the ADDIE model is effective in increase ability speak student in Indonesian. this module No only help in understanding material, but also encouraging interest and motivation student in learning Indonesian . Study This give base for development more carry on in Indonesian language teaching and providing contribution in effort increase effectiveness learning speak. Learning module This can become source Power valuable in context Indonesian language education.

An evaluation of PanSALB’s progress in monitoring and managing language rights violations in South Africa

This article evaluates the extent to which the Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB) managed to monitor and dealt with language rights violation complaints. The board’s role is to implement the language policy and to develop the official languages. The constitution of the country recognises 12 languages as official, including South African Sign Language. English continues to dominate regardless of its equal official status with other languages. This study used a qualitative method through document analysis and observations. The findings show that PanSALB has encountered various challenges in ensuring that language policy is implemented in a manner that satisfies all language groups and ensuring that language rights are protected. The study also found that few speakers of indigenous languages lodged complaints with the board compared to the speakers of other official languages. Data also revealed that out of 245 complaints lodged between 2004 and 2013, the board resolved only 60 complaints, while 185 remained unresolved. This article makes recommendations for how PanSALB could effectively fulfil its mandate and fast-track resolutions to the complaints. The article also suggests the use of awareness campaigns to encourage speakers of other languages to lodge complaints when their language rights are violated.

Morphological and semantic priming in word recognition

Word recognition is investigated along with semantic priming. While semantic priming has received attention among scholars investigating language processing in the last five decades, the literature lacks an investigation of semantic priming in word recognition among native and non-native German-speakers. To investigate the differences in how native speakers (L1) and non-native speakers (L2) of recognize words, and their corresponding speed, we designed two experiments consisting of two conditions; when the primes are associated with the target word, and when the primes are not related to the target word. For the semantic category, identical conditions were designed; when the primes are associated with the target word, and when they are not related to the target word. Reaction Time (RT) and accuracy were obtained during the experiments on both groups (L1 and L2). The experiment was controlled by the DMDX software package. The results indicate that there are no such differences among native speakers(L1) and non-native speakers of the German language unless in individual choices. There are similarities among first language speakers (L1) and second language speakers (L2) in both categoriesــــmorphology and semantics. The delay would occur when non-native speakers see a word in morphological and semantic priming.

Communicating in English as a Second Language Aboard a European Cruise Line: An Autoethnographic Sketch

Working aboard an international cruise ship that travels to Europe is an exciting adventure with the many wonderful ports of call to visit, exquisite dining experiences, and a multitude of crew members who come from different countries. Because they have to serve foreign guests, crewmembers speak English frequently. This paper is an autoethnographic sketch of a pianist who works in an international cruise line and befriends a Polish musician who has English language issues such as inability to pronounce correct English words and phrases, excessive use of non-verbal cues in communication, and a generally low English comprehension level, but with an inquisitive spirit to learn the second language, the two communicators manage to foster a mutual understanding. Narratives are drawn from self-reflections, analyzed and interwoven as a self-culture assemblage of cross-cultural communication. Results of the study reveal that interpersonal communication hovers within diverse cultural settings despite certain language impediments, emphasizing that the English language as a second language spoken by both second language speakers tends to eliminate speech anxiety. European crew members mingling with multi-cultural individuals establish good interactive skills while fostering good relationships while they learn practical English in the exercise of their daily duties.

English learners learn from worked example comparison in algebra

Comparison is an important mechanism for learning in general, and comparing two worked examples has garnered support over the last 15 years as an effective tool for learning algebra in mainstream classrooms. This study was aimed at improving our understanding of how Modified for Language Support-Worked Example Pairs (MLS-WEPs) contribute to effective mathematics learning in an ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Languages) context. It investigated a novel instructional approach to help English Learners (ELs) develop better understanding in mathematical reasoning, problem solving, and literacy skills (listening, reading, writing, and speaking). Findings suggest that MLS-WEPs not only enhanced ELs’ ability to solve algebra problems, but it also improved their written explanation skills and enabled them to transfer such skills to different mathematical concepts. Moreover, when controlling for ELs’ prior knowledge, the effectiveness of the MLS-WEPs intervention for performing and explaining calculations did not vary by their English proficiency.

Factors Influencing of School Type, Parental Educational Background, Gender, and Age on the English Language Speaking Proficiency of Chinese College Students

English, as an international language of communication, plays a crucial role in the development of global economic exchanges. In China, where English serves as a second language, the improvement of college students' English language speaking proficiency faces numerous challenges due to the lack of authentic English communication environments. However, there has been a lack of in-depth research on the relationship between Chinese college students' English language speaking proficiency and factors such as school background. This study utilized multiple linear regression to analyze data from the 2021 China General Social Survey. It aimed to investigate the relationship between college students' English language speaking proficiency and various factors, including different types of high school experiences, parental educational backgrounds, gender differences, and age disparities. The findings revealed that college students who attended provincial-level and municipal-level key high schools demonstrated higher English language speaking proficiency. Additionally, paternal educational background had a more significant impact on the English language speaking proficiency of offspring compared to maternal educational background. Furthermore, female students exhibited higher English speaking proficiency levels than male students. Moreover, English speaking proficiency showed an inverted "U"-shaped trend with age, peaking at 22.5 years old. Based on the research results, recommendations were proposed to balance the educational resources of different types of high schools and to reform English teaching in universities. These suggestions aim to provide robust evidence for the formulation of educational policies to meet the growing demand for English learning in China.