Linguistic Competence Research Articles

Future Translators’ Linguistic and Non-linguistic Competencies and Skills in The Age of Neural Machine Translation and Artificial Intelligence: A Content Analysis

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are disrupting the way millions of people work. According to the Future of Jobs Report published by the World Economic Forum (WEF 2022), the Fourth Industrial Revolution will result in the disappearance of more than 75 million jobs by 2025. While this is considered bad news to many, the report also predicts the creation of 133 million jobs for the same reason. Among the at-risk jobs are translation and language services jobs which have witnessed a sharp drop in demand due to the adoption of AI and ML technologies in machine translation systems making them capable of producing translations that match the translations produced by expert human translators. Using content analysis method of online translation job advertisements in Saudi Arabia, this study sheds light on the current in-demand translator linguistic and non-linguistic competences and skills from the perspective of employers and matches those with the well-established translator competence models in literature. Through a content analysis of 213 online job advertisements, the study identifies five key competency domains: Language and Culture, Personal and Interpersonal, Service Provision, Technology, and Translation Knowledge. While language proficiency remains crucial, there is a growing emphasis on "soft skills," project management, technological adaptability, and ethical practice. The findings reveal a partial alignment with existing competency models but also highlight potential gaps, particularly regarding strategic planning and document analysis skills. The study underscores the need for translator education to adapt to the evolving demands of the industry, integrating traditional skills with emerging technologies and fostering a culture of lifelong learning. By bridging the gap between academic training and industry expectations, we can better equip future translators to navigate the complexities of the profession and thrive in the age of Neural Machine Translation and AI.

Familiarization with the phonetic diversity of the English language in the context of teaching students’ perception of authentic spoken language

Importance. Reception plays a significant role in the communication process in a foreign language and is reflected in the key documents that govern standards for foreign language education. As such, with increasing proficiency in a foreign language, the importance of utilizing authentic materials grows, and it becomes necessary for students to become familiar with non-standard (uncommon) varieties of the English language. This is not currently reflected in most educational settings, including language institutions. To address this issue, it is essential to justify the necessity for students to be acquainted with the phonetic variation of the English language and to consider matters related to clarifying the objectives and selection of accent teaching materials (in particular, developing criteria for selection). Additionally, it is important to explore effective methods and techniques as well as resources. The aim of the research is to identify the key invariant features of the accent and to investigate the impact of students’ understanding of phonetic variation on their direct comprehension of oral communication, to define the purpose, specific content, and to consider potential methods for designing such training.Research Methods. The study employed an analysis of the existing literature on the research topic, comparison, categorization, and generalization.Results and Discussion. The main characteristics of an accent and the impact of awareness of these characteristics on the perception of native-like foreign language speech are analyzed. The purpose of becoming familiar with phonetic variation is clarified, which involves, on the one hand, developing students' ability to comprehend native oral speech and, on the other, mastering research tools necessary for independent study of accents. Training content is explored, methods and techniques for familiarizing with phonetic variation are identified, and criteria for selecting learning materials are proposed.Conclusion. Targeted accent training contributes to the development of linguistic competence in general and an improved understanding of oral communication in particular. Due to the presence of multiple accents resulting from intercultural interaction, it is necessary to familiarize students with the basic characteristics of this phenomenon on the one hand and provide them with tools for self-study on the other. This is reflected in the content of training. The choice of methods to familiarize students with accents is limited by the localized nature of these accents. Training should focus on communication and the development of skills to understand authentic spoken language. This can be achieved through methods such as analysis, imitation, and transcription. The reliance on transcription for listening, the use of contrastive analysis, and the gradual increase in level of complexity, as well as the development of an academic community of learners, are all key factors contributing to the achievement of this goal.

Are mouse noodles actually made from mice? Touring street food name translations

Street food helps to characterise Southeast Asia as a popular gastronomic destination for tourism. However, confusion regarding its translation can make it difficult to understand the nature of its food types and selections. This study aims to examine how street food names in Malaysia are translated from Chinese to English and explore the cultural influence found within the translations of street food names. This study adopts a qualitative case study with thirty-six types of translations for mouse noodle, nineteen types for Hokkien Mee, twenty-two types for Wan Tan Mee, and seven types for Kueh Chap. Data analysis encompassed both the micro content analysis for food translation techniques with changes in content and linguistic aspects of translation varieties and the macro-analysis from an ethnography approach with a semi-structured interview comprised of perspectives from ten food vendors and twenty consumers. The analysis of the interviews is guided by linguistic and cultural factors. This study found that street food names were translated with transliteration, literal translation, amplification, omission, and their combinations—the results showed that transliteration was the most frequently used technique. In detail, the changes made in the translations were in both content and linguistic aspects—mainly addition, omission, restructuring, lexical, and morphological changes. The results also showed that the factors that played a major role include knowledge (background knowledge and linguistic competence), time, and culture (localisation and cultural policy). The ethnographic description explained how these factors result in transliteration within the social relations of Chinese Malaysians. In conclusion, the transliteration based on Chinese dialects and its varieties in spelling has labelled Malaysia a multicultural destination, in which its diverse cultures are intermingled in the translations of street food names.

Mechanisms of formation of speech skills on the basis of media technologies

The expansion of the socio-economic and cultural cooperation of the countries in the world is increasing the interest, need and desire to learn foreign languages, especially English. In the educational system of developed countries, special attention is paid to learning English in accelerated ways from the school period. The development of students' language and speech competences on the basis of media technologies is becoming an urgent issue in teaching English in general education schools. Especially for A1 levels, it has become a priority to acquire the linguistic competence noted in the content of English language teaching and to develop the ability to use it in speech communication. The experience of world countries shows the need to create and improve teaching methods based on the development of lexical competence in teaching English to students.

Improving Oral Expression in English through Communicative Approach: A Study in the Peruvian University Context

This study analyzes the impact of the communicative approach on oral expression in university students at Cayetano Languages, Lima, in 2023. The research focuses on the relationship between the communicative approach and the dimensions of linguistic, pragmatic, and sociolinguistic competence. Hypothesis testing and ordinal regression were applied to evaluate the relationships between the variables. The results demonstrate a significant influence of the communicative approach on the development of oral expression, evidenced by a Pseudo R-squared of 28.3%. Additionally, a positive association with the dimensions of linguistic, pragmatic, and sociolinguistic competence was found. These findings support the importance of implementing pedagogical strategies based on the communicative approach in English language teaching. This study contributes to the understanding of enhancing communicative skills in the university context.

Lessons learned from Mentor-ING: an EME teacher education programme based on peer observation

ABSTRACT The internationalisation of higher education has resulted in the spread of English-medium education (EME) across the world. This new educational paradigm comes with a number of challenges, one of them being the need to create specific continuous professional development (CPD) for teachers involved in it. Despite this compelling need, existing research accounting for examples of teacher education in EME is scarce. To reduce this dearth, the present study seeks to showcase a research-based peer observation EME teacher education initiative as a potential inspiration for the design and implementation of similar programmes worldwide. A thematic analysis of its participants’ feedback has revealed that, in addition to addressing linguistic and pedagogical competences, multilingual and identity issues are of the highest concern. Likewise, reflection and collaboration are highlighted are key elements for effective teacher education programmes.

Możliwości wykorzystania metafor konwencjonalnych w nauczaniu słownictwa i frazeologii języków obcych na przykładzie języka polskiego jako obcego

The article discusses the use of conventional metaphors, proposed by G. Lakoff and M. Johnson, as a tool for teaching vocabulary and phraseology at advanced levels of language proficiency in the context of learning Polish as a foreign language. As this methodology is insufficiently represented in teaching materials, the article highlights the advantages of a systematic and long-term approach to teaching metaphors. Such advantages include deepening knowledge of vocabulary by a consideration of metaphorical meanings, understanding the role of metaphors in mental processes; providing insights into Polish culture and mentality as well as into the students’ own cultures, as expressed through their native languages; and stimulating students’ mediation skills. The article also provides examples of exercises to aid the discovery of different types of conventional metaphors and establish an understanding of their function. It concludes by emphasizing the importance of developing collections of exercises and projects – in both printed and interactive forms — to support language learners. Overall, the article promotes the use of conventional metaphors as an effective method for improving linguistic and communicative competence in foreign language learning.

Strategie uczenia się słownictwa specjalistycznego

CLIL (Content Language Integrated Learning) is defined as the integration of specific content with language learning objectives. In higher education, it refers to the simultaneously teaching academic content and language skills in a given language. The core concept revolves around the use of a second/foreign language to acquire knowledge, while while concurrently enhancing language skills and vocabulary, including the acquisition of new specialist terms. Developing the lexical subsystem as a an integral component of linguistic competence is particularly important in the process of linguistic reception and production. Vocabulary learning strategies prove invaluable in this context. The discussion on the strategy of learning lexis in a foreign language appeared in the academic literature at the end of the last century. Previously, this matter was addressed in research on learning strategies and communication strategies. In academia, knowledge of professional vocabulary and terminology is indispensable for mastering specialist content taught in a second language. Learners must not only grasp the meaning of concepts, but also employ them with precision. So how do students learn new specialist vocabulary, and which lexis learning strategies do they use? This article aims to present the results of my own research on the application of specialized vocabulary learning strategies by students of economic sciences.

Lost opportunities for globalisation, digitalisation, and socially sustainable education? Advocating for digital and global Bildung in Swedish upper secondary schools

In this article, we point to how the making visible of diverse linguistic, digital, and cultural competences can contribute to more sustainable and inclusive classroom contexts and future societies. Western notions of universal knowledge reproduces a western way of viewing the world and, as a result, this usually discounts alternative knowledge systems, which perpetuates inequality and may cause tensions in today’s diverse classrooms. Our 2022 pilot study, drawing on an online survey with more than 700 respondents and focus group interviews with 27 participants, indicates that for some multiethnic, multi-abled, and otherwise diverse upper secondary students underlying, often ethnocentric, norms of Swedish education create hurdles in educational contexts. Firstly, in the Swedish context, non-normative and often global experiences are not recognised at school. Secondly, topics addressed in the courses they take are primarily focused on aspects originating in a Swedish, Nordic, or Western tradition. Curricular policies and classroom practices must take lost opportunities, which we argue are not socially sustainable, into account as a more global and holistic approach when articulating what educational learning is supposed to be about, for, and for whom, and thus integrating learning, digitalisation, and social sustainability.

Student perceptions of transferable skills development through didactic audio description

Didactic audio description (DAD) refers to the use of active audio description (AD) tasks where students generate the AD text themselves. In foreign language teaching, DAD has been used to improve linguistic and oral competences, integrated and intercultural skills, media literacy, mediation, or accessibility awareness, with positive results. This article explores students’ perceptions about active AD to promote transferable skills development through data gathered from a series of two experiments implemented at the University of Manchester between 2018 and 2020. Specifically, it explores (i) whether participants perceived an improvement in their transferable skills, and (ii) in which specific skills sub-sets they did so. Quantitative data show high perceptions of transferable skills development (especially decision making, summarizing, and communicative skills) even when perceptions of the usefulness of AD to foster linguistic skills were low. Qualitative data show that the skills range where participants perceived improvement was broader than predicted, as responses to open-ended questions mentioned skills not foregrounded in closed questions, such as integrated skills, metalinguistic skills, mediation, and accessibility awareness. This suggests that active DAD tasks could be useful in diverse settings to promote a holistic learning experience where students simultaneously develop linguistic and non-linguistic abilities, and where accessibility and inclusion are at the forefront.

Enhancing English Language Education Through Big Data Analytics and Generative AI

This research paper provides a comprehensive examination of the significant impact of big data analytics and generative artificial intelligence (GAI) on the field of English language education. Utilizing a meticulous framework rooted in the evolutionary network influence of big data, our study critically analyzes several aspects of student engagement, learning motivation, self-efficacy, and the existing disparities among learners. Our primary objective is to enhance students’ active participation, intrinsic interest, and self-confidence in the context of English language learning, thus advancing their overall linguistic competence. To achieve these objectives, our study systematically integrates the concept of practice education with a multidisciplinary approach, leveraging the power of big data analysis and GAI, and reveals profound insights into student learning behaviors, preferences, and personalized educational needs. We employ advanced techniques for meticulous data processing and interpretation, empowering educators to make data-informed decisions and tailor pedagogical strategies to meet the unique requirements of each student. This data-driven pedagogical approach not only facilitates the implementation of effective teaching methodologies but also effectively addresses the disparities stemming from diverse student backgrounds, thereby fostering a more inclusive and personalized learning environment.

Dutch compound constructions in additional language acquisition

Abstract Studies have demonstrated that Dutch has a much stronger tendency towards compounding than French (e.g., Du. badkamer vs Fr. salle de bains ‘bathroom’) when adopting a restrictive approach of compounding in which the presence of prepositions and/or internal inflection in multi-word expressions is considered evidence for their syntactic formation. The example above illustrates that Dutch compounding differs from French in another important aspect: while Germanic compounding is by definition right-headed, French has a general tendency towards left-hand headed compounds and phrases. In this study, we investigate the impact of these typological differences on the acquisition of Dutch nominal compounds by French-speaking learners in the context of multilingual Belgium. We provide an in-depth corpus analysis of the acquisition of Dutch compounds at different levels of abstraction (schematic and substantive compound constructions). Moreover, we investigate the impact of additional target-language input through CLIL programs (Content and Language Integrated Learning) on the acquisition of Dutch compounds by French-speaking learners of Dutch. The results are described and interpreted from the perspective of Diasystematic Construction Grammar (DCxG), which conceptualizes the linguistic competence of multilingual speakers as one integrated network of constructions, containing language-specific idioconstructions and shared diaconstructions.

On the development of linguistic and cultural competence in a Chinese audience (based on media texts)

This scientific article examines the concepts of “media-text” and “linguistic and cultural competence”, analyzes various definitions of these concepts in the works of researchers in the Russian Federation and describes the features of working with media texts in classes of Russian as a foreign language.The article emphasizes the importance of including media texts in the educational process for the effective presentation and control of the acquisition of linguistic and cultural information, the development of productive and receptive types of speech activity in Chinese students, in particular, the skills of listening, speaking and reading.This scientific article provides teachers with recommendations and methodological approaches to the selection of certain media texts for use in classes of Russian as a foreign language. The results of the study may be useful for the further development of educational materials aimed at developing linguistic and cultural competence in Chinese students.As a result of the research, we have found that media texts are an essential tool for learning language and culture in a multicultural context; the use of media texts increases foreign students’ motivation and interest in learning Russian as a foreign language. The article presents the results of an experimental study that confirm the hypothesis that media texts contribute to the development of linguistic and cultural competence and have a positive effect on the learning process.

Young Speakers of a Heritage Language: Hakka Speakers in Vienna

Increased global migratory mobility lead to ‘superdiverse’ societies especially in urban agglomerations, with many family languages. Overseas Chinese, frequently in a secon­dary migration, reached European countries and established their own close-knit communities. A smaller portion of the Hakka community from Calcutta settled in Vienna (Austria) showing an interesting layering of identities as Chinese, Hakkas, Indians, Austrians -- with family ties to Toronto and other places. While the first generation of migrants is typically restrained by the linguistic barrier of the literate national language which is practically inaccessible to adult newcomers, their offspring is firmly embedded in the new culture, and therefore presents a last generation of speakers of the heritage language. In a series of qualitative interviews, young Hakka speakers from the (Austrian) Indian Hakka community were queried about their linguistic and identitarian situation, as well as their linguistic competence in Hakka, in the context of our global research on overseas Hakka usage. The young speakers effortlessly shifted from Hakka to German at kindergarten age, keeping Hakka as means of communication inside the family; some had to act as family translators when growing older. The Hakka language is held in high esteem but is being used and perceived strictly as a family language. Contrary to the older generation, there are no strong ties to other Hakka speakers, let alone a wider Hakka community. Hakka identity and family origin relate back to India and often globally spread-out families with whom English is the best means of communication. A Chinese ancestry is a fact without much influence on the lives. The linguistic competence in Hakka is restricted to their own dialect and familial matters, as is typical of ‘weak speakers’ of a declining minority language. The language shift to German, higher education, and their emancipation from the ‘ethnic’ profession of running Chinese restaurants are indications of the full integration of the next generation into the local culture.

International students’ language and cultural integration: Expert comments by a teacher of Russian as a foreign language

The article provides the results of the study of the educational programs potential within academic courses of Russian as a foreign language in the fields of “Philology” and “Linguistics” when solving the issues of language and cultural integration of international students into realities of modern Russian society. The study has revealed the merits of tools and resources for teaching Russian to international students: a number of profile academic disciplines. The study confirms that the solution of the issues of linguistic and cultural adaptation of international students is achieved in the course of doing the academic disciplines “Lexicology”, “Linguocultural Studies”, “Linguocountry Studies”, “Translation Theory”, in the study of linguistic sections “Non-Equivalent Vocabulary”, “Semantics”, “Cognitive Linguistics” and in mastering the competences of analyzing the fictional text (its stylistics and phraseology). We outline the role of the relationship between Cognitive Linguistics and Linguocultural Studies in bringing international students closer to the issues of linguistic consciousness, which predetermines the full command of the language. The study allows us to conclude that the degree of mastering professional competences for a linguist and philologist can be considered as their level of linguistic and cultural competences.

Linguistic and cultural content of teaching preschoolers the Tatar language in a multilingual developmental environment

The languages, in which children are raised and educated become a tool, a condition and a factor in the formation of children’s worldview and their linguistic picture. It underlies the ethnocultural and national identification of the child in the future. The education system faces challenges related not only to the education and development of children, but also to the formation of an all-Russian civic identity, to the education of a person with linguistic and sociocultural competence, the one who respects the language, culture and traditions of the peoples of the Russian Federation. This idea permeates all normative acts concerning the content of education. Education is becoming a strategic tool for ensuring the linguistic and ethnocultural diversity of our country, a support for preserving the experience of intercultural and interreligious interaction of the peoples that make up the Russian nation. Multilingual education, whose linguodidactic system ensures the development of the child in the Russian and Tatar languages, makes it possible to take into account the national and cultural needs of the younger generation living in the region.The article reveals the experience of introducing a linguodidactic system for teaching children the Tatar language in a multilingual environment, designed to ensure the formation of a child’s national language picture.

EXPLORING THE POTENTIAL OF TIKTOK AS A SUPPLEMENTARY TOOL FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING AMONG STUDENTS

The use of social media as a profound educational platform holds great potential in augmenting students’ mastery of the English language, thereby facilitating substantial advancements in their linguistic competence. The introduction of TikTok has led to its rapid acceptance and preference among youth as a favoured social media platform. To explore the potential of TikTok as a supplementary tool for English as a Second Language (ESL) learning, a set of questionnaires was distributed to 150 students from various courses at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Shah Alam Campus. The results revealed that there was a strong preference for utilising the platform in language learning as it fosters a sense of comfort and effective learning, allowing students to enhance their English language skills and establish familiarity with the language. Thus, the findings of this study demonstrate the considerable potential of TikTok as a supplementary tool for English language learning among university students. However, further research is required to explore the pedagogical implications of integrating TikTok as a tool in language learning curricula.

Beyond borders: telecollaboration for internationalization at home in tertiary education

Guided by the framework of internationalization at home (IaH), this study employed a mixed-methods approach investigating the development of intercultural communicative competence (ICC) among a group of tertiary English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners in Taiwan, facilitated through the means of telecollaboration. The telecollaboration incorporated 30 EFL learners and 30 learners of Chinese from Australia and New Zealand. Data collection encompassed EFL learners’ responses to a self-assessment questionnaire, their reflective essays, alongside instructors’ reflective journals. The findings showed that EFL learners held positive perceptions regarding their telecollaboration experience and reported substantial growth in ICC across three dimensions: cognitive, affective and behavioral. In applying various multimodal communication strategies, EFL learners realized and valued cultural similarities and differences. Their reflective accounts exhibited evidence of enhanced linguistic and cultural competences. The telecollaboration enabled them to increase their confidence in utilizing English, hone their digital literacy skills for effective communications, and establish conducive environments for their relational and emotional development with their teammates and instructors. The latter provided indispensable emotion in varying contingent situations. Incorporating the insights drawn from the instructors’ reflective journals, the study argues that telecollaboration as a pedagogical practice is the significant essence of effective IaH curriculum design and implementation.

The development of desire language: A corpus study of ‘want’

Children’s usage of mental state verbs can reveal evidence of their theory of mind and general cognitive development. Children produce a certain class of mental state verbs, namely desire verbs such as want, like, and love, early in development. Among these desire verbs, they produce want the most frequently. We report on a corpus study of 450 + instances of want as gathered from children’s dialogues with caretakers in the CHILDES database. We developed a novel coding scheme to measure children’s use and understanding of want utterances: i.e., we analyzed the kinds of things that children described wanting for themselves or others, as well as the agents to whom they ascribed desires. We report on the frequencies of these features across the ages of 24 to 59 months (2–4 years of age), and highlight noteworthy trends in the way children used want. Children appear to talk about their own desires most often; they primarily use questions to talk about second person desires; and they describe more complex desires as they mature. We describe how these patterns of linguistic competency may serve as an index for the development of mechanisms that underlie mental state reasoning.

Formation of Linguistic and Cultural Competence of Pre-Service Foreign Language Teachers through National Identity

Training future teachers of Foreign Language Education requires a methodological study of national identity in teaching English. National identity encompasses all aspects of cultural and traditional values. Based on qualitative research methodology, participants consisted of 120 pre-service foreign language teachers. Survey developed based on qualitative means, which included open-ended questions regarding the pre-service foreign language teacher's perceptions. The main features of the formation of linguistic and cultural competence of future English teachers are considered. Study aims to identify and form linguistic and cultural competence within the national identity of university students studying in Kazakhstan. The methodology aimed at identifying the ideas of students of universities in Kazakhstan about national identity is a descriptive study within the framework of the survey model. Data is collected using the national identity perception scale. A model for forming a national identity when teaching a foreign language is proposed. The study results, it can be concluded that students’ express opinions on the first stage, national identity and values on the second stage, which is the attitude to national identity and religion as part of national identity.