Linguistic Principles Research Articles

Acculturation

The hypothesis of the history of humanity as a succession of acculturations was more appropriate to linguistic, social and cultural facts and to the continuity of history itself. One of the most assiduously upheld principles in historical linguistics was acculturation. There was no linguistic change without languages in contact, and both the history of languages in contact and linguistic change were part of acculturation, based on social and cultural diffusion, which implied the intrinsic relationship between linguistics, sociology and anthropology. From approximately 1970, the panorama of concern for space in the historiography relating to the Crown of Castile began to change. The entry of anthropology into history was one of the most significant historiographical data. The central idea of ecosystem and the key concept of acculturation were used by some Spanish historians, in order to offer a new interpretation of the behavior of Hispanic-Christian society. Our current working hypothesis has been an application of languages in contact, within a new project of anthropological history on the long process of formation of Hispanic Romance languages. In the history of humanity, the primary principle in the history of languages in contact and linguistic change was the acculturation of human groups.

Response to Ho Dah-an

Ho Dah-an’s 2016 review of our book Old Chinese: A New Reconstruction (2014) contains little discussion of the book’s main themes or proposals: he focuses instead on “errors” which, according to him, “reflect the outdated concepts of the authors and the insufficiency of their basic training.” In this response to Ho’s review, we consider his discussion of these “errors.” On two points (discussed below), he has actually found errors (a faulty interpretation of an entry in the Shuōwén jiězì and one incorrect citation), which we are glad to be able to correct. Neither materially affects our conclusions. The other “errors” that Ho mentions are not errors at all: in most cases they reflect basic misunderstandings on Ho’s part: of our book, of other sources, and of basic principles of historical linguistics. Since some of these misunderstandings relate to general issues in the reconstruction of Old Chinese, we attempt here to correct these misunderstandings in order to set the record straight.

Theory of affective pragmatics under biolinguistics.

This paper introduces a pioneering investigation into affective pragmatics through the perspective of Darwinian Biolinguistics, an interdisciplinary field at the nexus of biological and linguistic principles. Anchored in Darwin's theory of evolution and the latest developments in neurobiology, this study delves into the influence of biological factors---especially those pertaining to the brain's emotional processing on pragmatic communication. The research posits that human emotional responses, inherent in our biological constitution, profoundly influence the usage and interpretation of language in social interactions.

Language Change and Languages in Contact

The hypothesis of the history of linguistics as a succession of paradigms was more appropriate to linguistic facts and to the continuity of history itself than to a substitution of models. One of the most assiduously maintained principles in historical linguistics was the theory of the regularity of linguistic change. However, both the history of languages in contact and linguistic change were part of acculturation, based on social and cultural diffusion, which implied the intrinsic relationship between linguistics, sociology and anthropology. It was not, therefore, a mere linguistic issue, but also a social and cultural one. In this sense, we had to differentiate two interpretations: 1) an autonomous version of the assumption of phonological regularity, and 2) a grammatical version of linguistic change. Within the anthropological history of Hispanic romances there was a linguistic and cultural continuity, based on the successive and diverse historical acculturations (Indo-European, Iberian, Phoenician-Greek, Roman, Christian, Germanic, Visigothic, Byzantine, Islamic, Castilian, Catalan-Aragonese, Hispanic and Anglo-Saxon), with the linguistic and cultural transfers that implied the social and cultural mixing of these groups, and the adaptation to a new sociocultural context. During the second half of the last century, great contributions to historical linguistics were accumulated, which were far from being recognized by historians of the language

Language Change And Languages In Contact

The hypothesis of the history of linguistics as a succession of paradigms was more appropriate to linguistic facts and to the continuity of history itself than to a substitution of models. One of the most assiduously maintained principles in historical linguistics was the theory of the regularity of linguistic change. However, both the history of languages in contact and linguistic change were part of acculturation, based on social and cultural diffusion, which implied the intrinsic relationship between linguistics, sociology and anthropology. It was not, therefore, a mere linguistic issue, but also a social and cultural one. In this sense, we had to differentiate two interpretations: 1) an autonomous version of the assumption of phonological regularity, and 2) a grammatical version of linguistic change. Within the anthropological history of Hispanic romances there was a linguistic and cultural continuity, based on the successive and diverse historical acculturations (Indo-European, Iberian, Phoenician-Greek, Roman, Christian, Germanic, Visigothic, Byzantine, Islamic, Castilian, Catalan-Aragonese, Hispanic and AngloSaxon), with the linguistic and cultural transfers that implied the social and cultural mixing of these groups, and the adaptation to a new sociocultural context. During the second half of the last century, great contributions to historical linguistics were accumulated, which were far from being recognized by historians of the language.

The Ecological Construction Path of English Vocabulary Teaching Based on Markov Chain in the Perspective of Ecological Linguistics

The new curriculum standards have put forward new requirements for high school English vocabulary teaching, and the English vocabulary eco-classroom under the guidance of ecological linguistics theory can precisely make up for the shortcomings in the traditional vocabulary classroom and meet the challenges of the times. However, most of the existing researches on ecological classroom are combined with macro English subjects, and few of them are about English vocabulary teaching. This study takes the principles of ecological linguistics as the theoretical basis to support the conceptual construction and morphological reliance of the vocabulary ecological classroom, supplemented by modal theory as the process orientation of the four major stages in the teaching process, constructs a new vocabulary ecological classroom model based on Markov chain model, and applies the ecological classroom model to high school English vocabulary teaching to verify its teaching effects. The experimental results show that the Markov chain-based high school English vocabulary teaching under the “ecological linguistics” model can help students’ interest in vocabulary learning and promote their vocabulary learning level, accounting for 15% improvement in the learning effect.

Gendered Response to Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Modern Linguistics: Evaluating the Perspectives of Senior Lecturers on Technological Innovations

The incorporation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into contemporary linguistics exhibits a significant and transformational change in the discipline. AI technologies, which include natural language processing (NLP), machine learning, and computational linguistics, have significantly transformed the methods employed by linguists for studying, analyzing, and applying linguistic principles. However, as the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) within modern linguistics has presented novel opportunities, facilitating scholars in their investigation of language at an unprecedented scale and level of intricacy, it is pertinent to understand how language educators; especially, the university lecturers perceive these positive innovations. Nevertheless, the current research is focused on examining the responses of senior lecturers on the integration of AI in modern linguistics. The research objective further centered on gender variation in the responses of these lecturers in regard to technological innovations brought in by the integration of AI in modern linguistics. Using a quantitative research method, a good number of participants who are mainly senior lectures were engaged in an online interview. These participants consisting of forty-six (46) females and thirty-seven (37) males shared their opinions with regard to the focus of the study. Moreover, two important hypotheses were developed for this research and a t-test was conducted to validate these hypotheses. The findings generated from the data analyzed indicated that although there are no significant differences in the perceptions of both male and female lecturers on the integration of AI in modern linguistics, there are some aspects specific to modern linguistics with observable gender variations in responses of the participants. Such aspect includes easy adaption of new AI tools, level of benefits and ethical challenges. Also, while female lecturers address the AI integration in modern linguistics from ethical and beneficial point of view, the male counterparts focused more on accessibility and inclusivity.

PREDICATIVE POSITION OF ADJECTIVES IN ENGLISH AND THEIR EQUIVALENTS WHEN TRANSLATING INTO ALBANIAN

Predicative adjectives play a crucial role in language by providing additional information about the subject of a sentence. This paper explores the significance and characteristics of predicative adjectives in linguistic analysis. The paper examines the syntactic structures and patterns governing the translation of predicative adjectives from English into Albanian language. Through a comparative analysis, this paper investigates how syntactic differences between the two languages influence the placement and construction of predicative adjectives in Albanian language sentences. Furthermore, the paper explores the impact of word order, agreement, and syntactic hierarchy on the translation process. Drawing on linguistic theories and principles, this research clarifies the syntactic adjustments required to maintain grammatical coherence and preserve the intended meaning when rendering predicative adjectives into Albanian. Predicative adjectives in English typically exhibit a relatively minor difference from Albanian translation, with exceptions found among adjectives whose predicative only usage is specific to the English language. Adjectives falling into this category necessitate substantial adjustments during translation, often resulting in their representation not solely as adjectives but also as nouns, verbs, or adverbs within the translated context. By shedding light on the syntactic complexities of translation, this paper contributes to a deeper understanding of the challenges and strategies involved in conveying predicative adjectives across linguistic boundaries.

UNPACKING MULTILINGUAL INDONESIAN ISLAMIC HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENTS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS ENGLISH AND ITS PROMISES

Issues regarding attitudes and perceptions about English and its cultural politics have been widely and significantly reported in literature. As an international language, English signifies multiple and complex benefits and challenges. This paper aims to extend the discussion by interrogating students’ attitudes and unpack their views towards promises of English in Indonesian Islamic higher education (HE) settings. Participants in this study were undergraduate English Literature students who had engaged with the introductory principles of (Critical) Applied Linguistics (CPL). Data was collected through questionnaires (with closed and open-ended questions) from 58 participants, 19 males and 39 females, and semi-structured interviews with four students. The findings elucidated different views on varieties of English as students showed a quite moderate view of varieties of English from non-inner circle countries instead of treating them as something deficient. Dependency on native speakers’ English variety, however, seems to be negotiated in that the participants view intelligibility as more important in communication than, for instance, correctness. Moreover, students in the present study view speaking English with a local accent as something acceptable. Although not absolutely certain, they still presume that having competence in English can offer better hope in their future.

Kto jest szczupakiem w czeskim stawie? Metafora pojęciowa polityka to staw w czeskim dyskursie politycznym

In this article, the author analyzes the conceptual metaphors politics is a pond, a politician is a carp and a politician is a pike in Czech political discourse. The investigation is based on the theory of conceptual metaphor and follows the principles of ethnolinguistics and cognitive linguistics. The author shows how the specific features of these conceptual metaphors relate to the Czech linguistic worldview and proposes metaphorical mapping that conveys salient features of the target domain (politics and politicians). The conceptual metaphor politics is a pond helps the speaker to depict a problematic domestic political situation that needs to be changed. The metaphors a politician is a carp and a politician is a pike are usually used to create the “friend-foe” opposition in political discourse. The conceptual metaphor a politician is a carp discloses the passivity and laziness of politicians and their inability or unwillingness to change the current situation. On the other hand, the conceptual metaphor a politician is a pike can be used to indicate both the positive qualities of a politician (activity, energy, initiative) and the negative ones (greed, selfishness, cruelty). The use of culturally specific conceptual metaphors allows a politician to establish close contact with the audience to increase the number of loyal voters.

Rhetorical Functions of Lexical Collocations in the Inaugural Speech of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

In political communication, inaugural speeches are pivotal, signifying the start of a leader’s term and a new chapter in a nation’s history. These serve as a momentousoccasion where the leader outlines their vision, pledging to guide the country to prosperity and unity. This study delves into the inaugural speech delivered by PresidentBola Ahmed Tinubu upon assuming the highest office in Nigeria in May 2023. Through a meticulous analysis of lexical collocations, the study uncovers the underlying linguistic intricacies, thematic emphasis, and rhetorical strategies employed by President Tinubu in his address, to gain insights into the rhetorical techniques used to connect with the audience and convey his vision as well as the impact of his address on political discourse and public perception. Downloading the speech from the Punch Newspaper website, the analytical approach followed the principles of lexical collocation theory and systemic functional linguistics. The analysis reveals eight strategic rhetorical purposes in President Tinubu’s use of lexical collocations in his speech. These functions encompass appeals to religiosity, political sensibility, national pride, patriotism, unity, hope, calls to action, policy clarification, and exemplifying an inclusive government. His language choices resonate with the audience, eliciting emotions and nurturing a national sense of pride and identity. The analysis of President Tinubu’s inaugural speech contributes to a better understanding of his linguistic legacy and communication strategies during his tenure in office. It becomes a part of the historical record, revealing the president’s approach to governance and leadership.

The Imperative Need for Writing Skills and Competence in English for Vocational Learners: A Comprehensive Literature Review

The focus of this research includes aspects of language, linguistics, and literature skills, as well as their impact on human resource management and public organizations. Through qualitative descriptive analysis methods, this study reveals that language skills, including grammar, vocabulary, and syntax, are the main foundation of writing competence. The results of this study show that linguistics and exposure to literature play an important role in developing writing excellence. Linguistic principles enrich students' understanding of sentence structure and coherence, while exposure to literature stimulates creativity and enriches writing styles. The integration of these components into the vocational curriculum is a practical strategy to strengthen overall writing skills. In addition, this study highlights the importance of writing competence in the context of human resource management. Students with strong writing skills are better equipped to make convincing job applications and communicate effectively in the context of human resource management. This demonstrates the need for vocational institutions to work with career services to provide the guidance and resources needed by students to succeed in HR-related communication. This research confirms that clear and effective written communication is very important in public organizations. Good writing skills ensure transparency, accountability, and accessibility of information within this organization.

The Dialectical Relationship of the Arbitrariness and Iconicity of Linguistic Semiotics

The enduring debate surrounding the arbitrariness and iconicity of linguistic signs centers on the relationship between form and meaning, or signifier and signified. This study aims to clarify the dialectical relationship between these two foundational principles in linguistics. Historically, arbitrariness, as proposed by Ferdinand de Saussure, posits that the connection between a linguistic sign's form and its meaning is conventional and lacks inherent justification. Conversely, iconicity suggests a natural or motivated connection between form and meaning, a view supported by cognitive and functional linguistics. This paper critically reviews the historical and contemporary arguments from both camps, highlighting significant contributions from scholars such as Saussure, Peirce, and Haiman. Through a comprehensive analysis, it is demonstrated that arbitrariness and iconicity are not mutually exclusive but coexist at different levels within language systems. The paper argues for a nuanced understanding that considers both synchronic and diachronic perspectives, ultimately suggesting that these two principles can complement each other, providing a deeper insight into the nature and function of linguistic signs. This study contributes to the broader discussion on the inherent characteristics of language, with implications for linguistic theory, language teaching, translation, and cognitive science.

UNDERSTANDING ASSOCIATIVE PORTRAITS IN LINGUISTICS: CONCEPT AND CORE PRINCIPLES

In recent years, one of the most pressing issues in linguistics has been the determination of the linguistic landscape image of the external world as perceived by language speakers. This endeavour is primarily pursued through associative experiments conducted collectively among speakers of a language. Such experiments aim to uncover how individuals mentally map and interpret the world around them through language. A crucial aspect of this research involves creating associative portraits of notable individuals within society. These portraits help in understanding how famous people are collectively perceived and represented linguistically by different groups of speakers. In this context, the current article delves into the problem of studying associative portraits within the field of linguistics. It explores the methodologies used in these associative experiments, discusses the importance of these portraits in capturing societal perceptions, and elucidates the underlying linguistic principles that define the concept of the associative portrait. By doing so, the article aims to reveal the linguistic essence of associative portraits, offering insights into how language shapes and reflects our understanding of prominent figures in society.

Emergent Pragmatic Conventions in Spoken ELF Corpus Data: Micro-Diachronic Analysis of Inclusive vs. Exclusive Multilingual Practices

This article examines multilingual practices as an example of emergent pragmatic conventions in three Transient International Groups (TIGs) using spoken English as a lingua franca (ELF) from the Vienna-Oxford International Corpus of English (VOICE). The analysis combines principles of corpus linguistics and conversation analysis by adopting a new approach for the micro-diachronic analysis of spoken interaction. Quantitative and qualitative evidence and micro-diachronic visualizations of VOICE transcripts show how the three groups examined interactively develop group-specific multilingual practices. The analysis reveals that the three groups have different preferences in this respect. While two groups develop inclusive multilingual practices in the course of their interaction, one group shows a tendency to use multilingual practices exclusively, primarily in side sequences. In addition to multilingual use, the presence or absence of metalinguistic discussions about language (and languages) plays a role for creation of shared transcultural territory and the formation of group identity. These processes are indicative of how unacquainted multilingual speakers negotiate and develop pragmatic conventions more generally.

LINGUODIDACTIC PRINCIPLES OF DEVELOPING PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE FOR SIMULTANEOUS INTERPRETATION TEACHERS

This article identifies and describes the language teaching principles for the formation of professional competence in simultaneous interpretation teachers. An analysis of domestic and foreign theoretical and practical research reveals that the problem of developing professional competence for simultaneous interpretation teachers, despite its undeniable significance, is still in the early stages of study. In the scientific, pedagogical, and translation discourses, the search for effective solutions has only just begun. Determining the linguodidactic principles of preparing translation teachers in general and forming their professional competence provides the basis for a comprehensive study of this complex issue. It is established that the professional competence of a translation teacher is an integrative characteristic of personality, which presupposes the formation of a complex of necessary competencies for effective pedagogical and translation activities, including various components of pedagogy and translation, and pedagogical communication within the framework of intercultural communication. The professional competence of a simultaneous interpreter is a complex formation that includes both general translation competencies, reflecting the main functions of translation activities, and specific competencies necessary for oral interpretation, including the simultaneous one (as readiness and ability to perceive and understand the oral speech of communicators from different cultures, to transmit it by the communication situation, genre, style, and register; ability to immerse oneself in situations of interlingual and intercultural interaction; ability to activate necessary competencies for translation and teaching activities; readiness for enriching communicative experience while mobilizing already developed skills and abilities; capacity for reflection and self-reflection). Linguodidactic principles of developing professional competence for simultaneous interpretation teachers are defined, taking into account the interdisciplinary nature of this process, namely: pedagogical, translation studies, linguistic, and psychological principles, without which it is impossible to organize the training process for future specialists qualitatively.

The semantics of language in Eugène Ionesco’s plays

The goal of this paper is to present the characteristics of Eugène Ionesco’s dramatic texts, a reason why the genre of avant-garde and theatre of the absurd are also considered, with a view to revealing their major ways of functioning. By pointing out the different dimensions of dramatic language, the emphasis is on those elements that differ from current oral and written language. Starting from the times of decadentism, a crisis of character can be noted in the theater around a type of individual who, as an alienated individual, cannot find his identity in a hostile surrounding world. One of the direct consequences of this crisis will be the impossibility of interpersonal communication, which will be best demonstrated with the concept and tenets of the theater of the absurd. In this context, the study of the theater of the 20th century is done from the perspective of cognitive semantics, as an autonomous level of language. The approach is organised around two notions: dramatic conventions and the actual language of the dramatic texts. The interpretative theory rooted in semantics is applied while analysing Ionesco’s short plays. The starting point is the linguistics of the text as described by Eugen Coşeriu. Capturing the meaning and the means by which it is constructed is one of the objectives in accord with the main principles of cognitive linguistics. The way of analysing the meaning in a text is given by the presence of some textual functions, as possibilities provided by language through relationships that the linguistic sign establishes in the discursive act. The specificity of the discourse comes from the combination of verbal and non-verbal elements, in order to highlight the playwright’s original style. The particularities of this type of language based on an ontological representation of the actional nature in human existence are also investigated. There are two dimensions recognisable in the language of literature: one is specific to the genre and the other one is particular, giving originality and uniqueness. The textual meaning in between these dimensions needs to be reconstructed from all their constituents identifiable at different levels of analysis. Ionesco distanced himself from the conventional and traditional theatre, finding a new formula for the dramatic genre in his own vision of what drama should be like. Ionesco’s dramatic work includes short plays and extensive plays in which the author expresses his adversity against totalitarian regimes. He is the representative of the theater of the absurd and anti-theater. The corpus for this research is composed mainly of the plays The Bald Soprano, The Lesson and The Chairs, the most representative plays for the avant-garde spirit, short plays on the theme of language emptied of meaning and non-communication. Language has an impact on thinking and the resulting actions, which relates it to the ontology of human existence. As dramatic language is preponderently structured on dialogical interactions (and less on monologues, soliloquies and asides), its essence can be revealed by decomposing and recomposing them, from the angle of the conventions specific to the dramatic genre. The analysis of the selected fragments from the corpus has the role to highlight their semantic features in terms of conceptual representations.

STUDYING STRATEGIES TO ENHANCE INTEREST IN TEXT FROM A LINGUISTIC PERSPECTIVE

This work will focus on text-based interest, which may be found in this article using a linguistics method. The principles of linguistics of emotions, which integrate the findings of language and psychology studies, provide the groundwork for this strategy. The paper delves into the linguistic methods of text-based interest analysis and how they relate to interest's function in interactive instructional discourse. One definition of active, emotion-evoking discourse is the communicative scenario in which an informative text piques the reader's curiosity. The speaker's goal in adopting interest-evoking rhetorical tactics—that is, strategies for generating texts to evoke the audience's attention—is to "evoke the recipient's interest" in this particular discourse. Applying techniques from communicative-functional linguistics, we may analyze these systems. First, we can pinpoint specific tactics with the use of these methods. The essay uses two such systems—text dialogization and contextualization—in Russian textbooks as an example. Second, to implement these tactics, the communicative-functional approaches show the most important ways of using language and producing finished content. We think these methods are what people mean when discussing the concretization of text content, developing text emotiveness, and forming text dialogicity.

Measurement and Mind: Unveiling the Self-Delusion of Metrification in Psychology

ABSTRACT This paper critically evaluates the quantification of psychological attributes through metric measurement. Drawing on epistemological considerations by Immanuel Kant, the development of measurement theory in the natural and social sciences is outlined. This includes an examination of Fechner’s psychophysical law and the fundamental criticism initially raised by von Kries. The distinction between theoretical and practical measurability is illuminated, addressing the question of equality within mental entities ( Ψ ) and their measures ( θ ). Psychometric scaling procedures such as Rasch scaling are argued to enable interval-scaled quantification on a real number line θ , but they are insufficient to establish a genuine interval scale level of Ψ . Instead, the values of θ should be regarded as qualitative statements that indicate ordinal relationships within Ψ . Two principles of scaling – the Guttman “model” and the Rasch model – are introduced, with their theoretical foundations explained, referencing the Rasch paradox. In the empirical section, data simulation is conducted to illustrate the Rasch paradox and to substantiate the theoretical considerations of the article. The research underscores the significance of linguistic analysis in understanding quantitative claims, suggesting a shift toward ordinal quantification within psychological measurement, drawing upon the linguistic principle of localism. Spatial metaphors are argued to play a central role in human language, even in natural sciences like physics, suggesting that systematic analysis of human language could offer a valuable method for the quantitative analysis of psychological attributes.

Infinitive as a verb form of the German language

The object of the study is the infinitive of the German language, and the subject is its semantic, structural and functional characteristics, which make it possible to interpret it as a verb form. The authors consider in detail such aspects as the specificity of the infinitive expression of the verbal categorical meaning, which brings it closer to the noun; structural division and microsystem of infinitive forms of the modern German language. Morphological features of the infinitive are considered through the prism of historical changes in the structure of the word in the German language. The authors pay special attention to the syntactic behavior of the infinitive. At the same time, the authors pay special attention to the multifunctionality of the infinitive, which is maximally identical to the nominal parts of speech. At the same time, the authors note the manifestation of the verb character of the infinitive in the ability to form a verb group. The methodological basis of the work is based on a systematic approach to the interpretation of linguistic phenomena in synchrony and diachrony. The theoretical basis of the research is the fundamental principles of general, comparative historical and Germanic linguistics. The comparative method and the method of distributive analysis were used to identify the functional potential of the infinitive and innovative phenomena. The main conclusions of the study are to identify the complexity of interpreting syncretic units to which the infinitive belongs. It was found that during the development of the German language, the infinitive gradually entered its verbal system, losing nominal grammatical features, such as the case paradigm. At the same time, the infinitive acquired verbal signs, as a temporary and collateral meaning. A special contribution of the author is the conclusion that the dual nature of the infinitive, which determines its peripheral position, is the basis for expanding its functional potential, which contributes to the participation of the infinitive in the formation of new grammatical structures/forms. The novelty of the study lies in the identification of such a function of the infinitive as participation in the formation of verb groups, where maximum proximity with the final verb is manifested.