Linguistic Diversity Research Articles

Linguistic landscape in George Town, Malaysia: Language visibility in a postcolonial and globalized context

The visibility of languages in the linguistic landscape reflects various aspects of linguistic diversity and dynamics in a given territory, signifying social interactions, identities, and power relationships among ethnic groups. However, postcolonial acontexts with widespread use of ethnic minority languages and the coexistence of state-sponsored national languages with precolonial official languages in the era of globalization have received limited research. This paper investigates the visibility of language in three neighbourhoods in George Town, Malaysia, a former administrative city under British governance, focusing on language visibility within three distinct neighborhoods: Chinatown, Little India, and the Beach Street. The study reveals a complex interplay of languages, highlighting the predominance of English as an information carrier and a symbol of modernity, alongside the increasing prominence of Chinese and the lesser visibility of Tamil and underrepresentation of other minority languages. The research underscores the ethnic boundaries between the vibrant enclaves of Little India and Chinatown, while Beach Street serves as a multicultural space reflecting a blend of local and global influences.

SOCIOLINGUISTIC PROFILE RESEARCH PAPER

This research paper explores the sociolinguistic profiles of learners in a sixth-grade classroom, focusing on the intersections between language, society, and individual characteristics. The study investigates the linguistic diversity within a group of Uzbek and Russian pupils learning English as a foreign language, highlighting the role of factors such as language background, socioeconomic status, and cultural identity in shaping their learning experiences. Two distinct learner subgroups are identified: one group of bilingual Russian-speaking students from urban, educated backgrounds, and another group of Uzbek-speaking students from monolingual, low socioeconomic backgrounds. Through analysis of these subgroups, the paper examines the influence of sociocultural dynamics on language learning behaviors and challenges. The study provides pedagogical and assessment implications, aiming to offer educators insights into adapting instructional techniques to accommodate the diverse needs and backgrounds of their students. By addressing these sociolinguistic dimensions, this paper contributes to understanding how language variety and social context affect language education and the notion of pedagogical implications and assessment implications are discussed.

Exploring the potential of large language models for author profiling tasks in digital text forensics

The rapid advancement of large language models (LLMs) has opened up new possibilities for various natural language processing tasks. This study explores the potential of LLMs for author profiling in digital text forensics, which involves identifying characteristics such as age and gender from writing style—a crucial task in forensic investigations of anonymous or pseudonymous communications. Experiments were conducted using state-of-the-art LLMs, including Polyglot, EEVE, and Bllossom, to evaluate their performance in author profiling. Different fine-tuning strategies, such as full fine-tuning, Low-Rank Adaptation (LoRA), and Quantized LoRA (QLoRA), were compared to determine the most effective methods for adapting LLMs to the specific needs of this task. The results show that fine-tuned LLMs can effectively predict authors’ age and gender based on their writing styles, with Polyglot-based models generally outperforming EEVE and Bllossom models. Additionally, LoRA and QLoRA strategies significantly reduce computational costs and memory requirements while maintaining performance comparable to full fine-tuning. However, error analysis reveals limitations in the current LLM-based approach, including difficulty in capturing subtle linguistic variations across age groups and potential biases from pre-training data. These challenges are discussed and future research directions to address them are proposed. This study underscores the potential of LLMs in author profiling for digital text forensics, suggesting promising avenues for further exploration and refinement.

The Existence and Development of Variants in English Writing Teaching in International Corpus based on Time Series Data Analysis

This study investigates the evolution and prevalence of variant forms in English writing instruction within an international context, utilizing a time series analysis of corpus data. Recognizing the dynamic nature of language, especially in educational settings, this research aims to identify and analyze the changes in teaching methodologies and language usage over time. By examining a comprehensive corpus compiled from diverse international sources, the study focuses on how English writing instruction has adapted to linguistic variations and evolving pedagogical approaches.The methodology involves a quantitative analysis of corpus data spanning several decades, enabling a longitudinal view of trends in English writing teaching. The corpus includes a wide range of educational materials, academic publications, and teaching resources from different countries, ensuring a global perspective. Time series analysis is employed to track the frequency and context of various teaching practices and linguistic forms, offering insights into their development and dissemination.Key findings reveal a significant shift in teaching strategies, reflecting an increased emphasis on learner-centered approaches and the integration of digital technologies. Variants in language usage, influenced by cultural and regional differences, are also evident, highlighting the importance of context-specific teaching methods.

Linguistic Diversity at Risk: Description of Endangered Languages in Papua

Language and linguistic diversity in Papua are on the edge of extinction. Merely few languages have been documented and hundreds of them are still hitherto underdescribed or undescribed. The paper provides a brief description regarding the situation and condition of endangered languages in Papua by using a descriptive qualitative. The data was outlined in the shortlisted information based on Fishman’s EGIDS involving dormant languages, nearly extinct languages, and moribund languages. As a result. 42 languages in Papua are generally categorized as critically endangered. Moreover, rapid vitality decline is driven by several issues such as cultural assimilation, economic pressures, breakdown of language transmission, and the dominance of superior languages. Describing and documenting those endangered languages is crucial for preserving their unique linguistic features, cultural heritage, and traditional knowledge. Without immediate and comprehensive documentation, the richness of linguistic diversity in Papua stands to be irretrievably gone.

Linguistics variation: A case study of Oka - Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria

The analysis reveals distinct phonological features, such as unique vowel harmony patterns and consonant clusters, that differentiate Ọ̀kà dialects from each other. Syntactic analysis uncovers differences in sentence structure, particularly in verb placement and the use of tense and aspect markers. Lexical comparisons highlight numerous unique terms and expressions in Ọ̀kà, reflecting cultural and environmental influences. This research contributes to the documentation and preservation of the Ọ̀kà dialect, providing insights into the dynamic nature of language and its role in cultural identity. The findings underscore the importance of linguistic diversity and support efforts to promote and sustain minority dialects within larger linguistic communities. It is based on an analysis of phonological and morphophonological features as vowel harmonies and consonant clusters found specifically in both Ọ̀kà dialects and standard Yorùba. Lexical comparisons reveal many hapaxes in Ọ̀kà that illustrate cultural and environmental associations. The study also unpacks sociolinguistic dimensions that shape these variations. This research contributes to the documentation and preservation of the Ọ̀kà dialect, providing insights into the dynamic nature of language and its role in cultural identity. The findings underscore the importance of linguistic diversity and support efforts to promote and sustain minority dialects within larger linguistic communities.

KISWAHILI RADIO BROADCASTING IN KENYA: PERSPECTIVES, CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

This research aimed to look into the falling standards of content in radio broadcasts in Kenya and the disengagement of audiences due to commercialization, regulatory pressures, and competition from vernacular and digital platforms. The objectives of this paper were to evaluate the impact of these challenges on Kiswahili radio stations, identify possibilities for enriching their content and expanding their audience bases, and strategies towards media relevance in Kenya’s dynamic landscape. A qualitative approach involving semi-structured interview guides with Kenyan leading radio producers and presenters, key informants, and listeners was employed to provide an analytical perspective on listening habits and key concerns about Kiswahili radio. Findings indicate that Kiswahili radio has played a significant role in promoting public discourse by offering a platform for people to voice their opinions concerning national matters and the cultural significance of indigenous customs and practices while creating a sense of belonging among its listeners. They act as a medium through which important messages relating to healthcare services and governance are passed across to others, including political communication tools that mobilize the masses for elections. Factors such as lack of funds, new technologies, political interference, and linguistic variety can sooner or later bring negative effects, affecting the stations’ programming quality and ability to respond to the constantly changing media environment. However, barriers encountered in this study suggest that growth in Kiswahili radio broadcasting can still be achieved through embracing digitization, diversification of revenue, upholding good journalism practices, inclusiveness of the community, geographical expansion, and regional and international outreach.

Identity, stereotypes, and prejudices in intercultural education and the role of computers in ADHD

The educational area of ​​primary education is faced with most issues and problems due to the linguistic, religious, and cultural diversity of students, which is constantly growing numerically. Suddenly, elementary schools have become places where students speak different languages ​​with each other, bring different cultures and cultural elements due to their various countries of origin, and have special educational needs. Regardless of what the reasons are for a newly formed multicultural social reality, education as an essential institution of society in global, European, and local contexts is called upon to think about and find appropriate solutions, to initiate and implement actions to update itself, to change the educational philosophy, the general principles, its targeting by subject, the methodological-educational/teaching approaches, the educational material, printed and digital, and accordingly to train its teachers. The heterogeneity of the student population in terms of language, religion, or ethnicity is an indisputable fact for educational systems. During the educational process, we teachers are called to educate our students equally and equally, regardless of their country of origin and any of their differences, and this constitutes the pedagogical contract of morals and universal values for us. The goal of the current study is to gain an understanding of terms such as "identity," "stereotypes," and "prejudices," as well as therapeutic approaches used to help children from racial and ethnic minorities who are suffering from ADHD. These approaches include games using Computers.

Communication Management Factors and Performance of Rwamagana Leaders’ School Project in Rwanda

The study examined the impact of communication management variables on the success of Rwanda's Rwamagana Leaders' School Project in cross-cultural settings. It aimed to assess how linguistic diversity management, digital communication methods, and communication frequency influenced project outcomes. Data was collected from 37 staff members through interviews and questionnaires, employing descriptive and correlation study approaches. Statistical analysis utilized descriptive statistics, multiple linear regression, and Pearson correlation. Key findings revealed that 56.76% of respondents agreed and 35.14% strongly agreed that regular, open communication is essential for project success, yielding a mean of 4.24 (SD = 0.72). Similarly, stakeholder interaction frequency was deemed important, with a mean of 4.24 (SD = 0.76). Regular reporting and documentation also enhanced project performance (mean = 4.27, SD = 0.73), with 54.05% agreeing and 37.84% strongly agreeing. Additionally, 91.89% highlighted the importance of digital communication for budget adherence and collaboration. Miscommunication was a concern for 89.19% of respondents, indicating potential delays and cost overruns. ANOVA results (F = 481.065, p < 0.001) showed significant performance variations across communication management parameters. A strong positive correlation (r = 0.893, p = 0.000) between communication management characteristics and project performance suggests that improvements in communication practices directly enhance project success. Overall, the study concluded that effective communication and linguistic diversity management are vital for the Rwamagana Leaders' School Project's success.

Gauging, enriching and applying geography knowledge in Pre-trained Language Models

To employ Pre-trained Language Models (PLMs) as knowledge containers in niche domains it is important to gauge the knowledge of these PLMs about facts in these domains. It is also an important pre-requisite to know how much enrichment effort is required to make them better. As part of this work, we aim to gauge and enrich small PLMs for knowledge of world geography. Firstly, we develop a moderately sized dataset of masked sentences covering 24 different fact types about world geography to estimate knowledge of PLMs on these facts. We hypothesize that for this niche domain, smaller PLMs may not be well equipped. Secondly, we enrich PLMs with this knowledge through fine-tuning and check if the knowledge in the dataset is infused sufficiently. We further hypothesize that linguistic variability in the manual templates used to embed the knowledge in masked sentences does not affect the knowledge infusion. Finally, we demonstrate the application of PLMs to tourism blog search and Wikidata KB augmentation. In both applications, we aim at showing the effectiveness of using PLMs to achieve competitive performance.

Religious Unification, Regional Divergence: Exploring Multifaceted Linguistic Practices and Identities among the Israeli Druze and the Druze Community in the Golan Heights

This study delves into a comparative analysis of language and identity within two distinct Druze communities: those residing in the Golan Heights, who transitioned from Syrian to Israeli governance post the 1967 War, and their counterparts within Israel proper. Both communities find themselves situated as 'sandwiched' communities, with the Golan Druze caught between Israeli and Syrian nationalisms and the Israeli Druze positioned amid the dynamics of Israel and the Arabs. Given the fluid nature of collective identities, which are subject to continuous shaping by sociopolitical influences within and beyond state boundaries, this study focuses on two pivotal political debates in each community during the fieldwork period. The Israeli Druze community is primarily concerned with the Israeli-Nation State law controversy. Meanwhile, the Golan Heights Druze community is grappling with the intensifying and widely publicized speculation regarding secret negotiations between Assad's regime and Israel, which suggests that the Golan was sold to Israel rather than being a result of a 'lost war.' This study explores how these debates gradually shape the collective identities of the respective communities. The research illuminates how navigating between opposing forces leads to the emergence of novel national identities and linguistic variations within these 'sandwiched' contexts.

Teachers' perceptions and implementations of global Englishes and Frenches in language classrooms

AbstractAn important first step to globalizing and decentralizing foreign language education is to clarify current language teachers' perceptions of language varieties and how these perceptions influence their pedagogy. The present study looked at English and French language classrooms in K‐12 and university settings in the United States to compare attitudes around varieties of two dominant global languages with colonial legacies through an anonymous questionnaire completed by 36 language teachers. The study aimed to understand to what extent English and French language teachers drew on the linguistic diversity of the respective languages and if there was a connection between received ideas and attitudes around varieties and approaches taken in language classrooms. Findings suggest that language teachers were influenced by their own language learning histories, leading to a misalignment between teaching beliefs and pedagogical practices. Additionally, language teachers were subject to curricular constraints that influenced their teaching practices around language varieties. Implications for teacher education are discussed.

Involving women with limited English proficiency in group antenatal care: Findings from the integrated process evaluation of the Pregnancy Circles pilot trial

Problem In the United Kingdom, poor experiences and outcomes of antenatal care among women with limited English proficiency (LEP) are widely documented. BackgroundGroup antenatal care aims to address some limitations of traditional care by combining health assessment, information sharing and peer support, but the inclusion of women with LEP in mixed-language groups has not been explored. AimThis qualitative study used observations and interviews to explore whether linguistic diversity could be incorporated into group antenatal care (Pregnancy Circles). Women with LEP were invited to take part in mixed-language groups in a large urban NHS trust as part of the Pregnancy Circles pilot trial (ISRCTN66925258 Retrospectively registered 03 April 2017; North of Scotland Research Ethics Service 16/NS/0090). FindingsThree Pregnancy Circles including women with LEP were implemented. Linguistically integrated groups required additional resources (time, interpreters, midwifery skills). Four themes emerged: ‘Interpreting as helping’, ‘Enhanced learning’, ‘Satisfaction and belonging’ and ‘Complex lives’. DiscussionWomen with LEP accessing interpreting in Pregnancy Circles reported high levels of satisfaction, contrasting with reported experiences in traditional care. Three theories of effect emerged as relevant for women with LEP: social support.

Decolonizing AI: Implementing Humanitarian Artificial Intelligence

In this article, we critically examine the implementation of what Carlos Montemayor calls Humanitarian Artificial Intelligence from a decolonizing perspective. We highlight the dichotomy of optimism and fear surrounding AI, elucidating its potential to address fundamental human problems and the risks of monopolistic control. We critique Montemayor’s proposal to align AI with a human rights framework, arguing that it insufficiently addresses global inequalities. Our tripartite analysis focuses on the distribution of AI resources, language inclusion, and content diversity to ensure AI benefits all humanity. We emphasize the need for equitable access to AI, linguistic diversity in AI training data, and the preservation of marginalized epistemologies. We advocate for strategies to mitigate environmental impacts and avoid cultural imperialism disguised as altruism, calling for a balanced approach between private sector innovation and state regulation to foster a truly humanitarian AI.

Aspects of effective communication (european experience): digital, informational, and sociolinguistic dimensions

Introduction: The modern era of digital technologies and globalization has brought about significant transformations in communication methods. This article explores how digital, informational, and sociolinguistic dimensions influence the processes of effective communication, focusing particularly on European experiences.Objective: The objective of this study is to analyze the impact of digital transformation, information transparency, linguistic diversity, and cultural adaptation on effective communication in modern European society. The research aims to uncover both the benefits and challenges posed by these factors in the context of communication processes.Methods: This research employed a theoretical approach, synthesizing a wide range of literature and conducting psychological and sociolinguistic analyses. Comparative methods were used to assess different strategies of communication in European contexts, while particular attention was paid to understanding how digitalization and sociolinguistic factors interact.Results: The findings suggest that digitalization enhances accessibility and the speed of communication but introduces challenges, such as the digital divide and data protection issues. Information transparency and accessibility have been identified as crucial in building trust and ensuring the effective exchange of information. Moreover, sociolinguistic factors, especially cultural and language adaptation, have proven essential for effective intercultural communication in Europe.Conclusions: The study concludes that successful communication strategies must incorporate digital, informational, and sociolinguistic aspects, particularly in multilingual and culturally diverse contexts. Awareness and adaptation to cultural norms and linguistic nuances are vital for creating more effective communication practices in both international and local interactions. Practical recommendations include focusing on cultural sensitivity and data transparency to further enhance communication processes

Collaborations in publications on pediatric anesthesiology in the D-A-CH countries

Collaborations are an essential element of scientific activity and particularly important in fields such as pediatric anesthesiology, where the evidence base in general is relatively limited. Arecent scientometric analysis revealed ageographic diversification of publication activity in pediatric anesthesiology within the last two decades, accompanied by asurge in international collaborations. Given the hypothesis of asimilar growth in the activity and dynamics of publications in pediatric anesthesiology, the objective of this scientometric study was to analyze the publication activity and collaboration habits in research in pediatric anesthesiology from Germany, Austria and Switzerland (D-A-CH). This secondary analysis identified all publications on pediatric anesthesiology with an affiliation from the D‑A-CH countries between 2001 and 2020 from PubMed and Web of Science. The query parameters included the timeframe 2001-2020, authors' affiliations tied to anesthesiology departments (using various forms of the term "anesthesia"), and the mention of pediatric interest in titles or abstracts. The data underwent standardization to account for linguistic variations. The publications were assigned to astate, city and institution based on the correspondence address, to ayear based on the publication date and to asource based on the journal. The primary endpoint was publication activity and dynamics, represented by the number of publications and the respective growth rates (calculated as the linear regression slope). Secondary endpoints included the share of collaborations within and outside the D‑A-CH region (at the country and institutional level), the distribution of publication activity and the most prominent sources of publications. Between 2001 and 2020 atotal of 3406 publications on pediatric anesthesiology involving authors from the D‑A-CH countries were identified. Of these 2807 (82.4%) had acorrespondence address in D‑A-CH. The average annual growth rate of publications with acorrespondence address was + 2.9% for the D‑A-CH countries and + 7.7% for publications with collaborations. The number of publications in which an institution from D‑A-CH was named as acoauthor from acorrespondence address outside D‑A-CH also increased by an average of 7.4% per year during the study period. The majority of collaborations occurred between institutions within the D‑A-CH region, although Swiss institutions exhibited amuch higher proportion of collaborations outside the region. Of all publications with acorrespondence address 90% originated from 46cities. The most prominent source was Die Anästhesiologie for publications from Germany, and Pediatric Anesthesia for publications from Austria and Switzerland. The number of publications in pediatric anesthesiology from the D‑A-CH countries has increased over the past two decades, accompanied by asurge in collaborations. It is hoped that increased collaboration will contribute to ahigher level of evidence in pediatric anesthesiology care.

Navigating affective and sensory fluidity in plurilingual and intercultural pedagogies in English language and literacy classrooms

This article examines the transformation of Australian EAL/D (English as an additional language/dialect) classrooms, transitioning from a monolingual focus on Standard Australian English (SAE) to embracing plurilingual and intercultural approaches in English language and literacy teaching and learning. Employing hermeneutic phenomenological and narrative analyses, the study reflects on the lived experiences of 16 English teachers who learned English as an additional language and migrated to Australia. The research highlights the significance of fluid affective processes, cultural responsiveness, plurilingualism, and intercultural identity development in language and literacy classrooms. Findings emphasise the central role of affect in EAL teaching and its implications for cultural responsiveness and linguistic diversity. The lived experiences of these teachers underscore the transformative potential of diverse teaching strategies that resonate with students on affective and cultural levels. Implications include fostering plurilingual literacy and identity development, promoting global identity, and cultivating intercultural capabilities among learners and educators. Ultimately, the article highlights the paradigm-shifting power of English language and literacy education when enriched with empathy, creativity, and a commitment to linguistic and cultural diversity. This approach not only enhances EAL/D education but also offers valuable insights and implications for other areas of the curriculum and pedagogical practices, promoting a more inclusive and responsive educational environment across disciplines.

Students' Perception of Code-Crossing in EFL Classroom Interaction on Sociocultural

Code-crossing in EFL classroom used by students and lecturers is important due to maintain language politeness in communication. This study aims to disclose students’ perception of code-crossing usage by viewing it from sociocultural. The method of this research is descriptive qualitative. The researcher uses open-ended interview to 12 English Education Department student from semester 4 and 6. The result shows that students often use code-crossing both high-code and low-code and switch one to another depend on the interlocutors. In sociocultural aspect, most of students have positive perception towards several sociocultural; cultural background, age difference, level of education, and linguistic variation. The result reveals that students highly consider intonation of voice, body language, and language selection when they use code-crossing. In conclusion, English Education students mostly have positive perception towards these four sociocultural aspects.

Fostering Language Awareness in a Plurilingual Learning Environment

Developing young learners’ language awareness is becoming an important educational goal in a rapidly globalised world characterised by linguistic and cultural diversity. Drawing upon previous research in the field, the article highlights the importance of promoting language diversity and nurturing language awareness from an early age. We present a qualitative study’s findings to analyse the potential of using pluralistic approaches to language teaching for developing young learners’ language awareness. The study was based on a case study format involving pupils aged five and six years. By exposing the participants to a set of plurilingual activities following the DivCon model, we were able to observe and identify their language awareness development. In addition, the pupils’ responses to language awareness activities and their perceptions of different languages were analysed through a survey in the form of interviews. The results of the study indicate positive outcomes, demonstrating an enhanced level of language awareness among the pupils, as well as an increased appreciation for language diversity.

Towards a practice of translanguaging subtitling for the mediatised articulation of fangyan

Abstract This article addresses an underexplored intersection between subtitling and translanguaging with reference to the representation of diverse Chinese fangyan in hip-hop music videos. Drawing on recent progress in the intersection between translanguaging and Translation Studies, the article sketches the multilingualism of the Han ethnic majority and its precarious existence under the governmental policy and language planning of China. Second, it contextualises the rising audibility and visibility of local speeches and non-standard writing in cinematic, metrolingual, and digital cultures. This highlights the social and technological conditions that enable culture creators and language users to practice novel representations of linguistic diversity and variations in the subtitling medium. Furthermore, the case-study analyses illustrate how Chinese hip-hop musicians assemble linguistic, multimodal, and multisemiotic resources to effect translanguaging performance across different communicational repertoires. The conclusion outlines the practical and theoretical implications of translanguaging subtitles for alternative media representations of linguacultural diversities in China and beyond.