Native English Speakers Research Articles

An empirical study on intercultural contact and intercultural communication competence of Chinese international students in the UK

This study explores the relationship between intercultural contact (IC) and intercultural communication competence (ICC) among Chinese international students at Lancaster University, UK. Using a mixed-methods approach, the research analyzes the frequency and nature of IC and self-assessed ICC levels.Findings reveal a predominance of indirect IC, such as media consumption and cultural events, over direct interactions with native English speakers. Self-assessment of ICC indicates strong attitudes towards cultural diversity but identifies areas for improvement in domestic cultural knowledge and cognitive skills.Statistical analysis demonstrates a significant positive correlation between IC and ICC, with direct IC positively impacting communication skills and indirect IC contributing to cultural knowledge and positive attitudes.These findings emphasize the importance of both direct and indirect IC in developing ICC. Educational institutions should focus on facilitating diverse IC opportunities to enhance students’ language proficiency, cultural adaptation, and overall well-being.

Outcomes after Heart Transplantation among Non-Native English-Speaking Recipients.

Effective communication and understanding are imperative for heart transplant (HT) recipients who require lifelong adherence to treatment plans and medications. Whether non-native English speaking (NNES) recipients have inferior outcomes compared to native English-speaking recipients (NES) has not been studied post-HT. We reviewed adult HT recipients at Columbia University Irving Medical Center from January 2005 through December 2022 with primary language determined by chart review. Baseline characteristics and patient level zip codes which were used to derive socioeconomic status (SES) index using data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) were included. Mortality at 1-year and 5-year was compared between NNES and NES. Survival curves were estimated by the Kaplan-Meir method and log-rank testing was used to compare survival between groups. Secondary outcomes including hospitalization, hospitalization for infection, and rejection at 1-year, as well as rejection and CAV at 5-years were analyzed using cumulative incidence functions with Gray's testing to detect outcome differences between groups. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were constructed to determine if there was an association between NNES and primary and secondary outcomes. Of 1,066 HT recipients, 103 (10%) were NNES. NNES recipients were more likely to identify as non-White, have Medicaid as the primary payer, and have lower educational attainment. On average, NNES recipients resided in zip codes with higher levels of unemployment, lower educational attainment, and lower household incomes. Overall, NNES had lower median AHRQ SES indices (51 vs 55, p<0.001). After adjustment for clinical factors including socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity, and education level, mortality at 1- and 5-years for NNES and NES recipients were not significantly different although there was a trend towards improved survival in the NNES group (1-year adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 0.24, 95% CI 0.06-1.01, p=0.05; 5-year adjusted HR 0.48, 95% CI 0.22-1.03, p=0.06). Similarly, there were no differences in need for re-hospitalization, infection requiring hospitalization, and rejection at 1 year. There were no significant differences in outcomes at 1 year and 5 years post-HT among NNES and NES. Availability of interpreter services and educational resources in multiple languages are paramount to maintaining effective communication and equitable outcomes. Although the population of individuals living with heart failure in the United States is incredibly diverse, little is known about whether non-Native English speakers (NNES) fare differently after heart transplantation. In this study of over 1000 heart transplant recipients, we found that although NNES patients were more likely to be non-White, had lower education status and had public insurance, outcomes were similar at 1- and 5-years after transplant.

The influence of large language models as collaborative dialogue partners on EFL English oral proficiency and foreign language anxiety

Collaborative dialogue is an important method for improving English as a Foreign Language (EFL) oral proficiency and reducing foreign language anxiety, but it is often influenced by the proficiency level of peers and whether they are native English speakers. With the support of artificial intelligence and automatic speech recognition language synthesis technology, Large Language Models (LLMs) have the potential to enhance EFL oral proficiency and reduce foreign language anxiety. However, there is limited empirical research on the impact of Large Language Models on EFL oral proficiency and foreign language anxiety. This study recruited 83 freshmen from China to participate in a 4-week LLM-assisted English oral proficiency learning activity, employing a randomized controlled trial. Participants’ oral proficiency, foreign language anxiety, willingness to communicate in English, and self-efficacy were assessed before and after the intervention. The results indicated that the LLM (GPT-4) significantly enhanced their oral proficiency. Furthermore, it significantly increased participants’ willingness to communicate orally in English and their self-efficacy, while significantly reducing foreign language anxiety. Semi-structured interview analysis revealed learners’ positive attitudes towards using LLM and their willingness to continue using them in the future but also highlighted occasional deviations from topics and feedback delays due to network speed during conversations, which influenced participants’ experiences to some extent.

The concept of &lt;i&gt;betrayal&lt;/i&gt; in the consciousness of the English: A psycholinguistic study

The study attempts to reveal verbal, that is, lexically materialised associative responses of English respondents to the word stimulus’ betrayal’. As the word association test is considered a reliable way of studying the content of the national mental image of a specific concept, the method allowed to receive a collective linguistic representation of the researched concept reflected in the consciousness of the tested participants. The association test was held with undergraduate and postgraduate students, respondents with bachelor’s and master’s degrees who were native speakers of English and residents of London (England), aged 18 to 25 (365 males, 411 females). The test results show that the English associate the concept of 'betrayal' with a traitor. They clearly identify the subjects of betrayal – specific persons (historical, public, political figures, heroes of cartoons and literary works) with whom the objects of betrayal were in a close, trusting relationship. The characteristic features of traitors are treachery, lack of empathy, and the desire to hurt deliberately. The motivations behind such persons’ behavioural scenarios are deception, fraud, and searching for personal gain. In the consciousness of English speakers, such behaviour is verbalised as a shameful act, a crime that must be punished. Betrayal causes negative emotions and is characterised as harmful, destructive, and disgusting. Disclosure Statement The authors reported no potential conflicts of interest.

Speech Analysis Using Praat Software in between Native and Nonnative speakers of English

Speech Analysis Using Praat Software in between Native and Nonnative speakers of English

The interplay of verbs and argument structure constructions in second language processing: roles of verb’s lexical properties and verb–construction association

Abstract While verbs and argument structure constructions are essential for deriving sentence meaning, their roles in sentence processing remains less known. To address this issue, the present study explored how a verb’s lexical properties and the strength of verb–construction associations influence second language (L2) sentence processing. In two self-paced reading experiments, Korean-speaking learners of English and native English speakers read English argument structure constructions containing verbs with varying lexical properties and association strength. In both Experiment 1 (involving the prepositional dative construction) and Experiment 2 (involving the caused-motion construction), only the L2-English learners, and not the native speakers, spent more time integrating the target constructions with verbs of weaker associations than those with stronger associations. Furthermore, the learners exhibited greater difficulty with verb–construction integration when the verbs were less frequent and less concrete; L2 proficiency did not modulate these effects. Our findings support the constructionist approach, suggesting that both verbs and verb–construction associations play an instrumental role in sentence comprehension.

EFL Learners’ Perceptions About the Challenges Implied in Learning Native Pronunciation in Guanajuato

Achieving native-like pronunciation is often viewed as an essential goal for students learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL), particularly when instructors are from native English-speaking backgrounds and establish teaching standards based on native fluency. However, the emphasis on attaining native pronunciation norms can present challenges for learners whose first language phonology context differs from English. This study explored the perspectives of beginner, intermediate, and upper intermediate-level EFL students at the University of Guanajuato regarding the challenges of learning native pronunciation in a non-native context taught by native English speakers. The findings highlight the complex dynamic between the students' desire for native-like proficiency dominance because of the recognition and praise provided by their teachers and general society and the difficulties EFL learners face in achieving this standard outside an immersive environment.

Advice for East Asian Countries’ English Teaching under the Perspective of Lexical Pragmatics— Taking Modern Family as examples

Though there were sufficient lexical analyses and Pragmatics analyses, researches based on Lexical pragmatics are not enough as it involves the combination of written meaning of text and extended meaning based on context in particular situations. Subsequently, more teaching methods are required for ESL in East Asian countries who aims at communication with native English speakers in cultures where English is the first language. This paper focused on the lexical pragmatics analysis of an episode of Modern Family, a popular American sitcom in which characters’ lines were used to create humor successfully. Aspects in lexical pragmatics including narrowing, broadening and figurative speeches such as metaphor and puns are used for research in this paper. In addition, teaching methods, such as adding English conversation practice and corresponding criteria were proposed for high level ESL in East Asian countries. This paper could help broaden creative mind for English teachers for second language learners to improve teaching quality.

Multilingual Situation in Zamboanga City: Native and Nonnative Chavaca no Speakers' Experiences and Perspectives

This paper aimed to describe the multilingual situation in the city, where consultants from three (3) ethnic groups were interviewed via focus group discussions—namely, Muslim, Visayan, and native speakers of Zamboanga Chavacano. To address the objective at hand, the data were gathered and analyzed qualitatively and thematically, after being selected purposively, three (3) native speakers of Chavacano, five (5) Muslim speakers of the same language, and three (3) Visayan speakers of the same language became consultants. Language ecology theory (Haugen, 1971) frames the current investigation. Different themes were generated for each of the ethnic groups. The five themes generated from the Muslim speakers of Chavacano are Linguistic Repertoire, Language of the Community, Language Learning, Variation in Speaking, and Status of Language Domains. Language, Multilingualism, and Language Use are the three (3) themes from the Visayan speakers of Chavacano, whereas from the native speakers of Chavacano, Languages Spoken, Learned, and Used, English vs Tagalog, Language Use in Varied Domains and Situations, and Variation in Use are the four (4) themes found. Furthermore, convergent themes were likewise consolidated: Code-switching, Lingua Franca, Intermarriages, Languages in the Socmed Platforms, Language Acquisition/Learning by Children, Methods for Learning and Using Language, and Language(s) Used in the Community. Additionally, an insider’s position on the multilingual situation in the city is provided. The current analyses may serve as a point of departure for other inquirers with an identical interest relative to the multilinguistic situation in Zamboanga City.

Sensitivity of Acoustic Voice Quality Measures in Simulated Reverberation Conditions.

Room reverberation can affect oral/aural communication and is especially critical in computer analysis of voice. High levels of reverberation can distort voice recordings, impacting the accuracy of quantifying voice production quality and vocal health evaluations. This study quantifies the impact of additive simulated reverberation on otherwise clean voice recordings as reflected in voice metrics commonly used for voice quality evaluation. From a larger database of voice recordings collected in a low-noise, low-reverberation environment, voice samples of a sustained [a:] vowel produced at two different speaker intents (comfortable and clear) by five healthy voice college-age female native English speakers were used. Using the reverb effect in Audacity, eight reverberation situations indicating a range of reverberation times (T20 between 0.004 and 1.82 s) were simulated and convolved with the original recordings. All voice samples, both original and reverberation-affected, were analyzed using freely available PRAAT software (version 6.0.13) to calculate five common voice parameters: jitter, shimmer, harmonic-to-noise ratio (HNR), alpha ratio, and smoothed cepstral peak prominence (CPPs). Statistical analyses assessed the sensitivity and variations in voice metrics to a range of simulated room reverberation conditions. Results showed that jitter, HNR, and alpha ratio were stable at simulated reverberation times below T20 of 1 s, with HNR and jitter more stable in the clear vocal style. Shimmer was highly sensitive even at T20 of 0.53 s, which would reflect a common room, while CPPs remained stable across all simulated reverberation conditions. Understanding the sensitivity and stability of these voice metrics to a range of room acoustics effects allows for targeted use of certain metrics even in less controlled environments, enabling selective application of stable measures like CPPs and cautious interpretation of shimmer, ensuring more reliable and accurate voice assessments.

A Corpus-based Analysis of Four Near-synonymous English Verbs

The differences that exist among near-synonyms seem to be a thorny issue for native and non-native speakers of English. This study aims to highlight the similarities and differences between four near-synonymous verbs: investigate, explore, scrutinize, and examine, with a focus on their dialectal variations, frequencies, genre distributions, and colligational patterns. Data were gathered from the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA) and the British National Corpus (BNC). The findings reveal that while these verbs are often considered near-synonyms, they are not fully interchangeable across contexts. Explore and examine have scored the highest frequencies across both corpora, especially in academic genres in American English. In contrast, British English exhibits more variation, with investigate and explore appearing more frequently in non-academic texts. Conversely, scrutinize has scored the lowest in both dialects and is primarily confined to academic contexts. Additionally, these verbs are seldom found in spoken genres. The analysis of colligational behavior (i.e., grammatical patterns) demonstrates that these verbs share many grammatical patterns, though subtle differences in their usage prevent complete interchangeability. The COCA provides a wider range of grammatical patterns than those in the BNC. These findings underscore the complexity of near-synonymous verbs and the importance of context in their usage.

Overcoming COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy: An investigation of the Foreign Language Effect

Abstract Vaccine hesitancy remains one of the greatest challenges for global health. Previous research has shown that the recruitment of rational processes is increased in hypothetical decision-making scenarios when the underpinning information is presented in a foreign language. We investigate whether vaccine campaigns could benefit from this Foreign Language Effect (FLE) in order to overcome vaccine hesitancy. We conceptually replicated a recent study on COVID-19 vaccine campaigns (Freeman et al. 2021) to assess whether information can more successfully reduce vaccine hesitancy when presented in a foreign language as well as how other factors, such as language proficiency, impact the FLE. Based on a survey of 436 participants, we conclude that there may be the potential to lower vaccine hesitancy among individuals with English as a foreign language by presenting information in English, rather than in their native language. Conversely, participants who are native speakers of English and negatively predisposed against the COVID-19 vaccine react more negatively to information they read in a foreign language compared to their native language.

Engaging with spaces of linguistic partial understanding in multilingual linguistic ethnography

Abstract This paper gives an account of the impact of spaces of linguistic non-understanding and spaces of linguistic partial understanding in the first author’s linguistic ethnographic doctoral study of lawyer-client communication within UK immigration legal advice meetings. The paper uses the researching multilingually framework as a lens for exploring how the researcher’s positionality as a native speaker of English, an elementary-level learner of Arabic, and a non-speaker of other languages she encountered were material to the research process. Data in the form of researcher reflections, notes and records made about the impact of language(s) at different stages of the project is drawn on to examine the role of linguistic support – in the form of input from translators – at each stage, and the exercise of linguistic reflexivity in relation to this dimension of the research. The paper argues for the need, when doing ethnographic research in contexts of linguistic unpredictability, to be reflexive about the literacy practices and language ideologies of people involved in linguistic support, since these are also part of the language ecology that shapes the process of knowledge production. Thus, linguistic reflexivity is part of a practice of epistemological accountability in multilingual linguistic ethnography.

Conducting classroom research:

The study posits that mid-sized groups of phonologically trained non-native speakers of English can collect prosodic data that are equivalent to English native-speakers’ annotations. The hypothesis is supported by the results of a classroom experimentinvolving an experimental group of English-proficient Czech (L1) learners annotating prominence and boundaries in English monological texts before and after additional phonological training aided by Rapid Prosody Transcription (RPT). The annotationresults received before the experimental group had the training demonstrate deficiencies of their prosodic annotation occurring under the probable influence of the learners’ mother tongue (Czech). The analysis of disagreements between the experimental group’s and the control group’s (native speakers) annotations demonstrates that non-native listeners rely on slightly different cues when identifying the prosodic structure of an English utterance. Thus, it is concluded that Czech (L1) speakers of English require mandatory annotation practice focused on the differences between their mother tongue and English to perform annotation tasks successfully. The experimental group’s RPT annotations, conducted after a learning intervention, produced much better results and were recognized as statistically equivalent to native speakers’ RPT annotations. The high alignment of the readings obtained by the experimental and control groups on key prosodic parameters demonstrates that crowdsourcing prosodic information from phonologically trained non-native speakers with the help of the RPT method can be employed as an alternative means of validating intonation research when attracting native speakers to research participation is problematic.

Benefit Versus Risk Deliberations on Revisions, Corrections or Rejections of Manuscript Submissions: Reflections of an African Woman Scholar in Audiology

ABSTRACT The academic landscape is fraught with challenges, particularly for scholars whose identities intersect with marginalised backgrounds. This reflective paper explores the nuanced implications of revisions, corrections or rejections (RCRs) on the academic journey of a Black isiZulu-speaking African woman scholar in Audiology from South Africa. It contends that the effects of RCRs extend beyond the confines of a single manuscript, impacting the scholar’s sense of self, existence within the academic realm, and the deliberate ‘cancelling’ of one’s knowledge. Focusing on the unique challenges faced by African scholars, particularly the perceived emphasis on publishing as a measure of belonging, the paper employs a benefit-risk evaluation lens. This approach delves into the complex interaction between personal and environmental factors, shedding light on the multifaceted considerations that African scholars grapple with to establish their presence within the academic sphere. The paper outlines the well-known ‘publish or perish’ phenomenon, emphasising the hypercompetitive nature of the academic and research environment. Peer review, considered a critical component in the publication process, is explored for its role in quality assurance. However, the paper contends that the peer review process can inadvertently perpetuate inequalities, especially for scholars from underrepresented backgrounds. Thematic analysis of reviewer reports from papers I recently submitted forms the core of the paper. Seven emergent themes, such as the influence of proximity to native English speakers and the dominance of Western narratives, illustrate the challenges I faced in both local and international journals. Notably, the paper provides direct quotes exemplifying each theme, offering a very personalised perspective on the adversities encountered during the publication journey. The paper situates the field of audiology within the broader context of institutional and systemic racism, highlighting the underrepresentation of certain racial groups within the profession. It argues that this underrepresentation extends to knowledge generation and publishing, perpetuating the normalisation of Euro-American-centric norms and the exoticisation of Afrocentric standards. The reflective paper concludes by asserting that epistemological racism, intertwined with individual and institutional racism, stifles my pursuit of decolonisation and Africanisation of speech-language and hearing knowledge and practice. It contends that the peer review process, often Euro-American-centric, contributes to the silencing and exclusion of diverse knowledges, hindering local knowledge development and intellectual practices. In navigating the academic minefield, the paper calls for a re-evaluation of existing norms and practices within the peer review process to create a more inclusive and equitable academic environment for scholars with diverse backgrounds.

To move or not to move: Is focus on the edge?

Abstract A discourse-syntax interface-based approach to three types of focus – Information Focus, Corrective or Contrastive Focus, and Mirative Focus – is discussed in this paper. In my approach, I address the role of discourse/agreement features in the syntactic process of Agree in the Minimalist Program as well as their possible combination with an Edge Feature to trigger attraction of each discourse category, comparing Spanish and English. The data I examine are taken from experimental work, based on two original experiments that test the grammaticality/acceptability of sentences with fronted and in situ focus by native speakers of English and Spanish. The parametric variation detected in the two languages is accounted for by an analysis based on the availability of inheritance of discourse features in the relevant language alongside the activation of an Edge Feature, triggering movement of the relevant discourse category.

Lexicosemantic prediction in native speakers of English and Swedish-speaking learners of english: An event-related potential study.

The present study uses event-related potentials (ERPs) to investigate lexicosemantic prediction in native speakers (L1) of English and advanced second language (L2) learners of English with Swedish as their L1. The main goal of the study was to examine whether learners recruit predictive mechanisms to the same extent as L1 speakers when a change in the linguistic environment renders prediction a useful strategy to pursue. The study, which uses a relatedness proportion paradigm adapted from Lau et al. (2013), focuses on the N400, an ERP component that is sensitive to the ease of lexical access/retrieval, including lexical prediction. Participants read 800 prime-target pairs, presented word by word and divided into two blocks, while they searched for animal words. Unknown to them, some of the pairs were semantically associated, which is known to reduce the amplitude of the N400 via spreading semantic activation. Most importantly, the proportion of semantically related pairs increased in the second experimental block (via fillers), thereby increasing the reliability of the primes as predictive cues and encouraging prediction. Results from 36 L1-English speakers and 53 L2 learners showed an N400 reduction for related (remain-stay ) relative to unrelated targets (silver-stay ) across blocks. Crucially, this N400 reduction for related targets was significantly larger in the block that encouraged prediction, in both L1 and L2 speakers, consistent with the possibility that both groups recruited similar predictive mechanisms when the context encouraged prediction. These results suggest that, at high levels of proficiency, L2 speakers engage similar predictive strategies to L1 speakers. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Aspects of the Cultural Concept of [Peace] in English and Polish: An Ethnolinguistic Account

Abstract The paper aims to analyse how native speakers of English and Polish understand one of the basic cultural concepts: English PEACE and Polish POKÓJ. By juxtaposing the current understanding of these concepts with the data recorded in dictionaries, an attempt is made to catch a glimpse of what is meant by peace in English and pokój in Polish and, what follows, to reflect on them in terms of translation and intercultural communication. The study was inspired by elements of the methodology developed by the Lublin School of Ethnolinguistics for the purpose of research into cultural concepts and constructing their cognitive definitions. In particular, my analysis begins with a textual illustration that prompts the research direction, in which etymology as well as unique connotations recorded by the survey respondents are granted as much significance as the dictionary material, with attention paid to the dimension of metonymy and metaphor in the analysed cultural concepts of PEACE and POKÓJ. Comparing and contrasting the core meanings with their current shifts and extensions is aimed to help embed words in their broader linguacultural context and thus shed some light on aspects of intercultural communication, operationalised via translation.

Effects of clinical and socioeconomic factors on Medicare and patient costs for colorectal cancer in Australia: a retrospective multivariate regression analysis

ObjectiveWe study how clinical and socioeconomic factors influence colorectal cancer (CRC) costs for patients and Medicare in Australia. The study seeks to extend the limited Australian literature on CRC costs...

The influence of complete and partial shared translation in the first language on semantic processing in the second language.

This study investigated (a) whether L2 semantic processing is modulated by automatic activation of L1 translations, (b) whether L1 translation activation involves both phonological and orthographic representations, and (c) whether these phonological and orthographic representations of L1 translations are accessed along a similar time course. To this end, 48 Hebrew-English bilinguals and 48 native English speakers with no Hebrew knowledge performed a semantic relatedness judgment task in English. Critical prime-target pairs (n = 96) were semantically unrelated, but their translations in Hebrew could include form overlap. Specifically, complete translation-overlap pairs shared both a phonological and an orthographic lexical form (e.g., "beak" and "source" = מקור /makor/), whereas partial translation-overlap pairs shared either a phonological form (e.g., "skin" and "light" = /or/) or an orthographic form (e.g., "book" and "barber" = ספר) in Hebrew. Stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) of the prime-target L2-English words was further manipulated to reveal the time course of phonological and orthographic translation activation. Results showed that complete overlap in the translation lead Hebrew-English bilinguals, but not native English speakers, to judge semantically unrelated pairs as related in meaning and to do so more quickly irrespective of SOA. For partial translation overlap in phonology, the percentage of "yes" responses was affected only in the short SOA (300 ms), and under partial translation overlap in orthography, only in the long SOA (750 ms). These findings suggest that L1 translation activation during L2 word processing spreads to both phonological and orthographic representations but at different time points along processing. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).