Sociolinguistic Context Research Articles

TRANSLATION FEATURES OF EMERGENCY TERMS IN ENGLISH AND UZBEK: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

Translation of emergency terms is a crucial aspect of effective communication, especially in life-threatening situations where quick and accurate understanding of information is vital. This article explores the specific features of translating emergency terms from English into Uzbek and vice versa. It focuses on the linguistic, cultural, and practical challenges involved in the process. Special attention is given to terminological equivalence, morphological structures, and the impact of different socio-linguistic contexts on the interpretation of terms in emergency-related fields such as healthcare, disaster response, and law enforcement.

Overview of Hong Kong English and China English

Hong Kong English and China English are two different forms of regional variants of English. This paper provides a systematic overview of Hong Kong English and China English and explores their language characteristics, historical background, sociocultural influences, similarities and differences. The study aims to shed light on the complex nature of language contact, adaptation and variation in these regions. By examining the unique characteristics of Hong Kong English and China English, this paper contributes to a deeper understanding of language variation and the complexity of English as a global language in different sociolinguistic contexts.

ANALISIS PENGGUNAAN BAHASA JAKSEL PADA VIDEO BERJUDUL ‘LANGUAGE BARRIERS, CULTURE SHOCK & TCK IDENTITY CRISIS FT. MELLA CARLI’ DI YOUTUBE: KAJIAN SOSIOLINGUISTIK CAMPUR KODE

In the video "Language Barriers, Culture Shock &; TCK Identity Crisis ft. Mella Carli" on the YouTube channel "The Indah G Show," the use of the Jaksel (South Jakarta) language in sociolinguistic contexts is examined in this article. In order to comprehend how the host, Indah G, and her invited guest, Mella Carli, utilize Jaksel language in their interactions, this study employs a code-mixed sociolinguistic study approach. Analysis of the video's conversational content and transcription are part of the research methodology. The examination's findings demonstrated that Jaksel frequently utilized his language in casual talks, jokes, and professions of respect. In other cases where formality or clarity are required, mixed code using standard Indonesian is used. Identifying the social and cultural elements that support the usage of Jaksel language in this setting is another goal of this study.

The literal meaning of Slur

This research explores the complex and multifaceted nature of slurs within modern sociolinguistic contexts. The study aims to dissect the power dynamics embedded in these terms, examining how slurs function as instruments of social control, perpetuating stereotypes and reinforcing social hierarchies. Through a combination of qualitative analysis and case studies, this research investigates the historical origins, evolution, and contemporary usage of slurs across different cultures and communities. The findings reveal that slurs are not merely offensive words but are laden with historical and cultural significance, often reflecting broader societal attitudes towards race, gender, sexuality, and other identity markers. The study also considers the psychological impact of slurs on individuals and groups, demonstrating how these terms can inflict lasting emotional harm and contribute to a hostile social environment. In addition, the research addresses the phenomenon of reappropriation, where marginalized groups reclaim slurs as a form of empowerment and resistance. This process is analyzed to understand its potential in challenging and subverting the oppressive connotations traditionally associated with these terms. Ultimately, this paper underscores the importance of recognizing the deep-seated implications of slurs in everyday language and advocates for a more nuanced approach to addressing linguistic discrimination. The research concludes with recommendations for fostering more inclusive and respectful communication practices in diverse social settings.

Indexical deprivation: The dominant link between cochlear implants and global English among Taiwanese deaf individuals

AbstractThis paper develops the concept of “indexical deprivation” from the experiences of English learning in relation to cochlear implant use among Taiwanese deaf adults. Based on the framework of language ideological assemblage, this paper traces how institutional discourses and practices at different levels contribute to the indexicalization between cochlear implants and elevated proficiency in English as a global language. By examining the top‐down discourses and bottom‐up narratives of two Taiwanese deaf women, the study demonstrates how enhanced English proficiency has been linked to cochlear implants and how individuals are deprived of the capacity to recognize alternative links. This paper highlights how global English has promoted the status of cochlear implants in a sociolinguistic context where English is spoken as a foreign language and increasingly gains prominence at multiple societal levels.

Prescriptivist attempts at a spelling reform in Early Modern English: sociolinguistic and stylistic routes and rates of adoption

ABSTRACT Some late Renaissance scholars, like Smith (1568); Hart (1569; 1570); Bullokar (1580); Mulcaster (1582), attempted to reform English spelling to reflect the pronunciation changes resulting from the Great Vowel Shift. Their goal was to align letters and phonology by devising a more stable and predictable new system. This study explores the impact and diffusion of these spelling proposals. It examines texts from 1300 to 1700, written by authors from different socio-demographic and biological backgrounds, and across various genres, registers and text-types. The sources used as linguistic materials are the Innsbruck Corpus of Middle English Prose, an archival data source of prose pieces representing different genres from 1150 to 1500 and the Parsed Corpus of Early English Correspondence, a collection of 4,970 authored documents written from 1410 to 1681 by informants from different social ranks. This study may allow us to trace the sociolinguistic and stylistic route and rate of adoption (if any) followed by these attempts at reforming the English spelling system within processes of diffusion of linguistic innovations at the level of orthography, as well as to reconstruct the sociolinguistic contexts of language variation and change in past communities.

Exploring the Language Attitudes of Dual-Language Latine Preschoolers

This study examined the language attitudes of 60 Latine DLL preschoolers at the beginning and end of the school year. At each time point, a matched guise paradigm was used to elicit language attitudes, whereby children listened to speech samples from two puppets, one speaking Spanish and one speaking English, and were then asked a series of questions about the puppets. Results showed that children held language attitudes favoring English over Spanish, with the majority of children reporting that the English-speaking puppet was smarter, and that they liked the English-speaking puppet better than the Spanish-speaking puppet. Results suggest that language attitudes favoring the dominant language in society emerge earlier than previously thought, aligning with work about stereotype formation regarding other facets of identity, and reflecting the broader sociolinguistic context of Spanish and English status in the United States.

The Linguistic Landscape of Los Angeles Chinatowns

This paper presents a multi-level analysis of the signage in Los Angeles (LA) Chinatowns. Through a combined method of ethnographic observations, interviews and textual and visual analysis of language orthographies, the processes in which signage is designed, perceived, and interpreted are examined. A discussion of the range of interpretive readings of Chinese orthography and romanization is presented, with a focus on the relationship between the linguistic landscape and people’s language perception, and the changing social indexicalities of different linguistic variables displayed in LA Chinatowns. The paper concludes that the linguistic landscape can be taken as a form of informal language input which impacts Chinese immigrants’ language perception. Moreover, linguistic variables displayed on public signage not only contribute to the construction of the sociolinguistic context but also to the immigrants’ identity transformation.

The Linguistic Landscape of Los Angeles Chinatowns

This paper presents a multi-level analysis of the signage in Los Angeles (LA) Chinatowns. Through a combined method of ethnographic observations, interviews and textual and visual analysis of language orthographies, the processes in which signage is designed, perceived, and interpreted are examined. A discussion of the range of interpretive readings of Chinese orthography and romanization is presented, with a focus on the relationship between the linguistic landscape and people’s language perception, and the changing social indexicalities of different linguistic variables displayed in LA Chinatowns. The paper concludes that the linguistic landscape can be taken as a form of informal language input which impacts Chinese immigrants’ language perception. Moreover, linguistic variables displayed on public signage not only contribute to the construction of the sociolinguistic context but also to the immigrants’ identity transformation.

‘Tuesday, the mistress’: English relocalization by Vietnamese Facebook users

ABSTRACT Drawing on the concept of relocalization, this study explores the ways in which English, when going digital, is relocalized by Facebook users in Vietnam. The analysis of Facebook data reveals that English relocalization practices are manifest in the repetition of English words, transliteration of English proper names to Vietnamese morphosyntax and orthography, and hybridity between Vietnamese and English. This relocalization process results in new meaning twists, making them incomprehensible to English speakers from other World Englishes circles because English is deeply integrated and embedded into the Vietnamese language system and the local sociolinguistic context. The findings provide more evidence to support the arguments that English is part of the local language. The study also suggests that English relocalization creates a playful space on Facebook where Vietnamese speakers can express themselves freely as the use of Vietnamese words or phrases is considered pejorative and offensive in the local culture.

Young bilingual students' use of metacognitive strategies to overcome comprehension difficulties when reading in the foreign language

AbstractThis study investigates the use of metacognitive strategies by young emergent multilingual students in a translanguaging pedagogy scenario. From a multilingual perspective, we understand metacognition as a broader concept that refers to the learning or thinking processes that encapsulate metalinguistic and crosslinguistic awareness. We focus on the performance phase of the reading process where students deploy strategies and monitor the progress and quality of the activity. The participants were 48 bilingual fifth graders in a multilingual school in the Basque Autonomous Community in the north of Spain; 39.5% of the students had Basque as their first language, while 60.5% had Spanish, similar to the sociolinguistic context of the school, and all were learning English as a foreign language. Data for this study were collected in the English class while the students were set in pairs to complete a reading comprehension task. Their performance was audio‐recorded, and language‐related episodes were analysed to explore the strategic behaviour of the students. This analysis identified episodes where students talked about either their language production or language use. The findings show that although pedagogical translanguaging focuses mainly on raising crosslinguistic awareness, it can also develop a broader metalinguistic awareness and facilitate metacognitive reflection. The study highlights the link between enhancing metalinguistic awareness and the development of multilingual students' metacognitive knowledge for effective self‐regulated strategic behaviour when reading in a foreign language.

Non-participation and the stability of Dominant Language Constellation in contextual shifts: the case of a Hong Kong multilingual student

ABSTRACT This study explores how a multilingual Hong Kong student exercised agency to maintain a stable Dominant Language Constellation (DLC) amidst significant shifts in sociolinguistic contexts. Employing an intrinsic case study approach, the study collected data through interviews and written documents, which were then analysed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that the multilingual student strategically managed his language use by compartmentalising Cantonese, Putonghua, and English into distinct domains, a practice he maintained consistently across different environments, including Hong Kong, Beijing, and Montreal. Key sources of his agency were identified, such as his self-conception as an introverted individual, parental influence, and the demands of his educational contexts. His strategic non-participation in social interactions helped him avoid linguistic discomfort and maintain psychological stability. This study contributes to the field of multilingualism by illustrating how agency can be manifested through deliberate non-participation and strategic language use, offering new insights into the dynamic interplay between individual agency and sociolinguistic environments.

Critical Analysis of the Application about Multilingualism in Education Contexts with the Case of Singapore

Discussions on multilingual education arising from multilingualism have been a very popular topic in recent years. In multilingual education, languages other than the dominant language are usually recognized as the language of instruction. This model of education arises from different sociolinguistic contexts and needs to take into account the use of the language it involves and the relative status of that language. This paper critically analyzes the policy of multilingualism in education promoted in the Singapore region as a case study, and goes on to point out that multilingualism in education as an important resource cannot be guided by state policy while providing better developmental resources and economic value to individuals. Multilingualism in education should place indigenous, national, and official languages on an equal footing and promote the development and prosperity of multiple languages.

Składanie życzeń w języku polskim i bułgarskim. Etykieta językowa i aspekt socjolingwistyczny

The article discusses the custom of saying good wishes in Bulgarian and Polish. It focuses on the sociolinguistic contexts and rules of linguistic etiquette in both languages. To explore the specific characteristics of this practice, we selected the most important traditional occasions of saying good wishes in Bulgaria and Poland. Here included are religious holidays such as Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and Easter; as well as specific holidays like name days, birthdays, marriages, wedding anniversaries, and events related to professional careers. Some Bulgarians, for example, find public holidays suitable to make good wishes informally. The article likewise discusses and compares diverse ways of saying wishes on the above-mentioned occasions. A brief presentation of the Bulgarian traditions serves only as a background to help Polish readers better understand the content and linguistic specifics of this custom. Attention is drawn to similarities and some interesting differences.

The case for Contextual Linguistic Diversity in bilingualism research

The language sciences have made concerted efforts to emphasize the impact of sociolinguistic context on shaping a person’s language repertoire and associated (neuro)cognitive adaptations, largely propelled by WEIRD-centric research and perspectives. Active engagement with known languages is necessary for acquisition, but input from the ambient environment is typically not addressed, or is considered noise. While irregular and transient linguistic information may indeed be noise, there is a missing middle-ground pertaining to language knowledge that falls between explicit input and linguistic noise, primarily observed in highly linguistically diverse contexts. I consider this missing form of input by making a case for Contextual Linguistic Diversity, the view that one’s linguistic repertoire is not solely constituted by the active use of, or intentional engagement with, languages but also by passive and regular exposure to ambient linguistic input. I offer a theoretical foundation and appeal to existing evidence supporting the view that passive exposure to multiple languages may systematically affect linguistic and (neuro)cognitive abilities, even in the absence of proficiency in or awareness of ambient languages. Adopting a holistic view of contextually influenced linguistic experiences is essential to fairly representing all individuals in their respective sociolinguistic contexts and consequently advancing the field.

The Influence of Multilingual Experience on Executive Function and Structure Learning: Effects in Young Adults in the UK and Singapore

Most studies regarding the relationship between multilingualism and cognitive control reduce linguistic diversity to a dichotomous comparison, viz., monolinguals vs. bilinguals, failing to capture the multifactorial nature of multilingualism. Language research is largely restricted to the Global North, albeit most of the world’s population resides in the Global South, limiting the interpretability of the existing literature. Cognitive performance is assessed using very few tasks, yielding unreliable measurements. In this study, we identify the manner in which multilingual experiences influence cognitive performance in diverse sociolinguistic contexts. Young adults from the UK (n = 51, mean age = 24.0, SD = 3.18) and Singapore (n = 36, mean age = 21.3, SD = 2.15) were tested using an extensive battery of cognitive tasks, including cognitive flexibility (CF), working memory (WM), inhibition, and structure learning (SL). Information on language proficiency, use, age of acquisition, and frequency of switching was collected. The effects of various linguistic factors on the cognitive performance of each group were assessed using multiple linear regression models. The UK and Singapore samples exhibited significantly different linguistic profiles, which in turn dissimilarly influenced their cognitive performance. Our study underscores the necessity for more research in the Global South, challenging the prevailing Northern-centric focus on the multilingualism–cognition relationship.

English in Sweden: Functions, features and debates

AbstractEnglish has for a long time had a strong position in the Swedish sociolinguistic context. English is ubiquitous in the contemporary Swedish public sphere, and good knowledge of English can be found in all sections of society. Far from only being used as a lingua franca for international communication, English is today also pervasively used in domains of business, higher education and academia, as well as in the media and for entertainment purposes. This growing presence of English in Sweden has led to language debates about the status and the role of English in Sweden and concerns of whether English is a threat to Swedish. This article discusses the status and the manifold functions of English in Sweden and describes the uses and features of English in the Swedish context. It concludes with a discussion of the current debates on the uses and the role of English in Sweden.

Judeo-Syriac in late antiquity and the Middle Ages

In 2012 the term ‘Judeo-Syriac’ was coined independently by two scholars to refer to Syriac written in Jewish Aramaic/Hebrew script, in texts from late antiquity, on the one hand, and in medieval texts, on the other. In this article the differences between these two types of Judeo-Syriac are established, particularly in respect of their sociolinguistic contexts. The earlier context involves the Jews of Edessa and its environs, for whom Syriac was their mother tongue, and who, as evidenced by the Peshitta Old Testament, normally used Syriac script; their use of Jewish script in funerary inscriptions was exceptional. The later context involves Jewish scholars, for whom Syriac was not their mother tongue, engaging with Syriac Christian scholarship, initially through direct contact with Christian scholars. The textual products of such collaborations resulted in Judeo-Syriac texts that continued to be copied by Jewish scholars who had little knowledge of Syriac in Syriac script.

English in Germany as a foreign language and as a lingua franca

AbstractThe massive expansion of English in Germany over the past few decades has not challenged a robustly exonormative orientation, which still by and large recognises standardised British and American English as the most authentic and prestigious representations of the language. Attitudes to the use of English in the national context are diverse, ranging from enthusiastic embracement via grudging acceptance to active resistance. This diversity of opinion reflects the fact that English is currently transitioning from a foreign language (EFL) to a lingua franca (ELF). On the national scale, ELF use is promoted in business, academia and, more generally, among young and well‐educated Germans with an international orientation, but deeply resented by sectors of society. This paper argues that English (in its lingua franca function) has become the only language other than German that has open prestige. The task ahead will be to develop strategies of intelligent multilingualism that will help to ‘domesticate’ English in the national sociolinguistic context.

Communication in Healthcare Discourse: A Cultural and Linguistic Exploration of Exchanges between Healthcare Practitioners and Patients among Jukuns of Nigeria

This paper explored the cultural and linguistic aspects of health exchanges between healthcare practitioners and patients among the Jukuns of Wukari in Nigeria, within the health centres in the town. It focused on patient-healthcare-provider dynamics and found out how language and culture influenced healthcare communication within formal settings. Integrating ethnographic, sociolinguistic, and anthropological approaches, the study unveiled how language and culture impacted interactions and health-seeking behaviours in these centres. It revealed the roles of language and culture in understanding health information, healthcare provider-patient exchanges, and treatment adherence within the distinct sociolinguistic context of the Jukun. Using such qualitative techniques as interviews and observations in the health centres, the study captured the intricate verbal and nonverbal communication, specific cultural discourse patterns, and communication strategies used by patients and healthcare practitioners. Findings highlighted diverse cultural and linguistic methods employed by Jukuns, such as using proverbs, ironies, metaphors, and nonverbal cues, to express themselves in healthcare settings. The research showed that these methods could facilitate communication with familiar practitioners but might complicate interactions with those from different ethnic backgrounds. Ultimately, it offered crucial perspectives for refining healthcare provision, aligning with the precise linguistic and cultural contexts of the Jukun community within formal healthcare settings in Wukari and other parts of Jukunland. Based on the foregoing, the researchers recommended that health practitioners should make use of interpreters and familiarise themselves with the cultural and linguistic norms of their immediate communities for effective health discourse that would enhance quality healthcare delivery.