Spoken Language Research Articles

The Impact of Ethnic Identity on Language Attitudes

ABSTRACT Few studies have explored the relationship between ethnic identity and language attitudes in heritage language speakers. Via self-reported questionnaire data, the present study examined correlational and causal connections between ethnic identity and language attitudes in three generations of Israeli and American Mountain Jews. Native to the eastern Caucasus, Mountain Jews immigrated in the 1990s to Israel and the United States, bringing with them two heritage languages, Juhuri and Russian. The effect of ethnic identity on language attitudes emerged as strong for both Juhuri and Russian, but varied across countries, generations, languages, and types of attitudes. Strong correlations between ethnic identity and language attitudes were found for both heritage languages in Israel, but in the United States the connection between Russian and Mountain Jewish identity was lost across generations. Results are discussed in terms of previous research on heritage languages, identity and attitudes, and highlight the revival of ethnic identity among second-generation immigrants.

Audiovisual speech perception of multilingual learners of Japanese

ABSTRACT Due to the complex nature of languages and the way they are used, it is often difficult to research multilinguals because of the considerable variation in the ways their spoken languages may impact their perceptions. For this reason, foreign language education research has largely been focused on English L2 speakers, overlooking how different languages might impact perception in multilingual speakers. Focusing on Japanese as a Second Language (JSL) learners, this research investigated how multilinguals responded to audiovisual cues in Japanese and English. Utilising web-based eye-tracking technology facilitated by WebGazer.js. Participants were asked to complete a novel phonetic distinction task while their gaze behaviour was measured. Contrary to initial theoretical expectations, the findings did not reveal significant mediation by gaze behaviour on the relationship between multilingualism and task performance. However, the study found that when looking at the duration of fixation on the mouth, there's a significant difference between native English speakers and native speakers of Asian languages when listening to English or Japanese. These findings indicate that further research that explores the nuances of gaze behaviour among multilingual learners of non-English languages (such as Japanese) is necessary.

A method for teaching Arabic to non-native speakers using the social networking site Telegram as a model

The title of this research is the method of teaching the Arabic language to non-native speakers using the social networking network Telegram as a model. It aims to identify the concept of social networking, as well as the role of social networking in teaching the Arabic language to non-native speakers. It also aims to know the goals of teaching the Arabic language to non-native speakers, and aims to know the concept of teaching methods, types of teaching methods, method of teaching the language. Arabic for non-native speakers using Telegram. To achieve these goals, we try to find answers to the following questions: What is the concept of social networking? What is the role of social networking sites Telegram in teaching the Arabic language to non-native speakers? What are the goals of teaching Arabic to non-native speakers? What is the concept of teaching methods and what are its types? What is the method of teaching Arabic to non-native speakers using Telegram, and what are the obstacles to using Telegram to teach Arabic to non-native speakers? The research adopted the descriptive approach. The research is expected to conclude that social media networks have a great role in teaching the Arabic language to non-native speakers. It is a new source in the field of education and learning, the possibility of teaching the Arabic language to non-native speakers easily, overcoming temporal and spatial boundaries, and also helping to diversify and innovate educational activities. There is There are multiple ways to teach Arabic to non-native speakers using Telegram, including: setting goals, creating a page or group, adding members and sending the join link, implementing the lesson after setting goals and choosing the content, using a recording of the teacher’s voice for a specific lesson or sending the file, books, or pictures. The educational video can be sent and students can carry it. The teacher can evaluate his lesson by asking questions orally or in writing, and he can also use poll. A call to reconsider educational systems to benefit from social media networks in teaching the Arabic language to non-native speakers; To face various challenges in the future. Holding seminars and conferences to highlight the role of using social media networks in general and Telegram in particular and its strategies in teaching the Arabic language to speakers of other languages.

Literature-based database to inform policy making on marine plastic pollution in ASEAN+3

The ASEAN+3 countries urgently need to present actual data on the state of their marine plastics pollution, so that they can respond to the criticisms of being the top-5 global sources of marine plastics based on modeled predictions, as well as to develop effective response policies based on sound data. While the research outputs on marine plastic pollution have increased spectacularly across these countries, their overall resource capacity to access the data remains lacking. This study describes a robust framework developed to use >700 peer-reviewed research publications from the region that can inform policy-making. First, detailed metadata fields were developed for this database focused on extracting information from the publications that are relevant to regional policy questions being asked to adequately respond to the threats posed by marine plastics. Second, the curation of research publications in this database greatly depended on a team of regional researchers, who were apt in the subject matter and a native language speaker. The latter was critical in the capture of non-English articles to boost the quality of database. Some of the key findings from the broad analyses included the rapid increase in research efforts on marine plastics between 2014 and 2021, which coincided with the growing concerns of this environmental crisis, the dominant publication language was English despite the diversity of countries, and the dominant research topic appeared to be of policy response measures. Overall, the database produced adequate and immediate data, where policy-makers can leverage for urgent actions. For example, the output on the status of marine plastic pollution is ever-increasing, but the region could start to focus on knowledge gaps (e.g., sampling in critical sensitive habitats like seagrasses and coral reefs). Finally, this study presented a comprehensive summary of the current state of marine plastic pollution and knowledge gaps (e.g., technical capacity and equipment) of the region that can facilitate discussions among target audience including the governments as well as international and regional regulating bodies, the research community and plastic waste management professionals.

Neurocognitive Approach to Successful Learning and Speaking of English Language among Day Secondary Schools in Nyagatare District, Rwanda

Learning a foreign language, particularly English, poses challenges for Rwandan teenagers already introduced to other science subjects like mathematics, physics, and other different courses of action that have occupied their attention, or, on the other hand, disturbs their mind and hinders their learning spirit. This study aimed to investigate how the neurocognitive underpinnings of brain activation methods and integration multisensory work to activate those teenagers’ brain attention to English language learning and develop speaking skills and enable learners to overcome the neurocognitive challenges like lack of motivation, emotions, stress, and anxiety that hinder English language learning and speaking. This study was built around the multisensory theory and brain-based learning theory. Using a semi-longitudinal approach, data was collected from 40 senior two students to explore difficulties in learning English from one school in Nyagatare district. These were selected purposefully from the population of 340 students. A six-week classroom experiment from April 15 to May 23, 2024, gathered both quantitative and qualitative data on how brain activation methods enable English learning speaking. Single-group experiments and observations were used to collect data. In the experiment, the procedure of pretest-treatment-posttest was implemented. SPSS software was used to analyze the data, with results showing improved post-test scores after targeted interventions. In the pre-test, the mean score ranges between 1 and 2.5 with a standard deviation that swings between 0.405 and 0.802 for all questions, while the mean score in the post-test aligns between 3.5 and 5 with a standard deviation that wheels between 0.267 and 0.813, which significantly indicates high scores after the treatment. Therefore, the study highlights the significant impact of brain activation methods accompanied by multisensory integration as the neurocognitive approach to English language learning and speaking. The research suggests that education stakeholders and policymakers should consider this approach for successful English language learning to avoid overloading teenagers’ brains with heavy programs.

Balancing Emotions for Effective Teaching: Cultivating Teacher Well-being in TESOL

This study aims to examine the extent to which Saudi Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) teachers appreciate teacher well-being, perceive the significance of balancing emotions for effective teaching, and establish a compassionate classroom culture that promotes learner well-being and learning achievement. The study also investigates the Saudi TESOL teachers' perceptions of the importance of the mixed-methods research design for exploring teacher well-being. The study applied a quantitative design, administering an online survey to a sample of 59 Saudi TESOL teachers with varying educational levels and experience. The findings indicate that Saudi TESOL teachers consider emotions to be highly important for effective teaching, though they report placing moderate importance on cultivating strategies to support their own well-being. Additionally, they perceive the use of mixed-methods research to explore teacher well-being as moderately important. The study results indicate that prioritizing teacher well-being can significantly influence student learning outcomes underlining the role of educational institutions in considering this an important factor in quality enhancement on their campuses.

Language learning space and legitimation of adult second language speakers in the workplace

ABSTRACT This paper explores space in relation to the (il)legitimacy of migrants as second language learners and speakers. Migrants learn the host country’s language(s) in multiple settings, both in language classrooms and beyond in various institutional and non-institutional settings. The workplace is a crucial setting for many migrant language learners. Applying the concept of positioning (Bamberg [1997]. Positioning between structure and performance. Journal of Narrative and Life History, 7(1–4), 335–342. https://doi.org/10.1075/jnlh.7.42pos; Bamberg & Georgakopoulou [2008]. Small stories as a new perspective in narrative and identity analysis. Text & Talk, 28(3), 377–396. https://doi.org/10.1515/TEXT.2008.018) to focus group discussions with four female highly educated migrants from Indonesia who recently came to Norway, the present paper explores the meanings and roles of space and place in the legitimacy of Norwegian language learners. As part of the focus group discussions, a city map was used to elicit the participants’ narratives. The findings illustrate that legitimacy as language learners and speakers is constantly negotiated and renegotiated in various learning spaces. Different spaces may be associated with different language ideologies shaping the power structures that affect how learners can be perceived as legitimate or illegitimate speakers. This study contributes new insights into the role of spaces in language learning and legitimisation of second language speakers, in particular, adult learners in a non-English-speaking country.

From color naming to color perception: Cross‐linguistic differences of the chromatic information processing in monolingual and bilingual speakers

AbstractThere has been long running debate about the interaction of language and perception. In this context, bilingual people have often shown benefits, due to their double‐active linguistic system, in cognitive functions, like inhibition, attention, and memory, which are central for visual perception. Color naming and categorization are domains for studying cross‐linguistic effects, which arise from conceptual and perceptual variations across speakers of different languages. In this study, we compared the ‘blue’ lexicon of highly proficient French‐Italian bilinguals to monolingual speakers of the corresponding languages. Prior studies have shown that Italian has two basic color terms for the blue area of color space: one denotes light blue hues (azzurro) and the other dark blue hues (blu), whilst French, with only one basic term bleu, lacks this distinction. We used a Stroop test to probe differences in perception and categorization of blue in bi‐ and monolingual speakers. We found that Italian monolinguals name the ink color more accurately and more rapidly when the word blu is rendered in dark blue ink (corresponding to the word blu) than when it is printed in light blue ink (corresponding to azzurro), since the latter represents an incongruent condition for them. This ‘category effect’ does not exist for French monolingual speakers. Our bilinguals' results demonstrate that, despite the emergence of a specific in‐between perceptual behavior, bilinguals generally performed like Italian monolinguals. These outcomes confirm the hypothesis that their second language categories (Italian) dominate their native language (French), attesting that lexical distinctions influence perceptual faculties in general. However, the ratio of the interference effect (longer reaction times for incongruent stimuli compared to control stimuli) and the facilitation effect (shorter reaction times for congruent stimuli compared to control stimuli) is not the same for bilinguals and monolinguals. The highest magnitude in the facilitation effect was revealed for bilinguals, whereas the highest magnitude in the interference effect was revealed for Italian monolingual speakers. This phenomenon adds evidence to the existence of enhanced bilingual cognitive control abilities.

Improving English Teaching Skills: An Online Course for Non-English Major Teachers in Southern Thailand’s Rural Primary Schools

The mixed-methods study addressed the needs and challenges faced by first-grade English teachers in rural primary schools in Southern Thailand (for example, lack of pedagogical training). The study’s primary objectives were to investigate these teachers’ needs and difficulties, develop a 15-hour online pedadgocial training course, and evaluate its effectiveness after the training was completed. The research involved 33 teachers and 153 students and employed various tools, including questionnaires, an online pedagogical training and language course, pre-and post-tests, and semi-structured interviews about the experience. The findings highlighted the importance of training in speaking, vocabulary, materials, games, and communicative language teaching (CLT) for these teachers. Statistically significant improvements (p < 0.001) were observed in post-test scores for both teachers and students, indicating the positive impact of the customized online training course on teachers’ English skills and teaching performance and improvement in student learning outcomes.

Exploring the Potential Challenges Faced by Sudanese EFL Learners in Acquiring English Language Speaking Skills at the Tertiary Educational Level

This study aims to investigate the challenges that might face Sudanese EFL learners in acquiring the English language as a means of communication and to emphasize the importance of speaking skills in the English language, in Sudanese English language learners at the postsecondary level. To achieve its objectives, the study adopted the descriptive-analytical method, in which a questionnaire was used to address the research inquiries and goals. A total of 100 employed students participated in responding to the questionnaire. As per the study’s findings, students’ confidence in using speaking skills is very weak; they also lack the motivation to practice speaking skills since they were taught by Grammar Translation Approach which ignores speaking skills, moreover most lecturers prefer to avoid classroom interaction which leads to non-smart fluent EFL learners. This study suggests EFL teachers to consolidate the use communicative activities in a variety of ways which help leaners to play a crucial role in using English inside the classroom.

Musician Advantage for Segregation of Competing Speech in Native Tonal Language Speakers

The aim of this study was to replicate previous English-language musician advantage studies in Mandarin-speaking musicians and nonmusicians. Segregation of competing speech, melodic pitch perception, and spectro-temporal pattern perception were measured in normal-hearing native Mandarin-speaking musicians and nonmusicians. Speech recognition thresholds were measured in the presence of two-talker masker speech. The masker sex was either the same as or different from the target; target and masker speech were either co-located or spatially separated. Melodic pitch perception was tested using a melodic contour identification task. Spectro-temporal resolution was measured using a modified spectral ripple detection task. We hypothesized that, given musician advantages in pitch perception, musician effects would be larger when the target and masker sex was the same than when different. For all tests, performance was significantly better for musicians than for nonmusicians. Contrary to our expectation, larger musician effects were observed for segregation of competing speech when the target and masker sex was different. The results show that musician effects observed for non-tonal language speakers extend to tonal language speakers. The data also suggest that musician effects may depend on the difficulty of the listening task and may be reduced when listening tasks are too easy or too difficult.

Discussion of Emotions Among Newly Diagnosed Non-Hispanic White and Chinese American Patients With Breast Cancer and Their Oncologists.

This qualitative study analyzed how Chinese American (CA) and non-Hispanic White (NHW) breast cancer patients and their oncologists communicated about patients' emotional concerns. Data included twenty-four recordings of clinical encounters between oncologists and four CA and eight NHW women with a new breast cancer diagnosis between 2013 and 2015. Using an interactional sociolinguistics approach to discourse analysis, we examined how CA and NHW patients and their oncologists initiated conversations about patients' emotions. We also categorized oncologists' responses by whether oncologists turned toward, turned away, or remained neutral to patients' emotions. When bringing up emotions with oncologists, NHW patients brought up social and personal life topics, whereas CA patients only brought up biomedical topics. We also observed that oncologists initiated discussions about emotions with only English-speaking patients of both racial groups. There were no observed differences in how oncologists remained neutral to or turned away from both CA and NHW patients' emotional expressions. When oncologists turned away from patients' emotions, they did so to solve administrative or biomedical problems. In conclusion, the findings suggest that CA patients' racial backgrounds and the language spoken during the encounters may influence how patients and oncologists initiate discussion about patients' emotions. Furthermore, the findings suggest that oncologists remain neutral and turn away from CA and NHW patients' emotions in similar ways. This study provides preliminary data for more comprehensive investigations of Asian American cancer patients' actual communication with their providers regarding emotions and treatment decisions to facilitate patient-provider communication quality.

THE USE OF SOMATIC PHRASEOLOGICAL UNITS IN KARAKALPAK FOLK PROVERBS

This article discusses somatic phraseological units in folk proverbs of Karakalpak folklore, that is, phraseological units that come with the names of the human body. At the same time, phraseological units are very effectively used in the Karakalpak language as a work of art and in the spoken language. We can see that they convey thoughts in a concise, direct, impressive, emotional-expressive way. This article analyzes somatic phraseological units in proverbs and sayings in a linguocultural aspect.

Conceptual structure of emotions.

Theories of semantic organization have historically prioritized investigation of concrete concepts pertaining to inanimate objects and natural kinds. As a result, accounts of the conceptual representation of emotions have almost exclusively focused on their juxtaposition with concrete concepts. The present study aims to fill this gap by deriving a large set of normative feature data for emotion concepts and assessing similarities and differences between the featural representation of emotion, nonemotion abstract, and concrete concepts. We hypothesized that differences between the experience of emotions (e.g., happiness and sadness) and the experience of other abstract concepts (e.g., equality and tyranny), specifically regarding the relative importance of interoceptive states, might drive distinctions in the dimensions along which emotion concepts are represented. We also predicted, based on constructionist views of emotion, that emotion concepts might demonstrate more variability in their representation than concrete and other abstract concepts. Participants listed features which we coded into discrete categories and contrasted the feature distributions across conceptual types. Analyses revealed statistically significant differences in the distribution of features among the category types by condition. We also examined variability in the features generated, finding that, contrary to expectation, emotion concepts were associated with less variability. Our results reflect subtle differences between the structure of emotion concepts and the structure of, not only concrete concepts, but also other abstract concepts. We interpret these findings in the context of our sample, which was restricted to native English speakers, and discuss the importance of validating these findings across speakers of different languages. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Ethnic integration and evolution of the phonological features of Northern Standard Chinese Language

ABSTRACT: Ethnic integration is often accompanied by language contact and language shift. The process of "ethnic integration" is the process of "remolding" northern standard Chinese language into an inter-ethnic language and ultimately into a common national language. Only by reevaluating the phonological rules and structure of the languages (mainly Altaic) of northern non-Han ethnic groups and investigating the interference with and influence on Chinese during the language shift by the non-Han ethnic groups, can we comprehend that the common national language is a language community jointly shaped by the Han people and other ethnic groups during ethnic integration. The speakers of ethnic languages are, therefore, not only the transmitters but also the co-modelers in forming the common national language. 摘要: 民族融合往往伴随着语言接触和语言转换。"民族融合"的过程就是 将北方标准汉语"重塑"为族际共同语进而成为民族共同语的过程。 只有基于以阿尔泰语为主的北方诸民族语音系规则和音韵结构特征重 新思考并深入研究以阿尔泰为主的北方诸民族在转用汉语过程中对汉 语形成的干扰和影响，才能理解民族共同语是在民族融合过程中汉族 与其他民族共同塑造的语言共同体。在民族共同语形成的过程中，民 族语者不仅是民族共同语的传播者，也是民族共同语的共同塑造者。

구어 말뭉치에 나타난 유의 관계 감탄사의 비교 분석 - 감탄사 ‘어’, ‘응’의 의미와 용법을 중심으로

This study conducted a comparative analysis of the usage patterns of Korean exclamations ‘eo’ and ‘eung’ in spoken corpus. The findings reveal that both are predominantly used for listener response signals and affirmative answers within dialogue. ‘eo’ is more frequently used for emotional expressions, while ‘eung’ is more common for indicating speaker's intent. These results suggest that exclamations play a significant role in maintaining interaction and flow in conversation. Additionally, the selection and use of exclamations are closely tied to the formality of the situation and the context of communication. The study underscores the importance of research based on actual language use data, providing direction for future research focused on spoken language.

Causes and Consequences of Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety among Chinese College Students

Speaking anxiety is the most prominent and common phenomenon in the process of foreign language learning. As one of the important affective factors, anxiety has a pivotal influence on students' motivation promotion, effect absorption, and the establishment of the thinking-acting pool in foreign language learning. In this article, we will try to analyse the causes of foreign language speaking anxiety among Chinese university students from the comprehensive perspectives of individual students, family expectations, educational resources, and domestic and international environments, and shed light on the related problems it leads to.

Artificial Intelligence in Multilingual Interpretation and Radiology Assessment for Clinical Language Evaluation (AI-MIRACLE).

The AI-MIRACLE Study investigates the efficacy of using ChatGPT 4.0, a large language model (LLM), for translating and simplifying radiology reports into multiple languages, aimed at enhancing patient comprehension. The study assesses the model's performance across the most spoken languages in the U.S., emphasizing the accuracy and clarity of translated and simplified radiology reports for non-medical readers. This study employed ChatGPT 4.0 to translate and simplify selected radiology reports into Vietnamese, Tagalog, Spanish, Mandarin, and Arabic. Hindi was used as a preliminary test language for validation of the questionnaire. Performance was assessed via Google form surveys distributed to bilingual physicians, which assessed the translation accuracy and clarity of simplified texts provided by ChatGPT 4. Responses from 24 participants showed mixed results. The study underscores the model's varying success across different languages, emphasizing both potential applications and limitations. ChatGPT 4.0 shows promise in breaking down language barriers in healthcare settings, enhancing patient comprehension of complex medical information. However, the performance is inconsistent across languages, indicating a need for further refinement and more inclusive training of AI models to handle diverse medical contexts and languages. The study highlights the role of LLMs in improving healthcare communication and patient comprehension, while indicating the need for continued advancements in AI technology, particularly in the translation of low-resource languages.

SYSTEMS THINKING FORMATION IN THE CONDITIONS OF CLIP THINKING INFLUENCE ON THE PROCESS OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING

Background. Modern higher education is focused on creating conditions for developing systems thinking skills and reducing the negative impact of clip thinking on the cognitive abilities of the younger generation. Digital technologies contribute to the development of students’ skills such as multitasking, reaction speed, a high degree of adaptability, but also negatively affect the perception of the world around them, students stop analyzing the information they receive and do not strive to make a complete picture of the fragments received. Purpose. Identify psychological and pedagogical conditions for the formation of systems thinking skills and reducing the negative impact of clip thinking on the process of learning a foreign language. Materials and methods. The study was conducted by analyzing scientific, educational and methodological literature and pedagogical experience in the formation of cognitive competence among students of higher educational institutions. The article interprets, analyzes and generalizes the theoretical principles and practical experience of developing students’ systems thinking skills, and also studies the influence of clip thinking on the cognitive process in foreign language classes. Results. The author identified the main learning difficulties caused by the negative impact of clip thinking, and proposed psychological and pedagogical conditions for their minimization and the formation of systems thinking skills. The basis of the psychological and pedagogical conditions is the implementation of problem-based learning through solving communicative tasks in the process of studying modern forms of the English verb. The obtained research results contribute to the methodology and technology of modern professional education, expand the understanding of the role of problematic communicative tasks in foreign language classes and speak about the need to rely on students’ ability to multitask and the mechanism of adaptation to information overload.

Impact of Inpatient Patient-Provider Language Concordance on Exclusive Breastfeeding Rates Postpartum.

Studies outside of obstetrics suggest that patient-provider language concordance may impact the efficacy of educational interventions and overall patient satisfaction. Many pregnant patients who present to the hospital for delivery with initial plans to exclusively breastfeed ultimately leave the hospital supplementing with formula. We aim to examine the impact of language concordance between patients and their primary bedside nurse during the delivery hospitalization period on the relationship between intended and actual feeding practices for term newborns of primiparous patients at a single institution. This is a single-center, prospective cohort of primiparous patients with term, singleton gestations admitted for delivery between February 2022 and January 2023. Participants completed a predelivery survey on arrival and a postpartum survey before hospital discharge. The primary outcome was the association between nurse-patient language concordance and postpartum exclusive breastfeeding. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the primary outcome, and p-values < 0.05 were considered significant. Overall, 108 participants were surveyed, of which 84 (77.8%) noted language concordance with their primary nurse and 24 (22.2%) reported language discordance. The race/ethnicity, language spoken at home, reported plans to return to work, WIC (special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children) enrollment, and prenatal feeding plan variables revealed significant differences in reported language concordance. Following adjustment for patient-reported prenatal feeding plan, patients who reported language concordance with their primary nurse were significantly more likely to exclusively breastfeed in the immediate postpartum period (adjusted odds ratio, 5.60; 95% confidence interval, 2.06-16.2). Patients who reported language concordance with their primary nurse were significantly more likely to breastfeed exclusively in the immediate postpartum period. These findings highlight that language concordance between patients and bedside health care providers may contribute to initiating and continuing exclusive breastfeeding during the peripartum period. · Patients who reported language concordance with their primary nurse were more likely to breastfeed.. · Patient-Provider language concordance may impact infant feeding decisions in the postpartum period.. · More research is needed to further explore the impact of language concordance with other providers..