Language Users Research Articles

Language and Knowledge of the World

Abstract: This article addresses language and knowledge of the world within the communicative process, as it is understood that knowledge of the world plays a preponderant role in effective communication between language users. The main objective of this article was to demonstrate the relevance of knowledge of the world in the communicative process, showing that for the construction of a textual meaning or understanding of the text, several processes occur and the mastery of linguistic knowledge is not a sufficient condition for calculating the sense. This study's starting question is the following: does mastery of linguistic knowledge in itself constitute a sufficient and/or exclusive condition for the construction of textual meaning? To answer this question, bibliographical research was adopted as the study methodology, and the type and method of approach were qualitative and inductive respectively, taking into account that the inductive method starts from the examination of particular data, sufficiently verified and inferred the results of the part examined to the entire population (Marconi & Lakatos, 2003). To carry out this study, participant observation and interviews were also chosen as data collection techniques. Thus, this study showed that for effective communication, that is, construction of textual meaning within the communicative process, a large part has to do with knowledge of the world manifested through shared knowledge about sociocultural conventions and/or pragmatic aspects of language, contradicting the perceptions according to which linguistic knowledge, which is limited only to the domain of the grammatical rules of the language and the lexicon, means that the individual would be able to understand the text.

The Translation Quality Assessment of Google Translate’s Toward A More Critical Approach To Bio-events

There are few Chinese translation resources in paleontology, and literature reading relies heavily on machine translation, yet the translation quality cannot be guaranteed. Taking Towards a More Critical Approach toward Bio-events as a sample, this study aims to discuss the effectiveness of Google Translate in English-to-Chinese translation of paleontology literature. By comparing the translated text by Google Translate with that in Selected Papers of Theoretical Paleontology, the study assesses the translation from the perspectives of accuracy in word, sentence usage, meaning expression, logical accuracy, and readability. The assessment results show that the English-to-Chinese translation by Google Translate can accurately translate the deductive reasoning logic of the original text, and its coherence is basically consistent with the original text. However, there are paucity such as inaccurate word usage and deviations in sentence structure, leading to poor readability in some passages. This study provides insights into the use of machine translation strategies for paleontology researchers.

Autistic Traits, Communicative Efficiency, and Social Biases Shape Language Learning in Autistic and Allistic Learners.

There is ample evidence that individual-level cognitive mechanisms active during language learning and use can contribute to the evolution of language. For example, experimental work suggests that learners will reduce case marking in a language where grammatical roles are reliably indicated by fixed word order, a correlation found robustly in the languages of the world. However, such research often assumes homogeneity among language learners and users, or at least does not dig into individual differences in behavior. Yet, it is increasingly clear that language users vary in a large number of ways: in culture, in demographics, and-critically for present purposes-in terms of cognitive diversity. Here, we explore how neurodiversity impacts behavior in an experimental task similar to the one summarized above, and how this behavior interacts with social pressures. We find both similarities and differences between autistic and nonautistic English-speaking individuals, suggesting that neurodiversity can impact language change in the lab. This, in turn, highlights the potential for future research on the role of neurodivergent populations in language evolution more generally.

The Impact of Subordination Type and Finiteness on Second Language Development in Timed Impromptu Writing: An NLP-Based Analysis Using the Subordination Sophistication Analyzer

The use of subordination enables language users to achieve syntactic efficiency by allowing them to connect ideas in temporal/logical relation. Although the importance of subordination has been recognized in previous research on second language (L2) writing, it has been typically assessed with global indices that measure overall ratio of subordination. In order to capture more nuanced patterns in the development of L2 writing, this study measures the sophistication of subordination, considering subordination type (adverbialization, complementization, relativization) and finiteness (finite, nonfinite). Our natural language processing analysis of 6,566 timed impromptu essays using the Subordination Sophistication Analyzer 1.0 showed that higher-proficiency L2 learners used more subordination, and, importantly, their patterns of use differed by subordination type and finiteness. Whereas the amount of adverbialization and relativization increased along with proficiency regardless of finiteness, the use of complementization increased only for nonfinite clauses. The broader impacts of this study for education and assessment are discussed.

Language standardization and railway-walking distance. Levenshtein distance and distribution in GAJ

Abstract In this paper, new quantitative methods were applied to elucidate the geographical distribution of Japanese dialects. (1) Regional differences (individual differences) of usage rate of standard language at each locality in GAJ (Grammar Atlas of Japanese Dialects) were dealt with. (2) In addition to the railway distance from Tokyo to each locality, the walking distance from the railway stations to the survey localities was measured and used as the “railway-walking distance”. (3) Using a scatter-plot in what is called a “limestone cave model”, the values on the axis of standard language usage were reversed, and the Japan Islands were divided into east and west according to their direction from Tokyo. It showed that the standard language usage rate and distance show a proportional relationship even at each locality (individual informant) value. (4) Focusing on the prefectures near Tokyo, the distance from Tokyo regulates the usage rate. From this, the rapid spread of standard language from modern Tokyo and influence of railway can be ascertained. It was found that the phenomena pointed out by the average values by prefectures of vocabulary items in LAJ are valid to the data for each locality (individual) of GAJ.

Strategic use of English quantifiers in the reporting of quantitative information

ABSTRACT This study investigates how quantifiers are used strategically to serve different argumentative goals. We report two experiments on how English speakers describe the results of school exams when being instructed to frame their descriptions either as a good or bad outcome. Experiment 1 shows that participants have clear preferences for specific quantifier combinations in this task. Experiment 2 shows that, in situations where producing descriptions that meet one’s argumentative goals is difficult (i.e. framing very bad outcomes positively), participants tend to use quantifiers that are informationally weaker than other salient alternatives. Experiment 2 also shows that people have a bias to frame outcomes positively, even when the task asks them to frame them negatively. Put together, these results shed light on the question of how language users strategically explore different linguistic strategies to communicate quantity in pragmatically favorable ways, including how quantifiers are used vis-`a-vis other lexical expressions of quantity.

Topic modelling and sentiment analysis during COVID-19 revealed emotions changes for public health

Between 2020 and 2022, lockdown and restraining measures as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic led to changes in daily routines and also in language usage. At certain points during the pandemic, populations in some countries were unwilling or unlikely to respond to government messages, either because of the tone and analytic discourse used by leaders, or because they did not understand the messages. Linguistic markers and meanings were therefore linked to low levels of engagement, negative emotions and high levels of analytical thinking, especially in relation to the discourses of influential international leaders. We subjected sixteen speeches by eight country leaders to topic modelling and sentiment analysis in order to understand how the psychological functions of language were affected during two different periods of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this topic analysis we organize 39,073 words collected from sixteen authentic speeches delivered in two different periods of the acute phase of the pandemic. These were encoded in the Linguistic Inquiry Word Count program (LIWC), with the main aim being to identify differences between the periods. We examined the following aspects: (1) the emotional tone, analytical thinking and clout (empathy dimension); (2) the changes in these three dimensions or factors between periods 1 and 2 (February and May 2020). We observed a negative relationship between emotional tone and analytical thinking and a positive relationship between clout and emotional tone. When we considered the changes in pandemic circumstances, the psycholinguistic profiles of eight country leaders demonstrated fluctuations in language and emotions. Further reviews and research should focus on the current language and deficit wording of this population (leaders). We also note that psychologists and schoolteachers can play an important role in supporting language programmes with positive wording and by emphasising the collateral effects of face-to-face classes when teaching children to read and write.

Application Of the National Corpus Of The Kazakh Language In Linguistic Research

National corpora are essential tools in modern linguistics, offering valuable data for analyzing language structures and their connection to the world.The primary goal of this study is to enhance the perception and analysis of the Kazakh language. It introduces a methodological approach that deepens the understanding of the structure and features of Kazakh.The research utilizes frequency analysis, syntactic parsing, and statistical methods to examine Kazakh language texts. The results demonstrate that the National Corpus provides extensive data for studying linguistic patterns. Frequency analysis identifies the most common words and phrases, while syntactic analysis uncovers patterns and connections between words. The study also highlights the variation in word usage and constructions, showing the language's adaptability to modern communication.The findings are applicable to lexicography, semantics, and syntax studies of the Kazakh language. Additionally, they offer practical benefits in language teaching, lexicographic resource creation, machine translation, and natural language processing.In conclusion, the research provides valuable tools for in-depth analysis of the Kazakh language, with broad applications across linguistic studies and practical fields.

Effects of Adjectives and Adverbs on Visually Impaired Students in Depicting Contents and Enhancing Retention in Inclusive Classrooms in Katsina State, Nigeria

This study investigated the impact of adjectives and adverbs on the content depiction and retention of visually impaired students within a Nigerian context. By employing a mixed-methods approach, the research examined the effects of these linguistic elements on students’ comprehension, engagement, and overall learning experience. The findings revealed a significant positive correlation between using adjectives and adverbs and students’ academic performance. Students perceived descriptive language as enhancing their understanding, imagination, and recall of information. Teachers predominantly incorporated adjectives and adverbs in their instruction, aligning with inclusive education principles. However, variations in the frequency and priority of descriptive language usage among teachers were observed. The study concludes that incorporating adjectives and adverbs into teaching practices significantly benefits visually impaired students by improving their content depiction and retention. These findings underscore the importance of descriptive language in creating inclusive and engaging learning environments for all students. Further research is recommended to explore the long-term effects of descriptive language on student outcomes and to develop specific pedagogical strategies for maximizing its impact on visually impaired learners.

The more proficient the learners, the less sophisticated their L2 vocabulary?

Abstract Mean-frequency scores of lexical sophistication are used to evaluate written and spoken language production. They are calculated using word frequencies extracted from a reference corpus. Using mixed-effects regression models, we analyse the strength of the relationship between L2 proficiency and mean-frequency scores in spoken and written texts using reference corpora representing different modes and registers. We control for task and topic effects. We observe that mean-frequency measures of lexical sophistication are considerably more influenced by the mode and register of the reference corpus used to calculate these scores than by language users’ proficiency level. Advanced language users produce more frequent vocabulary, typical of the target register, in both spoken monologues and written essays. These results provide evidence in favour of a conceptual and terminological shift from lexical sophistication to register appropriateness (as suggested by Durrant & Brenchley, 2019) to refer to the construct captured by mean-frequency scores of vocabulary use.

Translation of Earthliness: An Exploration of Translation Dislocation of Folk Language in Chin P'ing Mei in Late Ming Dynasty within the Framework of Aesthetic Reception

As the first full-lenght satiric novel, Jin Ping Mei (Chin P'ing Mei), written by Lanling Xiaoxiao Sheng at the end of the Ming Dynasty, elaborates the social and worldly affairs comprehensively through vivid language and skillful usage of literary devices. Due to the richness of the folk language for the language forms, and the differences and great colloquial and regional characteristics to the Western readers in the geographical and time facets, for the purpose of reception in the target culture, the translator gives adjustment or modification to folk languages forms like dialect, slang, idiom, and proverbs, etc., which engenders certain translation dislocation to some extent. Through qualitative and comparative analyses, this paper aims to offer a preliminary exploration of the basic paradigm, causes, and construction process of the translation dislocation of the folk language in those two English translation versions of Jin Ping Mei from the four dimensions of readers' expectation horizons, aesthetic distance, integration of horizons, and the construction of respond-inviting structures under the perspective of aesthetic reception theory, so as to provide an avenue for English readers to delve into the peculiar translation dislocation of the folk language in the translation of Chinese classical works.

Research on the Impact of Internet Language on Communication

In the modern period social media has tremendously affected linguistic norms with the prevalent usage of Internet language, which has become an integral part of our digital interactions. From its modest beginnings in early chat rooms to its current ubiquitous presence across social media platforms, comprehending a new Internet term and delighting in its usage can open up an entirely new world of connections and expressions. This article explores the impact of internet language on daily communication. It analyses the main types of internet slang, highlighting the emergence of new linguistics strategies, including symbol graphics, emojis, numerical codes and abbreviated words. It also discusses the characteristics of internet slang and its impact on communication, emphasizing the numerous merits of internet languages, while acknowledging the challenges posed by their informal nature, such as the barriers to information dissemination. Additionally, the article underscores the need to adopt measures to improve the effectiveness of internet terminology in communication and manage its impact consciously and positively.

Language Experience Influences Sociolinguistic Development: The Role of Speaker Race and Language Attitudes on Bilingual and Monolingual Adults' Accent Processing.

Speaker race and the listener's language experience (i.e., monolinguals vs. bilinguals) have both been shown to influence accent intelligibility independently. Speaker race specifically is thought to be informed by learned experiences (exemplar model) or individual biases and attitudes (bias-based model). The current study investigates speaker race and the listener's language experience simultaneously as well as listeners' attitudes toward non-native speakers and their ability to identify the accent. Overall, 140 White English monolinguals and 140 English/Norwegian bilinguals transcribed 60 Mandarin-accented English sentences presented in noise in the context of a White or East Asian face. Following sentence transcription, participants were asked to rate the strength of the accent heard and completed a short questionnaire that assessed their accent identification ability and their language usage, proficiency, familiarity, and attitudes. Results show that a listeners' ability to identify an accent and their attitudes toward non-native speakers had a significant impact on accent intelligibility and accentedness ratings. Speaker race by itself did not play a role in accent intelligibility and accentedness ratings; however, we found evidence that speaker race interacted with participants' accent identification scores and attitudes toward non-native speakers, and these interactions differed as a function of language experience. Our results suggest that bilinguals' sociolinguistic processing may be more in line with a bias-based model than monolinguals.

Kochkarova Elmira Rashidovn

This paper discusses the key features and benefits of using interactive methods in teachingadverbs in Russian. Interactive learning approaches, such as group discussions, role-playing, languagegames, and digital tools, enhance students' engagement and comprehension by creating a dynamic andparticipatory classroom environment. The study examines how these methods can facilitate betterunderstanding and retention of adverbial usage in the Russian language, particularly in differentiatingtypes of adverbs and mastering their syntactic roles. The paper also explores the use of technology-basedtools to provide real-time feedback, making the learning process more personalized and efficient. Thepractical implementation of interactive exercises promotes active participation and fosters a collaborativelearning atmosphere, which is essential for mastering the nuances of adverbs in Russian.

Bilingual Viewer: A bilingual text generation tool

This article describes the website BilingualViewer.com; it discusses the technologies used to build it and the engineering challenges that were encountered. BilingualViewer.Com is an open and free application that uses web technologies to create Bilingual versions of articles and books. The website can be saved onto the homepage of a smartphone and used like an App (for reading and converting newspaper articles on the fly), in addition to being opened on a computer's browser to process intensive tasks such as whole book translations. The website will henceforth be referred to as the app. Bilingual text refers here to a piece of writing where sentences in two different languages are presented sequentially, one sentence in the language to be learned followed by the user's primary language. Bilingual texts are particularly useful for students who rely heavily on dictionaries when reading books and newspaper articles.The app helps to create bilingual texts from almost any electronic content. A key feature from a copyright point of view is that the content is generated and stored locally on the device (unless added to an online library). Where a subscription is required to access newspaper content, the app generates a bilingual text article and stores it locally, so that the restricted content does not leave the device (i.e., it does not appear in any cloud server other than Google or Apple translation servers). There is a large features list including switching on and off languages, getting the device to read out loud, saving a list of items on the device along with the currently read position, sending content to an eBook, merging articles and more. A library of pre-translated books is provided in the app with the option of augmenting this with the user’s own on-line content. The app is available at https://www.bilingualviewer.com/ Documentation on the app can be found at hhtps://bv-fc.netlify.app/about/

Embodiment of sexuality by Israeli Sign Language signers and hearing Hebrew speakers

AbstractLanguage is a key resource for speakers and signers to index different aspects of their social identities, such as their ethnicities and sexualities. Yet, for users of sign language – who exploit movements of the hands, face, head and torso for linguistic purposes – it is often assumed that any communicative movement of the body is part of a sign language rather than a general feature of the body's potential to communicate social meaning, shared by hearing and deaf individuals. In this study, we test this claim by comparing the movement features produced by gay and straight Israeli Sign Language signers to the gestural movements produced by gay and straight Hebrew speakers. The findings reveal that deaf gay signers and hearing gay gesturers exploit similar movements of the body. By incorporating the notion of embodiment into sign language sociolinguistics, we can better conceptualize the relationship between sign language and social identities.

Religious vocabulary and the features of its usage in the Russian language (based on the adjective адский (hellish)

Religious vocabulary and the features of its usage in the Russian language (based on the adjective адский (hellish)

Language Styles, Recovery Strategies and Users’ Willingness to Forgive in General Artificial Intelligence Service Recovery: A Mixed Study

As the prevalence of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in the service sector continues to grow, the impact of the language style and recovery strategies utilized during service failures remains insufficiently explored. This study, grounded in the theory of social presence and dual-process theory, employed a mixed-method approach combining questionnaire surveys and event-related potential (ERP) experiments to investigate the effect of different language styles (rational vs. humorous) and recovery strategies (gratitude vs. apology) on users’ willingness to forgive during the GenAI service recovery process. It further delves into the chained mediating role of perceived sincerity and social presence in this process. The findings revealed that a humorous language style was more effective in enhancing users’ willingness to forgive compared to a rational style, primarily through the enhancement of users’ perceived sincerity and sense of social presence; recovery strategies played a moderating role in this process, with the positive impact of perceived sincerity on social presence being significantly amplified when the GenAI service adopted an apology strategy. ERP results indicated that a rational language style significantly induced a larger N2 component (cognitive conflict) in apology scenarios, while a humorous style exhibited higher amplitude in the LPP component (positive emotional evaluation). This research unveils the intricate relationships between language style, recovery strategies, and users’ willingness to forgive in the GenAI service recovery process, providing important theoretical foundations and practical guidance for designing more effective GenAI service recovery strategies, and offering new insights into developing more efficacious GenAI service recovery tactics.

Understanding honor and dignity in North Indian and German cultural contexts

This study explores culturally shared connotations of honor and dignity in North India and Germany. Both, honor and dignity refer to the worth of a person but have distinct psychological implications. Honor as both an independent and interdependent phenomenon varies greatly across cultural groups. Yet, a relatively large volume of research is focused on Middle Eastern, Muslim cultures. Moreover, though a rich body of literature shows that dignity can have different meanings across cultural contexts, its nuanced understanding, particularly in relation to honor, remains underexplored in cross-cultural settings. Given this, the current study expands both these concepts to India with its unique religious and structural characteristics and studies it along with the responses of participants in Germany, examining their cultural differences. Eleven focus group discussions were conducted in North India and Germany where participants discussed their personal associations of both honor and dignity. These discussions were transcribed and later thematically analyzed. The findings indicated unique themes for honor (duty, morality, status, sociability, and stoicism) and dignity (individuality, self-governance, resistance, and enrichment) with some dimensional similarities for both cultural groups, despite dissimilar language usage. Furthermore, the five themes for honor were seen to affect differently depending on its enhancement or loss and its eventual impact on the target of honor, self, or group. As for dignity, participants in both groups had difficulties distinguishing it from honor but had a clear understanding of its intrinsic nature, especially when seen in contradiction with honor. These findings have theoretical and practical implications, particularly while studying different cultural groups together. Moreover, they contribute to the literature on self-worth by refining the idea of dignity, while also expanding our multidimensional understanding of honor.

Names and existence

AbstractIn practice, the inquiry into whether Socrates/William Tell/Robin Hood really existed hinges on the origin of the causal sequence leading up to the present use of the name employed for the personage in question, even though the occurrence of a Kripkean ‘baptism’ is not a logical consequence of most assertions employing that name, but only an ‘implication’ like the sort that makes examples of Moore's paradox (e.g. 'It is raining, but I have no idea whether it is raining’) strike ordinary language users as ‘inconsistent’. But with any express assertions or denials of the existence of the personage named, the attribution of Kripkean sense to the name is unavoidable.