English Words Research Articles

Contribution of statistical learning in learning to read across languages.

Statistical Learning (SL) refers to human's ability to detect regularities from environment Kirkham, N. Z. (2002) & Saffran, J. R. (1996). There has been a growing interest in understanding how sensitivity to statistical regularities influences learning to read. The current study systematically examined whether and how non-linguistic SL, Chinese SL, and English SL contribute to Chinese and English word reading among native Chinese-speaking 4th, 6th and 8th graders who learn English as a second language (L2). Children showed above-chance learning across all SL tasks and across all grades. In addition, developmental improvements were shown across at least two of the three grade ranges on all SL tasks. In terms of the contribution of SL to reading, non-linguistic auditory SL (ASL), English visual SL (VSL), and Chinese ASL accounted for a significant amount of variance in English L2 word reading. Non-linguistic ASL, Chinese VSL, English VSL, and English ASL accounted for a significant amount of variance in Chinese word reading. Our results provide clear and novel evidence for cross-linguistic contribution from Chinese SL to English reading, and from English SL to Chinese reading, highlighting a bi-directional relationship between SL in one language and reading in another language.

Diachronic predictor of affective ratings of English words

This work considers implementation of a diachronic predictor of valence, arousal and dominance ratings of English words. The estimation of affective ratings is based on data on word co-occurrence statistics in the large diachronic Google Books Ngram corpus. Affective ratings from the NRC VAD dictionary are used as target values for training. When tested on synchronic data, the obtained Pearson‘s correlation coefficients between human affective ratings and their machine ratings are 0.843, 0.779 and 0.792 for valence, aroused and dominance, respectively. We also provide a detailed analysis of the accuracy of the predictor on diachronic data. The main result of the work is creation of a diachronic affective dictionary of English words. Several examples are considered that illustrate jumps in the time series of affective ratings when a word gains a new meaning. This indicates that changes in affective ratings can serve as markers of lexical-semantic changes.

Code-mixing in Chhattisgarhi Conversation of Undergraduate Students

This paper investigates code-mixing in Chhattisgarhi based on conversation collected from the undergraduate students in the district of Gourella-Pendra-Marvahi (GPM). In India, lexical items from other languages are often mixed in most of the Indian languages since it is a multilingual country. In fact, this happens in Chhattisgarhi conversation by mixing English words in various situations. English language is used in India as second and foreign language in different places. So, the possibilities of mixing English words in Chhattisgarhi are commonly found in the spoken data. Code-mixing is a phenomenon in the society in which speakers mix words for various reasons. This paper focuses on the nature of code-mixing, the significance of code-mixing, how Chhattisgarhi undergraduate students mix English words, phrases, idioms, baster forms and clauses and the reasons for code-mixing in their Chhattisgarhi conversation. In this study, data was collected from twenty Chhattisgarhi undergraduate students at Pandit Madhav Rao Sapre College in Pendra Road of GPM district. Descriptive qualitative method was used and the informal conversations were collected from undergraduate students in different situations. The data was collected from the students through the audio-recorder in the natural settings. The recorded audio has been transcribed in IPA script, analyzed and discussed in detail in this paper. The participant of one of the researchers also helped to draw on first-hand observation through her membership in the community. The findings reveal that undergraduate students mix considerably English words, phrases, baster forms and clauses in Chhattisgarhi conversation. It is also identified that certain Chhattisgarhi case markers were attached to the English words and the insertion of sounds were found within the words i.e., intra-lexical code-mixing which leads to change the actual pronunciation of the word. The findings disclose the attitudes and opinions of undergraduate students while mixing the English elements and the main reasons for code-mixing in Chhattisgarhi conversation.

Origins of the problematic E in SEIR epidemic models

During the COVID-19 pandemic, over one thousand papers were published on “Susceptible-Exposed-Infectious-Removed” (SEIR) epidemic computational models. The English word “exposed” in its vernacular and public health usage means a state of having been in contact with an infectious individual, but not necessarily infected. In contrast, the term “exposed” in SEIR modeling usage typically stands for a state of already being infected but not yet being infectious to others, a state more properly termed “latently infected.” In public health language, “exposed” means possibly infected, yet in SEIR modeling language, “exposed” means already infected. This paper retraces the conceptual and mathematical origins of this terminological disconnect and concludes that epidemic modelers should consider using the “SLIR” notational short-hand (L for Latent) instead of SEIR.

Neologisms in Mass Media on Selected CNN TV Programs during Coronavirus Epidemic: A Morphological Analysis

This study aimed to investigate the neologisms used on selected CNN TV programs during the coronavirus epidemic. Adopting a descriptive method in analyzing the corpus of the study, we collected (286) neologisms. We analyzed them according to the types of word classes, their topics, and the morphological processes involved in forming these neologisms. The study revealed that 88 percent of the neologisms were nouns and the most prevalent morphological processes were compounding, affixation, and blending, respectively. The study also pointed out that 46 percent of the new words were medical neologisms. Findings revealed that the types of word classes and morphological processes abided by English word formation rules. Besides, all neologisms belonged to English open classes of words.

On Arab EFL learners’ production of words with “-ate”

Abstract Arab EFL learners encounter difficulty stressing English words, particularly those with -ate, e.g. ‘ˈpercolate’, ‘ˈgerminate’, ‘ˈimpregnate’. They often stress the rightmost syllable. However, earlier studies included a limited sample of such items. The present study further explores and verifies these preliminary findings. It aims at revealing any coherent pattern in learners’ word stress strategies and tracing stress strategies associated with the stimuli’s word class or length. Furthermore, it investigates the effect of specific instruction on the production of the stimuli. To estimate the impact of training in stress placement on subjects’ accurate stress production, the subjects were enrolled in a nine-hour stress-training course that extended over three weeks. Ninety infrequent words ending in -ate were used in pretest and posttest pronunciation tasks with 102 third- and fourth-year Jordanian English majors. They had problems accurately producing the stimuli and tended to place stress on the ultimate syllables. Stress was often assigned to the right syllable as the subjects were prolonging the last vowel, i.e. the -ate syllable, and accentuating it in most stimuli. No significant association existed between the subjects’ performance and word length or word classes of the stimuli. The posttest scores far exceeded the pretests, proving explicit instruction’s benefits.

Impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on Suicidal Behaviour in Copenhagen

IntroductionDuring the Covid-19 pandemic, multiple concerns were expressed about the inadequacy and unavailability of mental health services. This study aims to assess the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the prevalence of suicidal behaviour in Copenhagen. MethodsThis exploratory retrospective quantitative study was conducted based on annual register-based electronic health records of the Emergency Medical Services Copenhagen from 2015 to 2021. It focused on calls related to suicidal behaviour entering the Emergency Medical Dispatch Centre 112 and the medical helpline 1813. The calls were identified based on the search of the Danish and English words for suicide in the medical records. The primary outcome focused on the number of suicidal calls registered in the EMS records prior to the Covid-19 outbreak as compared to numbers during the pandemic. ResultsThe study analysed 8026 recorded suicide-related calls from March 2015 to December 2021. The number of suicidal behaviours increased by 9%. During the Covid-19 years, there was a decrease of 11% in suicidal behaviour. This pattern could be observed in all age groups. However, suicidal behaviour increased by 4% from 104 (2019) to 119 and 118 (2020 and 2021, respectively) among adolescents aged 11–18 years. The prevalence of suicidal behaviour was constantly higher among females compared to males. ConclusionWhile suicidal behaviour increased, the Covid-19 pandemic has been linked to a decline in suicidal behaviour. Adolescents and females seem to be more prone to suicidal behaviour during times of crisis compared to other age groups and males.

HOW DO STUDENTS FACE ENGLISH SPEAKING DIFFICULTIES AT A COASTAL REGENCY OF NATUNA: A CASE STUDY AT AN ISLAMIC STATE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

This research describes the analysis of student difficulties in English speaking skills faced by 10th Grade students of MAN 1 Natuna in the 2021/2022 academic year. This research used qualitative research methods. The researcher chose class X IPA 1 as the object with a total of 27 students. In collecting the data, researcher used observations, and interview. From the data analysis, the researcher found some conclusion The problem of students in mastering speaking skills is that students have limited vocabulary, they confused to pronounce words in English, lack grammar, cannot speak fluently, and have difficulty understanding what the speaker is saying. In addition, students inhibit to practice speaking English and usually use their mother tongue. The cause of students having difficulty in mastering speaking skills refers to the learning objectives, it can be concluded that students have psychological factors such as lack of confidence, fear of being wrong, anxiety, shame and lack of motivation that hinders them in practicing speaking in English. These factors, such as fear of making mistakes, are generally caused by their fear of being laughed at by their friends.

Iraqi EFL university students' word recognition strategies and vocabulary proficiency: A correlational study

Word recognition is a cognitive activity widely acknowledged as a hallmark of fluent L2 readers. Understanding a text can only be accomplished with the ability to decode printed words efficiently. Another factor affecting students' comprehension is vocabulary. Therefore, this research aims to investigate whether there is any significant relationship between word recognition strategies and vocabulary knowledge among Iraqi university students. This study made use of four instruments to collect the data. A comprehensive framework for evaluating students' vocabulary proficiency consists of two tests: one measures the reception and production of vocabulary information and the other assesses orthographic coding and phonological decoding procedures. The results show that the respondents use both strategies to an average degree with over-reliance on the orthographic one in recognizing English words by employing a descriptive correlational research design with 400 respondents. Furthermore, a positive relationship was observed between word recognition strategies and vocabulary proficiency.

AI empowered Auslan learning for parents of deaf children and children of deaf adults

AbstractCommunication poses a challenge for the deaf and hearing loss community. This difficulty is even more pronounced in the families of Children of Deaf Adults (CODAs) and Parents of Deaf Children (PODCs). To help these families overcome this challenge, we design an AI-empowered interactive bi-directional Australian Sign Language (i.e., Auslan) dictionary application to facilitate communication within a household. Technically, our APP can not only look up sign gestures for the given English words but also translate isolated Auslan gestures into English. Through an inviting user interface and experience design, we can further improve engagement within the CODA and PODC families while enabling Auslan education at home. The positive user experience underscores the success of our APP not only in leveraging AI to revolutionise Auslan education but also in promoting cross-generational language acquisition and communication.

The Interplay among Mythology, Culture, and the English Language

Mythology refers to traditional stories often involving gods and heroes. Many of these tales have been widely popularized, and in turn, have been found to be of high significance in investigating the evolution of the English language and culture. As mythologies are often passed down through cultures, these tales heavily influence modern traditions and beliefs. They also play an important role in the evolution and development of certain languages. This paper discusses the relationship between mythology, language, and culture through the help of a comparative analysis of mythologies, vocabularies, literary works, and traditions regarding death. The analysis reveals that many English words and phrases originate from Greek and Roman mythology, and that an individual's belief is closely connected to the mythology of the culture they grew up in. This, in turn, proves that mythology cannot be ignored when investigating language and culture, and that an understanding of mythological tales will allow individuals to better appreciate both literature and cultural traditions.

Sources of English Neologisms

With the social changes and technological development since the 20th century, many new things have emerged, and with them, the language has also changed. Neologism is a linguistic phenomenon, which is the product and reflection of the development and change of language. According to statistics, there are currently more than 600 million native English speakers in the world, and one-third of the world's population speaks English as a second language. This shows the importance of English as a universal language. Consequently, English inevitably produces many new words with the rapid changes in social life. This paper delves into the origins and mechanisms behind neologisms in the English language. This study aims to explore the dynamic processes that drive vocabulary expansion by examining vocabulary innovation, borrowing, and integration. Based on grasping the concept of English neologisms, this paper discusses the origin and derivation of English neologisms through the study of dictionaries and monographs, and a large number of examples of neologisms. The study found that the sources of English neologisms are mainly divided into three aspects, namely, traditional word formation, new meanings of old words in modern English, and the fusion of foreign words and native words.

Morphological Analysis Of Hybrid Compounds In Urdu Afsanas (Short Stories)

One of the significant morphological processes in a language is the way separate lexemes combine to form compound words. This process gives birth to Hybrid compound. Hybrid compounds are the compounds which are formed by the combination of one word from the source and one from the target language. As Pakistan and India have been British colonies and English still holds elite status in these regions, Urdu and Hindi have a large number of lexis which borrowed from English. The paper aims at analyzing the existence and nature of hybrid compounds in Urdu Language resulting from borrowing English words. A qualitative study was carried out by researchers and the selected corpus from Urdu short stories of Saadat Hussain Manto, Intazar Hussain, Shafeeq-ur-Rahman, Patras Bukhari, and Nimrah Ahmed was used to explore hybrid compounds in Urdu Literature. Fifty compound words were identified out of which 20 Hybrid compounds were observed. Partial borrowing was observed in short stories which provides evidence of hybrid compounding. Endocentric attributive, coordinative and subordinative and Exocentric attributive and subordinative compounds were observed and analyzed. Semantic transparency has been detected in all endocentric compounds where semantic opacity appears in exocentric compounds with some cultural schema at work.

English loanwords in Hong Kong Cantonese: false friend cognates and English vocabulary acquisition

Abstract Research on loanword semantics seldom investigates systematic patterns of change because semantic change is not nearly as constrained and predictable as phonological change. Hong Kong is a bilingual city of English and Chinese/Cantonese, where people frequently use English loanwords in Hong Kong Cantonese (ELCs). Drawing upon the notion of cognates, this questionnaire-based study examines the extent to which Hong Kong Cantonese speakers are aware of the contrasts in meaning between ELCs and the English words from which they have been borrowed. Three ELCs that are false friend cognates with their English source words were selected to be included in the study. Respondents who completed the questionnaire included a group of native English speakers (N = 19) and a group of native Cantonese speakers (N = 107). Their responses were compared and contrasted through both qualitative and quantitative methods. The results show that the ELCs affect the Cantonese speakers’ understanding of the English source words. The English proficiency of native Cantonese speakers has been identified as a contributing factor that correlates with the accuracy of understanding word meanings. This study delineates the relationship between false friend cognates, ELCs and English vocabulary acquisition. It offers pedagogical implications for vocabulary learning and teaching in bilingual contexts.

EFL Student-Teachers’ Perception Toward Teaching English Vocabulary Through Poetry

Poetry has been reported to promote language awareness and authentic learning sources. As poems are composed in carefully arranged words to form rhyming sounds with beautiful rhythm, the present study aimed to reveal EFL students' perceptions of using poetry to teach English vocabulary. Conducted qualitatively, the present observed eighty-seven short essays on using English poems for improving students' vocabulary written by student-teachers from an English Language Education Department in Bali. It was revealed that the student-teachers perceived poetry to help improve students' acquisition of word form, use, and meaning. Forty-four students wrote poems that could improve students' understanding of English word forms: twenty-three students argued that poetry could improve students' pronunciation. Twenty-one participants believed poems could improve students' spelling. In terms of word meaning, a total of thirty vouched for the use of poetry for introducing figurative languages (twenty-three students), enhancing students' acquisition of colloquial vocabulary (eleven students), and familiarizing students with unfamiliar words (eleven participants). A total of nine students insisted that poems could be used to improve students' word use, whereas six students believed poems could display grammatical functions. At the same time, three participants recognize the use of poems for acquainting students with collocations. These results imply that future EFL teachers recognize the potential of bringing English poetry as a medium for improving their EFL students'' vocabulary, hinting at the need for further research on the systematic procedure of how to implement poetry into EFL classrooms.

Penggunaan Kata Umum Dalam Pendaftaran Merek Pada Sengketa Merek STRONG Antara Hardwood Private Limited Dengan PT. Unilever Indonesia, Tbk. Berdasarkan Undang-Undang No. 20 Tahun 2016 Tentang Merek Dan Indikasi Geografis

There are provisions regarding trademarks that cannot be registered in Law No. 20 Year 2016, one of which is in Article 20 letter f which states that "Trademarks cannot be registered if they are common names and/or symbols of public property." However, even though there is already a regulation regarding the invalidity of registration of the use of common words in trademarks, there are still many uses of common words as trademarks in Indonesia. This shows that there is still a lack of clarity regarding the parameters of acceptable use of generic words in trademark registration. One of the famous trademark infringement cases using a common word in Indonesia is the case between PT Unilever Indonesia, Tbk. against Hardwood Private Limited with the alleged use of the "STRONG" Trademark with the Supreme Court Decision Number 332 K/Pdt.Sus- IPR/2021. This research aims to discuss the legal action in the settlement of infringement of well-known trademarks that use the word general and the judge's consideration of infringement of well-known trademarks that use the word general based on Indonesian positive law. Based on the research results, the word "STRONG" is an English word that has a strong meaning. Then the word STRONG is a general or generic word that when referring to the explanation in Article 20 of Law No. 20 Year 2016, the word "STRONG" should not be registered as a trademark because it is a common word

Bilingual proficiency effects in paired-associate learning of vocabulary in an unfamiliar language

Abstract We investigated three aspects of paired associate learning of vocabulary in an unfamiliar language: monolingual-bilingual differences, effects of dominance and language proficiency, and the possible role of associative strategies. Spanish–English bilinguals (48 English-dominant and 48 Spanish-dominant) and English-speaking monolinguals (n = 48) learned Swahili–English and Swahili-Spanish word pairs. Learning was assessed using cued recall (Swahili cue or Swahili response) and associative recognition tests. English-dominant bilinguals did not outperform English monolinguals on any learning measure. Cued recall accuracy was higher when learning through the dominant language than through the non-dominant language, whether the Swahili words were cues or responses. Proficiency scores in the known language were positively correlated with cued recall accuracy, whether the cue or the response was in Swahili, indicating that proficiency effects occurred not in retrievability of known words but in learning of associations. Bilingual and monolingual participants did not differ in their reported use of associative strategies.

An Investigation of the Cross-Language Transfer of Reading Skills: Evidence from a Study in Nigerian Government Primary Schools

This paper investigates the linguistic interdependence of Grade 3 children studying in government primary schools in northern Nigeria who are learning to read in Hausa (L1) and English (L2) simultaneously. There are few studies in the African context that consider linguistic interdependence and the bidirectional influences of literacy skills in multilingual contexts. A total of 2328 Grade 3 children were tested on their Hausa and English letter sound knowledge (phonemes) and reading decoding skills (word) after participating in a two-year English structured reading intervention programme as part of their school day. In Grade 4, these children will become English immersion learners, with English becoming the medium of instruction. Carrying out bivariate correlations, we find a large and strongly positively significant correlation between L1 and L2 test scores. Concerning bidirectionality, a feedback path model illustrates that the L1 word score predicts the L2 word score and vice versa. Multi-level modelling is then used to consider the variation in test scores. Almost two thirds of the variation in the word score is attributable to the pupil level and one third to the school level. The Hausa word score is significantly predicted through Hausa sound and English word score. English word score is significantly predicted through Hausa word and English sound score. The findings have implications for language policy and classroom instruction, showing the importance of cross-language transfer between reading skills. The overall results support bidirectionality and linguistic interdependence.

Morphological Awareness and Cross-Language Transfer

This research investigated how knowledge of word structure (morphology) transfers across languages in an EFL context. The study involved 100 randomly selected students from basic education in Tunisia, with half from Grade 8 and the other half from Grade 9. The students' vocabulary sizes were assessed using an adapted version of Nation's Vocabulary Levels. Additionally, tests for inflectional and derivational morphemes in Arabic, French, and English were used to measure the students' awareness of word structure. The students also completed two tasks involving words that are similar in meaning and form across languages (cognates) in French-English and Arabic-English. The results showed that knowledge of word structure in Arabic did not relate to knowledge of word structure in English, but there were significant connections between knowledge of word structure in French and English. Furthermore, the study revealed that the similarity of English words with Arabic affected the transfer of knowledge of word structure, while knowledge of word structure in French had an impact on both similar and dissimilar English words.

Компрессивное словообразование в англоязычном юридическом дискурсе: структурно-семантические характеристики языковых единиц

The aim of the study is to identify the structural and semantic features of linguistic units serving as means of compressive word formation in English legal discourse. The article explores the notion of compression, focusing on the most common means of compression in the form of English compound words and abbreviations at the derivational level. The scientific novelty lies in the comprehensive analysis of means of compressive word formation in English legal discourse, which allowed for the identification and description of productive derivational patterns based on extensive linguistic material, defining the uniqueness of their structure and semantics. The analysis reveals that compound words are the most common means of compression, enabling linguistic economy. Predominant are compound words based on the ‘N + N’ asyntactic model; phrasal compounds with nominal and verbal stem components; derivative compounds created following the agentive model ‘N + V + -er’. Among abbreviations with highly compressive forms of expression, initialisms dominate, based on two-word and three-word nominal models of word formation, as well as syllabic abbreviations retaining the initial part of the original word and hybrid abbreviations formed by contraction.