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From Second to Heritage Languages: Validating Form-Focused Instruction for Arabic Heritage Learners
Previous research shows that in heritage language development, accuracy lags fluency. This has prompted calls for the use of Form Focused Instruction in heritage language classrooms. This paper offers empirical evidence in support of Form Focused Instruction in Arabic as a heritage language addressing the questions (1) Is Form Focused Instruction more effective than Meaning-based instruction for heritage language learners of Arabic? (2) Is Isolated Form Focused Instruction specifically more effective than Meaning-based instruction in teaching adjective-noun agreement to heritage language learners? (3) Are there parallels between the development of the heritage language pedagogy and the established second language pedagogy? The methodology includes the development of a lesson plan incorporating Form Focused Instruction to teach noun-adjective agreement in Arabic as a heritage language and piloting it with 10 heritage high intermediate learners of Arabic. Findings show that (1) statistically significant accuracy gains are made when Form Focused Instruction is used instead of Meaning-based instruction, (2) Isolated Form Focused Instruction is especially more effective than Meaning-based instruction in teaching adjective-noun agreement in Arabic as a heritage language, (3) significant parallels between the emerging heritage language pedagogy and second language pedagogy are revealed. Key pedagogical implications are (1) both heritage language learners and second language learners progress in their fluency but struggle in their accuracy, (2) Form Focused Instruction is especially effective in teaching morphosyntactic features that are resistant to acquisition, and (3) Form Focused Instruction in second language research can significantly inform and advance heritage language pedagogy.
Copyright (c) 2026 Theory and Practice in Language Studies
Sexual Harassment at Workplace: A Pragmatic Study
Sexual harassment is a phenomenon that has been prevailing in everyday workplace. It refers to undesirable sex-oriented conduct usually carried out by a powerful male employer towards a female employee. Sexual harassment may result in humiliation, degradation and loss of reputation on the part of the target. Despite the fact that sexual harassment is pervasive in workplace interactions, it has remained relatively linguistically, particularly pragmatically, unexplored. Therefore, the present study endeavours to investigate this phenomenon at workplace from a pragmatic point of view in selected medical TV shows as represented examples of the genre investigated. It is hypothesized that harassers in medical TV shows employ some pragmatic strategies more than others to harass their victims and achieve their goals. Precisely, this study attempts to answer the following questions: What are the types, forms and elements of sexual harassment employed in the data under scrutiny? What are the pragmatic aspects of workplace sexual harassment? And what are the pragmatic strategies used to manifest the pragmatic aspects of workplace sexual harassment? The findings of the study have demonstrated that different pragmatic aspects are utilized by harassers in the TV shows analyzed. These comprise impoliteness strategies and speech acts. However, statistical analysis has revealed that impoliteness strategies occur with a higher frequency than speech act strategies.
Productive Word-Formation Patterns in Modern Armenian: A Lexicographical Data Analysis
In the era of globalization and technological advancement, languages employ various strategies to denominate new concepts. This paper, based on data from the New Words dictionary series published by the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, analyzes the most productive word-formation patterns of neologisms in Modern Armenian and compares them with trends in English, a major source of international neologisms. The study utilizes a multifaceted methodology, combining descriptive-classificational, quantitative, qualitative-semantic, and comparative-typological methods. The findings indicate that compounding is the predominant method of word formation in Armenian. Patterns with components such as media-, ēko-, tesa-, -kentron, and -hay are particularly productive, reflecting contemporary socio-technological developments. The comparative analysis reveals that Armenian addresses the influence of English through two primary strategies: calquing (e.g., hamats’ants’ 'internet') and direct borrowing (e.g., feysbuk’ 'Facebook'). This dual approach demonstrates a balance between linguistic openness and the preservation of its structural identity. The study concludes that the word-formation system of Modern Armenian is fully viable and creatively adapts to modern challenges.
Vietnamese Serial Verb Constructions: Toward Demystifying Verb-Formation Constructions
This paper reviews existing definitions of serial verb constructions (SVCs) and highlights the divergent approaches adopted by linguists in conceptualizing and identifying SVCs across languages. Grounded in Vietnamese grammar-particularly its topic-comment theory-and informed by native speakers’ cognitive frameworks, the study establishes SVC properties that resonate with the internal logic of the Vietnamese language. By aligning cross-linguistic theoretical models with indigenous grammatical intuition, the paper clarifies how Vietnamese speakers distinguish SVCs, both conceptually and functionally. Drawing upon a set of eight proposed properties, the paper categorizes Vietnamese serial verb constructions into two distinct types: non-lexicalized SVCs and lexicalized SVCs. It further demystifies the differences between SVCs and other superficially similar but structurally distinct constructions, including non-lexical autonomous verbal constructions, lexicalized verbal constructions, verb-verb predicate-argument constructions, causative-resultative constructions, and motion verb-directional preposition constructions.
An Accompaniment-Oriented Human–Machine Collaborative Model for EFL Writing Assessment
This study constructs and implements an accompaniment-oriented human–machine collaborative model for EFL writing assessment, which integrates both process-oriented and product-oriented assessment through the use of technological tools. The model further clarifies the respective roles of teacher assessment, self-assessment, peer assessment, and machine assessment, thereby establishing a comprehensive and systematic framework for EFL writing evaluation. By incorporating the evaluation of EFL writing learning strategies, EFL writing strategies, and EFL writing outcomes, the model extends beyond existing studies in terms of scope, diversity of assessors, and richness of methods. Moreover, it combines multiple complementary approaches—including questionnaires, think-aloud protocols, keystroke logging, screen-recording software, corpus-based data analysis, and multi-faceted Rasch modeling—to provide triangulated evidence, thereby enhancing the overall reliability of the proposed assessment model.
Typology of Linguoconflictogenic Factors in Social and Political Communication of Kazakhstan
The paper examines linguoconflictogenic factors that influence the nature and dynamics of social and political communication in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Typical sources of linguistic conflicts are identified: asymmetry of language status, interpretive dissonances, symbolic violence, digital mechanisms of reproducing conflictual meanings. The aim is to identify and typologize linguoconflictogenic factors (LCF), to show their functioning in public discourse; the methodology combines critical discourse analysis, sociolinguistic diagnostics, and elements of conflictology, relying on a multi-source corpus of utterances from 2020–2025 (official speeches, parliamentary debates, mass media, Telegram/YouTube/Instagram) and five representative cases. The results show the multifactorial nature of LCF at the intersection of ethnolinguistic stratification, ideologization, historical-traumatic memory, digital reproduction, and normative fragmentation; a typology of six classes is proposed (normative, identity-related, ideological, digital-reproductive, legal-regulatory, historical-traumatic) and their features are described (provoking potential; explicitness/implicitness; social relevance; ideological load). The work clarifies the conceptual status of linguoconflictogenicity and offers a reproducible framework for analyzing and managing LCF in the conditions of Kazakhstan’s multilingualism.
Unveiling Oppression: A Radical Feminist Analysis of Woman at Point Zero
This article offers a radical feminist reading of Nawal El Saadawi’s Woman at Point Zero, exploring the entrenched systems of patriarchal oppression that constrain female autonomy, suppress sexual agency, and reinforce structural inequalities. Through the life of Firdaus, the novel’s protagonist, El Saadawi presents a powerful narrative that interrogates the social, cultural, and institutional mechanisms that deny women control over their bodies and choices. Drawing on the theoretical perspectives of Luce Irigaray, Andrea Dworkin, and Catherine MacKinnon, the study examines Firdaus’s experiences with genital mutilation, sexual exploitation, and her eventual turn to prostitution as acts shaped not by deviance but by desperation within an oppressive system. Firdaus’s transformation from a passive victim to a defiant figure who reclaims her voice—even at the cost of her life—serves as a critique of the patriarchal structures that reduce women to silence and submission. The analysis highlights the intersection of gender, class, and violence, demonstrating how El Saadawi’s narrative challenges dominant norms and offers a space for resistance. By foregrounding Firdaus’s voice and choices, the novel acts as a radical feminist intervention that exposes the brutality of gender-based oppression while affirming the necessity of social and ideological transformation. Ultimately, Woman at Point Zero transcends its Egyptian setting to resonate with broader global struggles for gender justice, making it a seminal text in both Arab feminist literature and global feminist discourse.
Scrolling for Insight: A Qualitative Exploration of Critical Literacy Development Through TikTok in EFL Contexts
The rapid ascent of TikTok as a ubiquitous short-form video platform has prompted educators to reconsider social-media spaces as potential sites for developing critical literacy in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context. Grounded in multiliteracies and critical pedagogy, this qualitative study explores how twenty-four fifth-semester undergraduates in an English-education programme at a public university in Makassar, Indonesia, cultivated critical literacy while engaging with TikTok. Participants attended a scaffolded workshop, created and publicly shared ≤ 60-second English TikToks on self-selected social issues, interacted through comments and duets, and maintained reflection journals. Data comprised learner-generated videos, 312 comment threads, journals, and two rounds of semi-structured, stimulus-elicited interviews. Reflexive thematic analysis revealed four intersecting trajectories: (1) multimodal decoding, where learners deconstructed how filters, soundtracks, and captions position audiences; (2) agentive authorship, marked by iterative script revision and rising English-language confidence; (3) peer-mediated learning, with duet and comment affordances functioning as a distributed feedback system; and (4) algorithmic and credibility awareness, as students critiqued echo-chamber tendencies and fact-checked instructional content. These findings demonstrate that TikTok, when embedded in a scroll–analyse–create–reflect sequence, can extend EFL learning beyond functional language practice toward critical engagement with digital texts and platforms. The study contributes empirical evidence from an under-researched Southeast Asian context, offering pedagogical guidance for integrating social media into higher-order literacy instruction and informing curriculum policies that foreground digital and critical competencies.
Thematic Structure in British and Saudi English Opinion Articles: A Comparative Analysis
Drawing on Systemic Functional Linguistics and Intercultural Rhetoric frameworks, this comparative analysis reveals distinct cross-cultural patterns in the thematic structure of British and Saudi English opinion articles. Saudi authors exhibit a strong preference for unmarked topical themes (90.2%) and linear thematic progression (71.1%), aligning with Arabic rhetorical traditions of direct presentation and sequential argumentation. Conversely, British writers employ significantly more marked themes (18.9%) and constant progression (42.0%), consistent with British rhetorical conventions of contextual framing and cumulative argument development. These findings illuminate how cultural rhetorical traditions manifest in English-medium persuasion while demonstrating writers' strategic adaptations to genre conventions, including the suppression of culturally preferred patterns (e.g., derived progression) due to journalistic demands for brevity. The study contributes to understanding intercultural communication in global Englishes and offers practical insights for pedagogy, translation, and media discourse analysis.
Alone or in Solitude: A Literary Exploration of Rest Cure and Solo Culture in Two Fictional Works
Loneliness and solitude are two distinct terms often used interchangeably in literature to describe characters who are detached from society. The transition from loneliness to the rise of 'Super-Solo Culture' has been observed in recent years, particularly in Japan, which has led to a preference for living and doing things alone, away from society. This phenomenon has emerged in the past few decades as people in Metropolitan cities choose to live alone rather than have a companion. The paper attempts to unravel the relationship between Solitude and Loneliness and how it has evolved. It attempts to capture the mentality of the characters who undergo mental and physical traumas. Both voluntary and involuntary isolation are taken into consideration for analysis. This paper aims to analyse the gender norms of two cultures that led to the rest cure and solo culture in their respective time. Textual analysis is conducted in the works of The Yellow Wallpaper (1892) by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle (1997) by Haruki Murakami. The Cultural background of these selected works varies from American to Japanese societies, providing a rich variation in history and culture. Though it is based on fiction, it mirrors the reality of the times it represents. The study aims to demonstrate how people's perceptions of loneliness have altered society and literature throughout the centuries.
Freudian Structure of Personality and Poundian Translation: A Case Study of Cathay
Freud’s tripartite structure of personality—id, ego, and superego—together with his topographical structure of the unconscious, preconscious, and conscious, provides a productive framework for translation studies. This paper argues that the interaction between a translator’s personality structure and levels of consciousness can be traced in distinctive translational choices. Ezra Pound’ s Cathay offers a compelling case: elements of the id and the unconscious contribute to his errors and misinterpretations; the superego and the preconscious inform his poetic ideals; and the ego and the conscious mind are manifested in the multiplicity of innovative strategies employed in the target text.
Investigating the Barriers to Oracy Proficiency Among Thai EFL Learners Through an Exploratory Factor Analysis
Oracy proficiency is important for EFL learners, but this skill poses great problems for Thai students. To fill this gap, the purpose of this study is to examine the barriers to oracy skills among Thai EFL learners. The sample consisted of 661 Thai EFL students who filled out a 32-item questionnaire intended to identify barriers to oracy skills. The data were analyzed through exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) measure of sampling adequacy was 0.912, and Bartlett’s test of sphericity was significant at 2345.423 (p < 0.05), indicating the appropriateness of factor analysis. Five main barriers to oracy skills were identified, which were listening processing challenges (LPC), accent and speech clarity (ASC), speaking anxiety barriers (SAB), speaking fluency difficulties (SFD), and grammar and comprehension gaps (GCG), with eigenvalues between 1.066 and 12.990 explaining 60.305% of the variance of the 32 variables. These findings illustrate the challenges faced by Thai EFL learners and highlight the need for them to have extensive exposure to authentic and level-appropriate listening and speaking materials, as well as the importance of an encouraging classroom atmosphere.
EFL Learners’ Negotiation on Form During Synchronous Computer-Mediated Communication: The Role of Corrective Feedback in EFL Learners’ Uptake
The use of computer-mediated communication (CMC) in language learning, in a variety of forms, has expanded rapidly since the 1990s. It is well documented that computer-mediated communication (CMC) can create a positive learning environment in which learners engage in authentic communication and negotiate for meaning. However, limited research has examined how synchronous CMC (SCMC) helps EFL learners negotiate on form and how this interaction may impact learner uptake. This study addresses this gap by investigating 1) the extent to which EFL Saudi learners negotiate on form in an SCMC environment and 2) whether peer corrective feedback (CF) during SCMC leads to immediate uptake. Twenty EFL Saudi learners were divided into two dyads and asked to perform decision-making tasks in an SCMC setting. Participants were randomly assigned to either a "no negotiation on form" condition (peer interaction only) or a "negotiation on form" condition (peer CF interaction). The findings revealed that negotiation on form, prompted by peer CF, resulted in significantly higher instances of corrective feedback and immediate uptake compared to the "no negotiation on form" condition. The study concludes with practical implications for using SCMC to enhance EFL learners’ linguistic accuracy and offers recommendations for future research to optimize corrective feedback strategies in digital language-learning environments.
Power Structures and the Fate of the Self: Inequity in Philip Roth’s Later Fictions
This paper examines how Philip Roth critically explores the intersection of institutional violence, individual identity, and social inequality in his later novels – American Pastoral (1997), The Human Stain (2000), and Indignation (2008). This article focuses on the institutional problems like education, politics and media as well as their effect on the individuals in the society, especially Black people. The middle aged or the aged protagonists Roth faces the problems like marginalization, and rumor as they struggle with the institutional power. Through close textual analysis, the paper argues that, Roth, in his novels, portrays institutional violence transcending physical or legal aggression to include symbolic and structural harms, such as institutional neglect, erosion of reputation, racial bias, and public disgrace. This study also contextualizes Roth’s narratives within the broader American socio-political framework, highlighting his critique of a progressive societal polarization and social inequity. Through his narrative, the writer reveals the vulnerability of self-identity amid institutional power, exemplifying the powerless state of individuals, distorted, or subjected to irreversible judgment. Roth cleverly dramatizes the outcome of social inequality and institutional neglect through multiple characters in his novels. This study finally contends how Roth’s later novels highlight the failure of American liberalism to uphold individual freedom in an age of dogmatic morality and increasing administrative intrusion.
Wabo Language in Wabompi Village: Evaluation of Language Vitality and Endangerment
The Wabo language in East Yapen District, Yapen Islands Regency, Papua Province, is generally no longer used in daily communication. Of the 10 villages in East Yapen District, only the Wabo people in Wabompi Village continue to maintain their traditional performance culture. Accordingly, this study evaluates the vitality and use of the Wabo language in Wabompi Village to identify the correlation between the vitality status of a language and the maintenance of its distinctive performance culture. Furthermore, the study investigates language use in the social and family domains. The methodology employed qualitative methods, including evaluation analysis of vitality and language use in the field of sociolinguistics. Language vitality was evaluated based on vitality indicators from UNESCO and SIL International. Data was collected using participatory and direct observation. The results reveal that the vitality status of the Wabo language in Wabompi Village is definitely endangered according to UNESCO vitality indicators. Meanwhile, the condition of the Wabo language vitality in Wabompi is in a moribund state according to SIL International. In terms of language use, Wabompi is used only by the grandparents, and the most common language used is Indonesian.
Navigating Specificity and Countability: Insights Into L1 Arabic Speakers’ Use of L2 English Definite Articles
Despite the frequency with which they are used in the English language, English articles pose challenges for second language (L2) acquirers due to the relational complexities between their semantic and syntactic elements. This study explored whether the interplay between semantic features, proficiency levels and countability played a role in understanding such challenges. After testing to determine their proficiency levels, data was collected from forty-five Saudi Arabic-speaking university-level students who were learning English, using a multiple-choice article task. This was designed to examine article use across singular, plural and mass nouns in specific and non-specific definite contexts. The participants were divided into three groups, depending on their proficiency level (beginner, elementary and lower-intermediate). It was found that there was an interaction between proficiency, countability and semantic features, in that: a) article use improved with proficiency; b) the beginners’ group frequently omitted articles, especially with singular nouns; c) the elementary and lower-intermediate groups struggled with mass and singular nouns; and d) all the groups wrongly based their use of articles in plural contexts on the specificity value.
Constructing Silence, Reclaiming Voice: Gendered Subjectivity in Meena Kandasamy’s When I Hit You
This paper offers a critical reading of Meena Kandasamy’s When I Hit You: Or, A Portrait of the Writer as a Young Wife through the dual frameworks of social constructionism and postcolonial feminist theory. Often classified as a testimonial narrative of domestic abuse, the novel is reinterpreted here as a trenchant critique of the ideological structures—marriage, nationhood, and language—that construct and constrain female subjectivity in postcolonial India. Drawing on Berger and Luckmann’s theory of social reality and Judith Butler’s concept of performativity, the study examines how patriarchal power operates not only through physical violence but also through discursive conditioning that enforces silence, obedience, and moral surveillance. The protagonist’s enforced roles as dutiful wife, cultural custodian, and symbol of familial honor are shown to be socially fabricated performances, normalized through repetition and coercion. Further, engaging with postcolonial feminist thinkers such as Mohanty and Spivak, the paper contends that the narrator’s acts of writing, refusal to name her abuser, and narrative self-reclamation constitute epistemic resistance. Through language, she contests the very structures that sought to silence her. When I Hit You is ultimately a radical narrative of reconstruction, where the female subject dismantles socially inscribed roles and reclaims agency through storytelling.
Morphological Complexity in Wawonii: A Documentation of Affixation Patterns in a Threatened Language
This study aims to describe the affixation system in the Wawonii language, encompassing types of affixes (prefixes, infixes, suffixes, and circumfixes), the allomorphs that arise in affixation processes, and their derivational and inflectional meanings. Data were collected through fieldwork on Wawonii Island, Southeast Sulawesi Province, using a language documentation approach and morphological analysis based on both spoken and written corpora. This study employed distributional methods and the markup reading technique, drawing on the morphophonemic frameworks of Matthews and Hayes. The findings reveal that Wawonii exhibits a complex and productive affixation system, with prefixes such as {moN-}, {me-}, {pa-}, {po-}, {in-}, {um-}, {te-}, {ko-}, {ndo-}, and {meka-}; infixes {-in-}, {-um-}; as well as circumflexes {pe-...-a}, {poN-...-a}, {pompoko-...-a}, {meka-...-ako}, and {meka-...-ira}; and suffixes {-akuo}, {-akono}, {-akitao}, {-akondo}, {-si}, {-omo}, and {-o}. Affixation processes frequently involve nasal assimilation, elision, and phoneme alternation as part of morphophonemic operations. Furthermore, pronominal-benefactive suffixes such as {-akuo}, {-akono}, {-akitao}, and {-akondo} encode both agent and recipient information within a single morpheme. Wawonii exhibits characteristics of an agglutinative morphology, with distinct affix boundaries and reciprocal, causative, and resultative affixes that reflect local innovations within its morphological system. These findings reinforce the position of Wawonii within the Bungku-Tolaki subgroup of the Austronesian family, with nasal affixation such as {moN-} serving as a distinctive feature also found in related languages across Southeast Sulawesi.
Prophetic Dialogue Strategies: A Discourse Analysis Approach to Effective Communication
This study analyzes the discourse strategies employed in prophetic dialogues within the Qur’an, emphasizing their relevance to contemporary communication. Unlike previous works that have examined these dialogues primarily from theological or literary perspectives, this research integrates Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), Argumentation Theory, and Speech Act Theory to reveal how prophets structured their responses to persuade, instruct, and guide. The findings indicate that logical reasoning functioned as a central persuasive tool, enabling clarity and coherence in asserting divine authority. Rhetorical questioning appeared as a recurrent strategy to provoke reflection and challenge entrenched beliefs, while a developmental trajectory was observed in discourse organization—progressing from rational argumentation to ethical appeals, and, when resistance persisted, demonstrations of divine power. A consistent feature of prophetic communication was patience and tolerance, where opposition was addressed through principled and respectful speech rather than direct confrontation. Drawing on Van Dijk’s socio-cognitive model, the study demonstrates how these rhetorical strategies influenced audience cognition and belief formation, while Grice’s Cooperative Principle explains their pragmatic effectiveness. By presenting a systematic and interdisciplinary analysis, this study offers a novel framework for understanding prophetic discourse as a model of effective communication with applications in education, leadership, diplomacy, and interfaith engagement.
Task-Based Language Teaching for Technical Education: Strengthening Oral Proficiency of Rural Engineering Students
Language, as a medium of communication, holds critical importance in today’s globalized and technologically driven world. English has established itself as the lingua franca of academia, industry, and professional exchange, making oral proficiency indispensable for engineering graduates. Despite possessing strong technical expertise, many students from rural backgrounds encounter difficulties in expressing ideas effectively in English, which hinders their academic and professional growth. To address this challenge, the present study introduces Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) for Technical Education: Strengthening Oral Proficiency of Rural Engineering Students, a structured pedagogical framework designed to enhance communication skills. The model integrates TBLT principles with customized tasks, interactive workshops, and progressive activities aimed at improving fluency, confidence, and collaborative abilities. Drawing theoretical support from communicative competence models and sociolect-cognitive perspectives, the framework focuses on equipping rural engineering students with the necessary oral skills to participate effectively in professional and academic contexts. The study examines how TBLT fosters oral proficiency, enabling students to bridge the gap between technical competence and communicative performance. By emphasizing the synergy of technical knowledge and effective communication, this research highlights the role of innovative language teaching in preparing rural engineering graduates for global opportunities.
The Status of Arabic DaaD /dˤ/ in the Speech of Jordanian Youth
The present study examines the current status of Arabic DaaD /dˤ/ in the speech of Jordanian university students. Data are collected through an articulation test and a reading aloud task. The results show that although rural and Bedouin speakers are more likely to adhere to their own dialectal variants in both informal and formal contexts, both genders are increasingly influenced by the urban dialect, with females leading the change. From a socio-educational perspective, it is a must to provide school children with an awareness of the production of /dˤ/ and /ðˤ/ in their given vernaculars, as opposed to Standard Arabic, in preparation for formal contexts.
Exploring the Effectiveness of Virtual Learning on the Sustainable Development of Saudi EFL Students’ Motivation and Learning Anxiety
This paper attempts to explore the impact of virtual learning on the sustainable development of Saudi EFL students’ motivation and learning anxiety. The main objective of the paper is to show the extent to which virtual learning conducted by digital platforms such as Blackboard Collaborate contributes to improving EFL students' motivation and reducing their learning anxiety in the Saudi EFL context. The study uses a mixed-method approach that is demonstrated by both quantitative and qualitative procedures and manifested in two analytical instruments: questionnaires and interviews. This study addresses two overarching research questions: First, how does virtual learning contribute to enhancing Saudi EFL students' motivation? Second, how does virtual learning contribute to reducing Saudi EFL students' learning anxiety? The sample of this study consists of 165 Saudi EFL students and 16 EFL teachers. All participants are affiliated with one Saudi university. Findings reveal that virtual learning has made a substantial contribution to the sustainable development of Saudi EFL students' motivation and learning anxiety by enhancing the former and reducing the latter. Pedagogically, this study recommends the use and application of virtual learning as a main education system in Saudi Arabia, as it functions to produce better learning outcomes in terms of the different learning constructs.
Vietnamese EFL Teachers’ Shifting Emotions in English Speaking Over Time: A Sociocultural Perspective
A substantial body of research in applied linguistics has shown that emotions lie at the core of language teaching (Geng & Yu, 2024). For non-native speaker teachers, these emotions can be even more complex, as they experience not only the anxieties of speaking a foreign language but also those of teaching a language that is not their own. Adopting a sociocultural perspective, which views teachers’ emotions as shaped through interactions with students, administrators, colleagues, parents, as well as contextual factors such as school culture, norms, and policies, and individual variables like teaching and learning experience, the present study explores Vietnamese tertiary EFL teachers’ perceptions of the role emotions play in their English speaking and the path of evolving feelings throughout their lifelong experience of English language speaking. A qualitatively-driven mixed methods research design was employed. There were two phases of data collection using initial and exploratory questionnaires followed by semi-structured interviews and reflective journals. The quantitative data aimed to capture the range of emotions the participants experienced in speaking English over time. The qualitative data revealed the complexity and dynamism of their emotions in the process of language learning and use. The findings show that the participants experienced shifting emotions across different contexts of language learning and language use. The emotions were seen to be dynamic, and socially and contextually constructed. The results provide practical implications for emotion research and pedagogies of EFL teaching and learning.
Canonical Syntax: A Strategy for Constructing Linguistic Politeness Among Generation Z
Linguistic politeness is a crucial dimension in maintaining social harmony, particularly for Generation Z (Gen Z), who are known to have communication styles distinct from previous generations. This study aims to formulate the concept of canonical syntax in Indonesian as a strategy to foster politeness in Gen Z’s language use. Canonical syntax is understood as sentence forms that can be safely employed across formal and informal contexts without posing face-threatening acts. Adopting a mixed-method approach, the study combines a literature-based conceptual analysis with a survey of 165 Gen Z respondents aged 18–23 in Jakarta. The research identifies eleven canonical syntactic forms in Indonesian: (1) the addition of the particle -lah, (2) the phatic particle ya, (3) vocative nouns, (4) lexical directives such as coba, tolong, silakan, mohon, (try, help, please/go ahead, kindly) (5) mitigative adverbs such as sepertinya (it seems), sebaiknya (should, it would be better if), sekiranya (if/in case), (6) modality, (7) the use of the pronoun saya (I, I am, me) as subject or object, (8) omission of the clitic -mu (you), (9) conditional clauses, (10) transformation from active to passive, and (11) transformation from imperative to interrogative. These eleven forms were employed as survey instruments to measure Gen Z’s perceptions. Findings reveal that most respondents evaluated canonical syntax as polite. However, in actual communication, they more frequently employed non-canonical rather than canonical forms. This indicates a gap between normative awareness and communicative habits. Practically, the study provides a pedagogical foundation for Indonesian language education to cultivate a generation that is both communicative and polite.
Analyzing Hazza Al-Barari's Play Blood Necklace Through a Feminist Literary Lens
Known in Arabic as Qiladat Aldamm, Blood Necklace, a 2007 play written by the Jordanian playwright Hazza Al-Barari, is an exemplary model of feminist theater in Jordan. The play's heroine, Wafaa, depicts the internal and external conflicts experienced by women in a patriarchal society created by the troubled reality in which she lives. To trace the manifestations of feminism in Blood Necklace, the paper employs the feminist critical approach, which entails tracking, describing, and analyzing women's issues and concerns. Furthermore, it also examines the idea of feminist theater and highlights the Jordanian theater's experience in addressing women's concerns. The textual analysis demonstrated that theater written by men can explore women's inner selves and discuss their concerns and hopes, rejecting the notions that call for gender-based discrimination in writing. Finally, this paper contributes to the art of theater in general and feminist theater in Jordan in particular.
Reclaiming Transgender Bodily Autonomy and Sexuality: A Comprehensive Analysis of A Gift of Goddess Lakshmi by Manobi Bandyopadhyay and Jhimli Mukherjee Pandey
The queer community encompasses a broad spectrum of gender and sexual identities, with transgender individuals forming an integral part of this community. This article analyzes A Gift of Goddess Lakshmi by Manobi Bandyopadhyay and Jhimli Mukherjee Pandey, a candid biography that provides valuable insights into sexuality and transgender identity in contemporary society. The protagonist, Manobi, born into a disproportionately vulnerable and marginalized community, later emerges as India’s first transgender principal. This was not merely a milestone; it symbolized a powerful act of liberation and protest, marking a significant step toward creating her identity. We situate the study within transfeminist literary discourse. The mapping of transfeminism and theoretical discussions on deepened binary divisions contributes to transgender scholarship and English literary discourse. This study employs close textual analysis to illustrate the diverse contours of sexuality, transphobic discrimination, hegemonic masculinity, and the confines of heteronormativity. A constellation of factors contributed to Manobi’s psychological distress, particularly the burden of heteronormative standards within her family. She also recounts episodes of trauma and grief in which she was shamed for her sexual orientation and feminine characteristics. The authors engage with artistic expression and motifs as a means of self-reflection on her lived experience, demonstrating a brilliant use of language that ultimately unfolds intimate accounts of gender violence she endured throughout her life. The narrative locates subaltern subjectivities within the broader context of bodily autonomy and gender identity. This study underscores the intricacies of identity formation and offers a nuanced reading of transgender life narratives.
The Impact of Culture-Based Japanese Language Learning on the Intercultural Communication Competence of Prospective Indonesian Migrant Workers
Prospective migrant workers require intercultural communication competence with their host country. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of culture-based Japanese language instruction on the intercultural communication competence of prospective Indonesian migrant workers. This study used a mixed methods approach to uncover intercultural communication competence data for prospective migrant workers through quantitative and qualitative data. Participants were 256 prospective Indonesian migrant workers studying Japanese. The instruments used in this study were a scale measuring Japanese intercultural communication competence, learning motivation, and Japanese language ability. Data analysis employed descriptive statistics, t-tests, and ANOVA to investigate intercultural communication competence. The research findings indicate that learning Japanese language and culture can improve intercultural communication competence by instilling the Japanese cultural values of Seiri (succinctness), Seiton (neatness), Seiso (cleanliness), Seiketsu (care), and Shitsuke (discipline), as well as motivation to learn Japanese, and improve Japanese language skills. Knowledge of Japanese culture, enhanced intercultural awareness, and self-efficacy in cultural contexts all demonstrate improved intercultural communication competency. Motivation to learn Japanese increases in aspects of self-efficacy, external motivation, integrated motivation, and motivation to learn Japanese for work. Japanese language skills improve in aspects of vocabulary knowledge, sentence structure, and the use of culturally appropriate expressions. Therefore, learning Japanese language and culture can improve intercultural communication competence, motivation to learn Japanese, and Japanese language skills. The implication of this research is that second language learning must be integrated with the cultural context of communication of native speakers of the target language.
A Story in Search of a Voice: A Postcolonial Feminist Reading of Mohsin Hamid’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist
The Reluctant Fundamentalist often falls under the umbrella of post-9/11 narrative fiction. It has largely been given extensive analytic treatment by postcolonial scholars, particularly in relation to identity, nationalism, and the global impact of the 9/11 terror attacks. However, it has rarely been analyzed through the lens of postcolonial feminism. This is a notable omission, as a critical reading of the text shows some examples that intertwine gender dynamics with cultural identity, postcolonialism, and power issues. Furthermore, the novel touches on cultural differences between the West and the East, and these contrasts inevitably affect gender dynamics. At its core, The Reluctant Fundamentalist is a male-centered narrative in which women are not fully realized individuals: they are peripheral, erased, and othered. Apart from Erica, women, especially the Pakistani Muslim ones, are totally absent, nameless, and are not seen as fully realized agents. Even Erica is depicted as passive, vulnerable, lacking agency, and psychologically disordered.
Wellspring of Courage and the Alchemy of Triumph: The Power of Optimism in Overcoming Adversity in Selected Works
Optimism is a crucial psychological attribute that influences characters’ development in literature. This paper explores the presence and role of optimism in Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien, Christian in The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan, Young Santiago in The Alchemy by Paulo Coelho, and Old Santiago in The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. Using optimism theory, particularly the framework proposed by Martin Seligman and Phebe Cramer, this study examines how optimism drives the narratives, character growth, and ultimate success of these literary figures. By comparing the experiences of the characters mentioned, through the use of optimism, this research investigates how the authors utilize it to advocate character development, reinforce moral teachings, persistence, and hope in order to shape resilience, decision-making, and interpersonal interactions in a variety of socio-cultural situations.
A Comparative Analysis of Two Arabic Translations of The Old Man and the Sea
Ernest Hemingway’s novel The Old Man and the Sea portrays the nature of human struggle through the events of a fisherman attempting to catch a giant fish while at sea. Many of the challenges that the protagonist experiences cause him to rely on his faith in God, and as a result, the text is full of religious utterances and symbols. This study was based on the comparison and analysis of the two translations, including examples from the source text and the translation into Arabic by Muneer Ba’lbaki, a Lebanese Muslim, and Gabrielle Wahbeh, an Egyptian Christian. Results showed that reading these two different translations of the same novel reveals many dissimilarities regarding religious terms. The study found that the reception environment and religious background of the translators affected the translational choices to meet the expectations of the target readership.
Unpacking Boredom in Saudi EFL Classrooms: The Role of Instructional Delivery in Shaping Learner Engagement
Despite growing interest in boredom as a critical affective factor in language learning, limited attention has been given to its manifestation in blended and online learning contexts—particularly among Saudi EFL learners. Grounded in the control-value theory of academic emotions, this study employs a mixed-methods design to examine how different instructional modes (face-to-face, online, and blended) influence learners’ experiences of boredom. Quantitative data were collected via a 35-item Likert-scale questionnaire administered to 356 undergraduate students, while qualitative insights were drawn from semi-structured interviews with 20 participants. The findings indicate that boredom was significantly more prevalent in face-to-face settings, with a noticeable peak during the mid-point of class sessions. In contrast, students reported higher engagement and flexibility in online learning, though challenges such as reduced interpersonal interaction and technical issues were noted. The study underscores the potential of digital tools to reduce boredom and enhance emotional engagement, offering practical implications for instructional design, teacher training, and learner support in Saudi higher education EFL programs.
Technology-Mediated Language Pedagogy and Gender Equity: An Empirical Exploration in a North-East Indian Context
The integration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) into English Language Teaching (ELT) has emerged as a vital response to the paradigm shifts in education, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study, titled “Technology-Mediated Language Pedagogy and Gender Equity: An Empirical Exploration in a North-East Indian Context”, investigates how ICT tools including Queer Cinema can promote inclusivity and gender equity in language classrooms. The research was conducted across three districts in the North-East Indian province of Assam—Sivasagar, Charaideo, and Majuli—using a mixed-method approach to collect and analyse both quantitative and qualitative data. The research explores the assessment of online platforms such as course management systems, virtual meeting tools, interactive digital applications, and computer-assisted language learning programmes, while simultaneously analysing educator and learner preparedness, organisational backing, and attitudes toward gender equity within technology-mediated educational settings. By analysing how male and female students access and engage with ICT resources, the research highlights patterns of usage, levels of participation, and potential barriers to equity. The findings suggest that ICT, when strategically implemented, can foster gender-balanced engagement, enhance learner motivation, and create inclusive ELT practices. Furthermore, the study proposes adaptive feedback mechanisms, localised policy recommendations, and scalable implementation models tailored to regional educational needs. Ultimately, digital technologies including LGBTQ+ Films are recognised not simply as supportive instructional tools but rather as a powerful catalyst for change in promoting equitable access to language education and equipping learners across genders for scholastic and professional advancement.
Attitudes Toward Code-Switching Among Indonesian Junior High School EFL Teachers
Although English language teachers in Indonesia frequently employ code-switching (CS) in the classroom, its use is often sporadic and intuitive rather than guided by research-based strategic functions. In the Indonesian context, only a limited number of studies have examined how two local languages—the mother tongue and the Indonesian language—function differently in code-switching practices in EFL classrooms. This study investigates why and when Indonesian English teachers switch to Indonesian and Malay dialects while teaching English. In the quantitative phase, 83 teachers participated in the survey, whereas in the qualitative phase (interviews and classroom observations), 6 teachers were involved. The findings reveal that Indonesian and Malay dialects serve distinct functions in the English classroom, including knowledge construction, classroom management, relationship building, and contextual constraint accommodation. Furthermore, the study shows that teachers’ code-switching occurs in various situations, such as providing detailed explanations, clarifying complex concepts, giving advice, offering instructions and feedback, addressing student misconduct, making jokes, expressing anger, and motivating students.
Emergent Patterns in Gulf Pidgin Arabic: Interactional Strategies and Structural Regularization
This study explores interactional strategies employed by Gulf Pidgin Arabic (GPA) speakers to facilitate the negotiation of meaning and developing conventionalized linguistic patterns. Utilizing ethnographic recordings of exchanges between native Saudi Arabic speakers and non-native foreign workers who had varying degrees of familiarity with GPA, the study uncovers how GPA speakers co-construct conventionalized linguistic patterns despite limited linguistic exposure. Drawing upon theoretical insights from pidgin and creole linguistics, SLA, sociocultural theory, and conversation analysis, the study emphasizes the significance of interactional strategies in repairing communicative breakdown during meaning negotiation. Moreover, the study demonstrates how simplified verbal, pronominal, numeral forms, as well as patterns of negation reflect the process through which an emerging communal language develops and becomes structurally regularized and conventionalized over time. Overall, the study illustrates how mutual accommodation and functional simplification foster the evolution of a new linguistic system.
Linguocultural Character of the Concept of “Jade” in the Chinese Language
The article examines the development of speech etiquette among the Chinese people, highlighting the centuries-old principles of mentality, life customs, and the connection between the concept of “jade” and speech etiquette. For the Chinese, jade is a precious stone, symbolizing noble qualities. The article analyzes the similarities and differences between jade and etiquette, exploring their roles in language communication through ancient studies and proverbs. It describes etiquette norms as integral to Chinese culture and closely linked to jade's valued properties. The study combines jade's characteristics with moral values, dignity, kindness, sincerity, and politeness. A comparative analysis of speech etiquette in intercultural communication between Kazakh and Chinese cultures is also presented, incorporating traditions, customs, and the image of nature. The study revealed that the culture of a nation is deeply reflected in its language and etiquette. In Chinese civilization, the concept of decency and moral cultivation, originating from Confucian teachings, continues to influence interpersonal communication and social harmony. Linguistic analysis showed that the word “jade” (玉, yù) carries rich semantic and symbolic meanings, representing purity, virtue, and respect, and functions as a linguistic marker of esteem in traditional and modern Chinese discourse. Culturally, jade embodies the unity of man, nature, and morality, symbolizing the moral and aesthetic ideals of Chinese civilization. Comparative analysis demonstrated parallels between the Chinese perception of jade and the Kazakh concept of “tumar” or “asyl tas” (precious stone), both serving as symbols of protection, virtue, and national identity. The findings highlight the deep interconnection between language, culture, and worldview, illustrating how material symbols such as jade and precious stones shape ethical values and communication practices within their respective societies. The authors extend the application of the term “etiquette” through the metonymy “jade,” demonstrating the interconnectedness of humans and nature. This approach contributes to a deeper understanding of the proper formulation of etiquette expressions tied to the symbolic meaning of jade, emphasizing its cultural significance.
Move Structures in Research Article Introductions Published in Selected Scopus Tourism Journals
Writing research article (RA) introductions is often challenging, particularly for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) writers aiming for international publication. While move analysis has been widely applied across disciplines, little attention has been paid to tourism research articles. This study analysed 30 RA introductions from six Scopus Q1 tourism journals (2017–2020) using Swales’ (2004) revised CARS model to identify obligatory, conventional, and optional moves. The results revealed three obligatory moves: Move 1 (Establishing a territory, 100%), Move 2 Step 1A (Indicating a gap, 100%), and Move 3 Step 1 (Announcing present work descriptively/purposively, 96.67%). These introductory moves highlight the importance of situating research, identifying gaps, and clarifying the study's purposes. In this study, optional moves occurred less frequently, including presenting research questions (6.67%), definitional clarifications (20%), announcing outcomes (10%), summarising methods (50%), and stating research value (43.33%). This variation reflects disciplinary preferences for descriptive and exploratory framing rather than hypothesis-driven structures. The findings suggest that while tourism RA introductions generally conform to Swales’ CARS model, discipline-specific adaptations shape how authors frame significance, methods, and contributions. These insights offer practical guidance for novice EFL writers and inform pedagogical approaches to academic writing. Overall, the study contributes to genre analysis by clarifying the rhetorical organisation of RA introductions in international tourism research.