Issues in Language Studies

COMPARISON OF THE STRUCTURE OF WORDS IN PATANI MALAY AND THAI

2023-12-22T09:58:54+00:00

This study investigates the structure of words in Patani Malay and Thai to determine the similarities and differences in the marker of the two languages through contrastive analysis studies. The data used in this study are collected from Patani Malay speakers who can speak the Patani Malay language well. They can remember most Patani Malay vocabulary and communicate with others on various topics. They can also tell stories or explain something with their language and still use their language in daily life. The informants are students, teachers, merchants, fishermen, farmers, and retirement people. This study indicates that the structure of words in Patani Malay and Thai languages has similarities and differences in rules. The equation includes the addition of affixes, compounding, and reduplication. The differences in the rule of the word in Patani Malay and Thai include the position of affixation, reduplication of the root and assigning an ‘emphatic high tone’, and semantic reduplication.

DISCURSIVE CONSTRUCTION OF CAMPUS SEXUAL ASSAULT ON YOUTUBE COMMENTARIES

2023-12-22T10:04:02+00:00

Campus sexual assault has recently become a significant issue and has gained substantial

global attention, including social media users in Indonesia. Prior research has not

sufficiently examined the use of linguistic resources in campus sexual assault discourses.

Drawing on critical discourse analysis, this study aims to explore the discursive

constructive of sexual assault on Indonesian campuses through the evaluative resources

employed by commentators on YouTube commentaries. The commentaries were created

in 2021 in response to Daddy Corbuzier and Narasi Newsroom’s video on campus sexual

assault. Findings revealed that sexual assault on Indonesian campuses was attributed to

power dynamics, social structures, power imbalances, power abuse, and patriarchal

culture. These factors left the victims feeling powerless, which led to normalisation. These

results provide insight into the contribution of broader discourse on sexual assault

prevention and response.

EVALUATING THE VALIDITY OF MEARA AND ROGERS’ VOCABULARY APTITUDE TEST: A RASCH MEASUREMENT MODEL ANALYSIS

2023-12-22T10:06:03+00:00

Language aptitude tests, such as the LLAMA_ B3, developed by Meara and Rogers (2022), may play an important role in vocabulary learning research. Following Bokander & Bylund's (2019) advice, the construct validity of this test is examined here. Data collected from 314 participants were analyzed using Rasch analysis. All the eigenvalues fall below 2, supporting the assumption of uni-dimensionality. Q3 findings help us claim that the assumption of local independence has been met. This study found a .96 and a .84 reliability for the items and the participants, respectively. There was a convergent estimate of the results (Variance-Covariance Matrix: +2.002 and -2 log likelihood=+11.458.300). Accordingly, the test is valid for the present sample of students. As far as the analysis shows, the items represent a single underlying construct, meaning that the LLAMA_ B3 is fundamentally coherent. Psychometrically, a single trait seems to have been identified. It can be concluded that both the items and participants behaved predictably, indicating that the test is certainly worth further investigation and refinement.

FORMATION OF MA- AND PA- ALLOMORPH: THE CASE OF SONORANT SEGMENTS’ CLUSTERING

2023-12-22T10:02:10+00:00

The maN- and paN- are some affixes in Banjarese language that manifest the occurrence of homorganic nasal assimilation when forming allomorphs. But in some allomorphs, such as ma- and pa-, the nasal segment was completely deleted from the affixes. This study aims to provide a rational explanation for the deletion of the nasal segment in both allomorphs. A set of base words was retrieved from a dictionary, and respondents were chosen to recite each word as well as the derived word after it received the affixes. The ma- and pa- were formed as a result of each prefix being followed by a sonorant segment, both consonant and vowel. This is different from the Malay language, which only allows nasal segments to be deleted when a sonorant consonant follows them. This study is hoped to add some value to the previous studies as well as become a pioneer for upcoming studies.

INCORPORATING MULTILITERACY PEDAGOGY ELEMENTS INTO EFL SPEAKING CLASS THROUGH DIGITAL STORYTELLING

2023-12-22T09:59:27+00:00

In a globalised world where cross-cultural communication is becoming increasingly

important, the ability to communicate effectively in various contexts through spoken

language is crucial. Multiliteracy enables individuals to communicate effectively and

confidently in a variety of contexts, both within their own culture and across cultures.

Digital storytelling utilises diverse modes of communication, promotes creativity and

global communication, and integrates technology in the learning process, making it a

valuable tool for multiliteracy pedagogy. Thus, the study aims to show how multiliteracy

pedagogy elements are incorporated into English as a Foreign Language speaking class

through digital storytelling. This is a pilot study in which thematic analysis is used to find

the themes within four knowledge processes of multiliteracy pedagogy in digital

storytelling activity. The findings show that through experience, the students can practise

speaking in an authentic context, develop their language skills through conceptualising

and analysing their stories, and receive feedback from peers and teachers. Therefore,

digital storytelling achieves the purpose of representing all four elements of multiliteracy

pedagogy, namely, situated practice, overt instruction, critical framing, and transformed

practice which facilitate the growth of speaking proficiency.

INFLUENCE OF A MEDIATING TRANSLATION IN TRANSLATING ADDRESS FORMS IN THE MALAYALAM NOVEL, CHEMMEEN INTO FRENCH

2023-12-22T09:58:14+00:00

Chemmeen (1956), a Malayalam novel by Thakazhi, narrates a love story set in a fishing village. Its first English translation was done by Menon in 1962. This translation became the source text for a French translation in 1965. The French translation, being an indirect translation from Malayalam through English, mirrors largely the English version. This study focusses on studying how the various terms of address employed in the original Malayalam text have been translated into English and if they have influenced the French version. Newmark’s (1988) typology of translation procedures is employed to identify the procedures adopted in translating the terms of address into the mediating translation. Koller’s type of equivalences is applied to study what sort of equivalence has been achieved and the extent the mediating translation has influenced the French translation. The findings show that the English translation has, for the most part, communicated the address forms by providing descriptive and functional equivalents that do little to capture the original essence of the terms, resulting in their cultural significance not adequately portrayed. The French version, based on the English translation, has been clearly influenced by the mediating translation and hence does not convey the fishermen’s socio-cultural dimension effectively.

JANTUH BEBASA MASYARAKAT MELAYU DI PEDALAMAN KAPUAS HULU, KALIMANTAN BARAT

2023-12-22T10:06:41+00:00

Masyarakat Melayu di Riam Panjang adalah sebuah komuniti Melayu di hulu Sungai Kapuas, Kalimantan Barat, Indonesia. Makalah ini membincangkan salah satu aspek sosiolinguistik masyarakat “pedalaman jauh”, iaitu Jantuh Bebasa atau kesantunan berbahasa. Jantuh Bebasa di Riam Panjang diungkapkan melalui penggunaan bahasa verbal dan bukan verbal. Ungkapan melalui bahasa verbal melibatkan pemilihan kata yang menunjukkan tahap kesopanan, manakala bebasa melalui bahasa bukan verbal pula terkait dengan sikap, lakuan gaya atau budi pekerti seseorang dalam interaksi sosial. Dari segi skop, Jantuh Bebasa masyarakat Riam Panjang dihuraikan dari segi pemilihan sesuatu sistem kata panggilan berdasarkan status sosial dan strata institusi kekeluargaan. Keupayaan mereka memanipulasi kata tertentu menjadi kata ganda yang mencerminkan kehalusan dan kesantunan berbicara juga dibincangkan (iaitu Jantuh Ingka’). Kajian yang dilaksanakan melalui kaedah wawancara dan pengalaman ini mendapati bahawa konsep Jantuh Bebasa di Riam Panjang berkait erat dengan aspek etnografi dan kepercayaan masyarakat. Pelanggaran Jantuh Bebasa selain dikecam oleh masyarakat, turut dikaitkan dengan pantang larang, iaitu seseorang akan ditimpa musibah, iaitu busung. Tambahan lagi, masyarakat juga akan dihukum dengan hukum adat kesupan jika melanggar Jantuh Bebasa. Sehubungan itu, generasi tua di Riam Panjang amat menekankan pewarisan budaya bebahasa dalam kalangan genarasi muda, agar nilai budaya pekerti tinggi ini dapat dipertahankan.

LINGUISTIC COMPLEXITY AND SIMPLIFICATION IN TRANSLATION: COGNITIVELY-GROUNDED PHONOLOGICAL METRICS

2023-12-22T10:04:40+00:00

ABSTRACT

Translated text (TT) is characteristically simpler than non-translated (NTT) authentic text in terms of its lexicon, syntax, and style. It is still not clear what causes this phenomenon, and scholars continue to debate the issue. The traditional lexical metrics that are implemented in the simplification literature are often criticised as unreliable and lacking cognitive grounding. Moreover, being predominantly product-oriented, they cannot tell us how (or why) simplification happens. This paper addresses this limitation in the literature and proposes a paradigm that uses complexity-based measures adopted from Phonology and Cognitive Psychology. Calculations are run on a corpus of 100 translated and non-translated article abstracts drawn from five academic disciplines. Statistical analyses reveal significant differences between TTs and NTTs. The paper discusses the implications of these results and concludes that a cognition-informed approach is a key to demystifying simplification.

Keywords: linguistic complexity; simplification; phonological complexity; neighbourhood density, phonotactic probability

MULTIPLICATION OF DICTIONARY USES IN THE AGE OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

2023-12-22T10:05:25+00:00

In academia, dictionaries have become a daily commodity beyond the common yet relevant uses of spelling and meaning checks. Relying on data collected from 107 EFL learners through an opinion poll in the Saudi context, this paper investigated how such learners utilize dictionaries in their English program during their university studies. Findings showed that learners use electronic and paper-based dictionaries for limited purposes beyond the spelling and meaning check. Besides surveying the dictionary type (online and paper-based), the study argues for some uses on a broader approach rather than spelling words and their meanings. It construed dictionaries as special tutors that help second language learners develop a multitude of skills, including spelling, vocabulary, grammatical usage, pronunciation, and semantic features of the target language, e.g., synonyms, antonyms, polysemy, collocations, and the like. The study theorizes the dictionary not as an add-on but as an essential language learning source of English language programs tailored to dictionary-based tasks across the curriculum to respond to sustainable language education.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TECHNOLOGICAL COMPONENTS AND INVENTIVE SKILLS AMONG MALAY LANGUAGE TEACHERS

2023-12-22T10:01:20+00:00

Technology use in classroom can improve teachers’ ability to deliver effective and

relevant content. Teachers should be more prepared to apply technology to ensure that

students will have more fun and have a high interest in continuing to learn in the era of

globalisation which is based on the use of these information communication technology

elements in the classroom during the teaching and facilitation process. This study

identifies the relationship between technological knowledge, technological content

knowledge, technological pedagogical knowledge, technological pedagogical content

knowledge, and inventive skills for teachers. A total of 400 questionnaires were

distributed to teachers who taught Malay language subjects in secondary schools in

Malaysia. To test the hypothesis, the structural equation using the PLS-SEM framework

was used. The results showed that technological knowledge, technological content

knowledge, technological pedagogical knowledge, and technological pedagogical content

knowledge have a positive relationship with inventive skills for teachers.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VOCABULARY ACQUISITION AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES AMONG MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS

2024-01-07T15:48:49+00:00

This paper explores the vocabulary acquisition of 143 middle school students from an East

Malaysian school, examining its correlation with gender, attitudes, and perceived

problems faced in vocabulary learning. Using the Contextualised Word Family

(CONTEXTUALISED WORD FAMILY) model, the study tested the effectiveness of explicit

vocabulary instruction over 30 sessions. The study utilised a one-group pretest-posttest

design, measuring the learners’ vocabulary size through the Productive Vocabulary Levels

Test (PVLT) and a questionnaire. The results showed an increase in vocabulary size with

no significant difference based on gender, a very weak negative correlation with attitudes

towards vocabulary learning, and mostly weak positive but significant relationships with

three of the learners’ perceived problems faced in vocabulary learning. This study

provides some important pedagogical implications for teacher practice and

recommendations for future research.

ROLE OF COLLABORATIVE STRATEGIC READING IN POST-PANDEMIC EFL READING CLASS: A QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL STUDY

2023-12-23T09:57:29+00:00

The transition of learning mode from online to offline in this post-pandemic era affects

the EFL struggling students’ achievement in the reading context. This quasi-experimental

study with a One-Group Pretest-Posttest design was intended to know the significant

difference between the mean scores of the pretest and the posttest in reading obtained

using Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR) and reveal students’ reflections on using CSR

in the reading classroom. Sixty-eight students in a senior high school in Indonesia were

involved as participants. Data were collected through pretest-posttest and a

questionnaire. The pretest and posttest results indicated that using CSR as a reading

strategy significantly improved students’ reading skills in collaborative nuance. The

students' perspectives on using CSR were positive since they felt highly motivated to

practice reading collaboratively, where each reading phase has a relevant strategy,

namely, Preview, Click and Clunk, Get the Gist, and Wrap up. Integrating CSR into reading

may have positive pedagogical impacts for EFL teachers who want to try CSR in teaching

reading in this post-pandemic nuance since it eliminates students' anxiety in the transition

of learning mode after the COVID-19 outbreak.

SELF-EFFICACY AND SELF-REGULATED LEARNING AMONG UNDERGRADUATE IN LEARNING ARABIC AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE VIA ONLINE

2024-01-07T15:49:11+00:00

As online learning becomes a major development in the recent years and escalates due the COVID-19 pandemic, it helps to have a high self-efficacy and self-regulated learning (SRL) to succeed in such learning context. This study explored the undergraduates’ levels of self-efficacy and SRL, and provides a comparative analysis of these variables while learning Arabic as a Foreign language via online. The data was collected from 77 undergraduates in a public university in Malaysia through an online survey. The findings showed that both self-efficacy and SRL mean scores were high, and that there was a statistically strong positive relationship between SE and SRL. Students appeared to adapt to online learning by managing their time, organising their schedule, interacting with classmates and instructors, and selecting the best spot to maximise their online learning experience. It is therefore important for lecturers or language instructors to create an interesting and inspiring lesson plans in an online environment so that they experience satisfaction inside and outside of learning simultaneously facilitate them for their success in language learning.

TRIGGERED CODE-SWITCHING: A BOTTOM-UP APPROACH TO CODE-SWITCHING AMONG L2 TEACHERS

2024-01-07T15:49:35+00:00

Classroom interaction in the second language (L2) is an important source of language

input for students. Yet, code-switching from the target language to another language is

commonplace in many L2 classrooms. Psycholinguistic studies have shown codeswitching

happens through top-down and bottom-up processes during bilingual speech

production. Triggering is a bottom-up process where code-switching is caused by words

that are shared between different languages. To investigate if triggered code-switching

takes place among secondary school ESL teachers in Malaysia, a study on teachers’

language use in class was conducted. A total of 111 minutes of interaction from two

English lessons was audio recorded and 225 instances of teacher code-switching in the

recordings were analysed. The analysis reveals that lexical transfers between English and

Malay and selected discourse markers triggered instances of code-switching among the

teachers. The findings suggest that teacher code-switching in L2 classrooms should be

considered from both top-down and bottom-up perspectives. Based on these findings,

suggestions for future studies on code-switching among L2 teachers were provided.