1. Applied Linguistics (Language Teaching and Learning)
Nadia Mahmoodi; Nasser Ghafoori; Seyed Reza Beh-Afarin
Abstract
The study attempted to investigate the relationship between male Iranian EFL learners’ international posture (IP) and willingness to communicate (WTC) across two proficiency levels. The study was carried out with 106 participants from selected universities in Tabriz and Sarab, Northwest Iran, who ...
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The study attempted to investigate the relationship between male Iranian EFL learners’ international posture (IP) and willingness to communicate (WTC) across two proficiency levels. The study was carried out with 106 participants from selected universities in Tabriz and Sarab, Northwest Iran, who were divided into two groups of high and low proficiency based on a Preliminary English Test (PET). The data were collected by the administration of WTC Scale (McCroskey & Richmond, 1990) and IP questionnaire (Yashima, 2000). The collected data were analyzed through Pearson correlation and independent samples t-test. The results showed that there was positive correlation between WTC and IP in the high-proficiency group while the correlation in the low proficiency-group was not statistically significant. It was also found that high proficiency learners had higher levels of both IP and WTC compared to their lower level counterparts. The findings of the study offer pedagogical implications for EFL learners, teachers, and syllabus designers.
2. Applied Linguistics (Inspirations from neighbor disciplines)
Cosmas Rai Amenorvi
Abstract
This paper investigates how the theme of uprising is conveyed in Bob Marley’s final music album by the name “Uprising”. Through the methodological lenses of multimodality, attention is focused on how the album cover design, lexical items, literary devices, and other aesthetic ways such ...
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This paper investigates how the theme of uprising is conveyed in Bob Marley’s final music album by the name “Uprising”. Through the methodological lenses of multimodality, attention is focused on how the album cover design, lexical items, literary devices, and other aesthetic ways such as the titles of the ten songs of the album and their order of arrangement contribute to the overall theme of uprising of the album. Findings reveal that the album cover design is loaded with meaning in support of the theme of uprising. Moreover, Marley relies on content-lexical items, namely, nouns, verb, adjectives, and adverbs to project the uprising theme. Marley also employs figures of speech such as allusion parallelism, repetition, rhetorical questions, and rhythm to project the theme of uprising. Finally, the song titles and their order of arrangement tell a single well-linked story in conveying theme of uprising in Marley’s “Uprising” album.
2. Applied Linguistics (Inspirations from neighbor disciplines)
Saeid Rahimipour
Abstract
Colonialism has been practiced by many countries in the last centuries or so. The kind of relationship between the colonizers and colonized has had mutual effects on the culture, identity, and many more aspects of the two countries. This paper deals with the concept of colonialism from both inner and ...
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Colonialism has been practiced by many countries in the last centuries or so. The kind of relationship between the colonizers and colonized has had mutual effects on the culture, identity, and many more aspects of the two countries. This paper deals with the concept of colonialism from both inner and outer views regarding Harold Pinter’s Caretaker and Chinua Achebe's No Longer at Ease with some references to Bhabhi's ideas respectively. Basing its method on content and text analysis, it reveals that the kind of colonialism going on regarding human attitudes, identity, and individual independence between Nigeria and England which is indicated by Achebe on the one hand as an example of outer colonialism, may be the inspiration for a paragon of inner colonialism in England portrayed in Pinter’s work on the other hand. The novelty of the paper’s illustration of the theme would be promising for further analysis and search.
3. Applied Literature
Elham Mohammadi Achachelooei
Abstract
This article analyzes Orhan Pamuk’s The Red-Haired Woman (2017) (hereafter RHW) from Alicia Helda Puleo’s ecofeminist perspective. It discusses Gülcihan’s character in RHW as a cultural figure who, standing beyond the essentialist division of culture / nature, develops a constructive ...
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This article analyzes Orhan Pamuk’s The Red-Haired Woman (2017) (hereafter RHW) from Alicia Helda Puleo’s ecofeminist perspective. It discusses Gülcihan’s character in RHW as a cultural figure who, standing beyond the essentialist division of culture / nature, develops a constructive interaction with the masculine world of the novel, prefiguring the reestablishment of life. The novel reviews the process of modernization in Türkiye through detailing the confrontation of the old and new via references to the mythological stories of Oedipus Rex, and Rostam and Sohrab. The references highlight the notions of patricide and filicide, pointing to rising tension between Eastern and Western aspects of Turkish cultural identity. This investigation challenges the dominant reviews of the references as pessimistic illustrations of the disappearance of historical Türkiye along with her environment and argues that RHW offers an alternative vision of modernization via Gülcihan’s narration as an optimistic stand toward industrial formation through enhancing self-awareness and intercultural understanding.
3. Applied Literature
Sanaz Saei Dibavar; Sara Saei Dibavar
Abstract
This article examines the dual role of the café in instigation, development, and termination of the public display of transgressive desire in Margaret Duras’s (1958) Moderato Cantabile. To approach Duras’s narrative this way, we draw on Michel Foucault’s (1977) theories concerning ...
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This article examines the dual role of the café in instigation, development, and termination of the public display of transgressive desire in Margaret Duras’s (1958) Moderato Cantabile. To approach Duras’s narrative this way, we draw on Michel Foucault’s (1977) theories concerning Panopticon to bring into light the sociallyimposed codes and the method of their implementation. Duras’s mode of expression, we intend to discuss, brings to the reader’s attention the dominance of the silent social gaze in each transgressive scene between the two characters. Despite its laconism, therefore, Moderato Cantabile reveals the omnipresent and active bourgeois codes that are interwoven to the very fabric of the bourgeoisie. The effective operation of these codes, set through discourses of truth and power, is guaranteed through the Panopticon present in public spaces like the café, whose dual nature enables it to allow for manifestation of desire on the one hand, and effective inspection and containment of the situation (by imposing norms) on the other.
2. Applied Linguistics (Inspirations from neighbor disciplines)
Cosmas Amenorvi; Gertrude Yidanpoa Grumah
Abstract
This paper investigates major themes espoused in the national anthems of English West Africa. Further, it seeks to find out how these themes are projected linguistically and literarily. Five English-speaking countries in West Africa, namely, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia and The Gambia, were ...
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This paper investigates major themes espoused in the national anthems of English West Africa. Further, it seeks to find out how these themes are projected linguistically and literarily. Five English-speaking countries in West Africa, namely, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia and The Gambia, were purposively sampled based on their colonial history, language and geographical location for this paper. Findings show that the major themes espoused in these national anthems are the themes of unity, religion, freedom and modesty. The themes are projected linguistically by conscious diction. Content lexical items – nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs – are preferred to non-content words in projecting these themes. Besides, literarily, these anthems employ figures of speech such as repetition, apostrophe, oxymoron, imagery, rhythm and metaphor to convey the various themes. These findings confirm the popular view in the study of national anthems that national anthems of countries which share colonial history, language and geographical location are similar in content and style.
1. Applied Linguistics (Language Teaching and Learning)
Shahla Nazeri; Davoud Amini; Farzad Salahshoor
Abstract
“Code-Switching”, an important issue in the field of both language classroom and sociolinguistics, has been under consideration in investigations related to bilingual and multilingual societies. First proposed by Haugen (1956) and later developed byGrosjean (1982), the termcode-switching ...
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“Code-Switching”, an important issue in the field of both language classroom and sociolinguistics, has been under consideration in investigations related to bilingual and multilingual societies. First proposed by Haugen (1956) and later developed byGrosjean (1982), the termcode-switching refers to language alternation during communication. Although code-switching is unavoidable in bilingual and multilingual contexts, its role and motivational determinants in language classes are sometimes ignored. The goal of the present article was to investigate the motivational determinants of classroom code-switching in EFL classrooms. The research was conducted with 400 participants, including 374 students and 26 teachers. The data collection techniques included questionnairesand observation checklist, all of which were designed based on Hymes’ (1962) framework and Poplack’s (1980), Myers-Scotton’s (1989), Blom and Gumperz’s (1972), and Gumperz’s (1982) categorizations. The data were analyzed through the software SPSS (Version 20). The results revealedthat providing the listener with better understanding, clarification, and checking comprehension are the most important motivational determinants for codeswitching.
1. Applied Linguistics (Language Teaching and Learning)
Hamid Reza Mahboudi
Abstract
The aim of this study was to see if there was any significant difference between undergraduate students of biological sciences and humanities in their test anxiety scores at University College of Rub-bi Rashid, Tabriz, Iran. This analytical-descriptive study was conducted on a sample of 188 students ...
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The aim of this study was to see if there was any significant difference between undergraduate students of biological sciences and humanities in their test anxiety scores at University College of Rub-bi Rashid, Tabriz, Iran. This analytical-descriptive study was conducted on a sample of 188 students composed of 94 students of humanities and 94 students of biological sciences. The cases were selected by simple random sampling and Sarason Anxiety Questionnaire was used for gathering data and finally the collected data was analyzed via SPSS 24. The mean of anxiety level among students of humanities was 1.84 and 2.05 before and after the test respectively, and the measured mean for students of biological sciences was 1.89 before the test and 2.15 after the test. This result showed a significant difference between these two types of students (P < 0.05) in both phases, but there were no significant differences between experimental and test groups’ sex and anxiety level (P > 0.05). Moreover, the results of chi-square tests showed no significant difference between the two types of students after the test (P > 0.05). In these two studied groups, the test anxiety was increased after the test in comparison with that before it. Also, it was concluded that biological students’ test anxiety was as large as humanity students’ test anxiety in the second phase. Similarly, no significant difference was observed between boys and girls after the test. Finally, the authors suggest some handy tips that can help to relieve the pressure on the tests.
3. Applied Literature
Mohammadreza Touzideh; Farshid Nowrouzi Roshnavand
Abstract
The ethical relation with the Other becomes of great significance in the postmodern ethos which considers the decentralization of subjectivity as one of its main philosophical and literary objectives. Emmanuel Levinas was one of the first philosophers who redefined the notion of ethics as a critical ...
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The ethical relation with the Other becomes of great significance in the postmodern ethos which considers the decentralization of subjectivity as one of its main philosophical and literary objectives. Emmanuel Levinas was one of the first philosophers who redefined the notion of ethics as a critical moment in which the subject’s encounter with the Other solely occurs through the use of ethical language, a mode of communication that essentially escapes any form of totalization in favor of the subject’s consciousness. Such an ethical meeting with the Other can be traced in Conrad Aiken’s short story “Silent Snow, Secret Snow,” which narrates the twelve-year-old protagonist’s encounter with the mysterious voice of snow. The results of the study show that the protagonist, once exposed to the speaking face of the Other, initiates an ethical conversation with it and, in so doing, loses his subjectivity to the ethical manifestation that the Other issues upon him.
1. Applied Linguistics (Language Teaching and Learning)
Saemeh Arabahmadi; Omid Mazandarani; Seyyed Hassan Seyyedrezaei; Zari Sadat Seyyedrezaie
Abstract
Despite the abundance of research on language teacher education, there is a dearth of ecologically informed instruments for measuring teacher agency. To this end, this study aims to fill this gap by designing and validating a questionnaire for assessing the agency of student teachers. Thirteen facets ...
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Despite the abundance of research on language teacher education, there is a dearth of ecologically informed instruments for measuring teacher agency. To this end, this study aims to fill this gap by designing and validating a questionnaire for assessing the agency of student teachers. Thirteen facets were identified and developed, including instructional beliefs, supportive beliefs, collaborative learning, and competence, which represent an iterational dimension. The practical-evaluative dimension is represented by opportunity to make choice, opportunity to influence, support, equality, trust, institutional context, and professional community. Long- and short-term purposes manifest projective dimension. A 22-item questionnaire on a 7-point Likert scale was developed and administered. Altogether, 210 EFL student teachers from four branches of Farhangian University through convenience sampling participated in the survey research design study. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis was employed through AMOS 22 to examine the validity of the theoretical model. In doing so, an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were administered, and the ecological framework of student teacher agency was confirmed. The results revealed that the questionnaire had an acceptable fit with the empirical set of data, suggesting that this scale has the potential to be useful in assessing student teachers’ agency and raising their awareness of the agency construct. The study has implications for policymakers regarding how the ecology of professional education may influence teachers’ practices, actions, and decision-making processes.
2. Applied Linguistics (Inspirations from neighbor disciplines)
Ali Roohani; Mohsen Hosseini
Abstract
Culture is regarded as a part of English language teaching (ELT). Also, ELT textbooks are a main source of intercultural teaching / learning in most English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning contexts. Thus, representation of cultural content and development of (inter)cultural aspects are important ...
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Culture is regarded as a part of English language teaching (ELT). Also, ELT textbooks are a main source of intercultural teaching / learning in most English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning contexts. Thus, representation of cultural content and development of (inter)cultural aspects are important issues in ELT textbooks, particularly in EFL contexts. This study analyzed the representation of culture in the Vision series, a recently developed ELT series used nationwide in Iranian high schools, and examined how multimodality in these local textbooks would provide context to develop (inter)cultural aspects. To collect the data, an adapted version of Cortazzi and Jin’s (1999) classification of culture (source, target, international, and globally-shared) was used to analyze the content of the Vision series to see which culture was reflected in these high school textbooks. Additionally, the Wenninger and Kiss’s (2013) semiotic framework was used to examine how multimodality would serve cultural contents through analyzing image-text relationship. The content analysis demonstrated the domination of source (i.e., Iranian) and globally-shared cultural elements with less attention to the target and international cultures. Furthermore, the results showed that multimodality in these textbooks could provide the opportunity for critical cultural reflection, though it was limited to source and globally-shared cultures. By implication, ELT material developers in Iran should incorporate more appropriate materials and culturally engaging visuals associated with diverse cultures into local ELT textbooks to promote Iranian EFL students’ cultural reflection, and, subsequently, their intercultural competence.
1. Applied Linguistics (Language Teaching and Learning)
Atoosa Toosi; Mojtaba Teimourtash
Abstract
Mindful learning seems to be a theory of learning with a number of applications and implications in the realm of methodology and second language acquisition. It stands against the mindless, or rote, learning which makes the students passive, parroting some cliché with no real use in real life. ...
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Mindful learning seems to be a theory of learning with a number of applications and implications in the realm of methodology and second language acquisition. It stands against the mindless, or rote, learning which makes the students passive, parroting some cliché with no real use in real life. In essence, a mindful approach provides students with noble opportunities to overcome the learning obstacles through discovering new perspectives. Mindfulness requires the students rely on their own abilities and experiences, recognize the advantages and disadvantage of their skills, and find out how and what to use in any given situation. To Langer (2016), it is the key role in deciphering the latent talents of students in learning how to learn. In her book, “The Power of Mindful Learning”, Ellen J. Langer. professor of psychology at Harvard University, tackles the approaches taken for granted for years yet, to the great extent, useless in practice. She further scratches new dimensions of learning and delves into their characteristics.
1. Applied Linguistics (Language Teaching and Learning)
Nur Izzati Azman; Mansour Amini; Lin Siew Eng; Masoumeh Alavi
Abstract
Different types of reading strategies pose challenges to instructors and learners in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context. This study aimed at identifying and comparing reading strategies used by instructors and students in dealing with literal comprehension, reorganization, and inferential ...
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Different types of reading strategies pose challenges to instructors and learners in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context. This study aimed at identifying and comparing reading strategies used by instructors and students in dealing with literal comprehension, reorganization, and inferential comprehension questions. The participants werefive EFL instructors and 27 students from the English Language Proficiency Programme (ELPP) at the University of Malaya, Malaysia selected through purposive sampling. Thisqualitative study involved in-class observations and interviews with instructors, and questionnaires administered to students.The analysis of the data revealed that both instructors and students practice various reading strategies when dealing with comprehension questions, and some strategies used by the instructors are never or seldom used by the students. Strategies such as “reading questions before reading the passage”, “skimming and scanning”, “connecting prior knowledge”, and “finding context clues” were found to be used by both instructors and students. The findings indicated that instructors’ implementation of a variety of reading strategies affects students’ comprehension level over the reading materials. Therefore, the study can provide clear guidelines for the EFL instructors to seek for their students’ advancement of reading proficiency. This could ultimately result in students’ better academic achievement and learning motivation.
2. Applied Linguistics (Inspirations from neighbor disciplines)
Seyyedeh Zahra Esmaeili; Davud Kuhi; Sorayya Behroozizad
Abstract
Adopting a qualitative design, the current study explored the usefulness of interculturally-laden tasks and intercultural training in improving the Iranian English learners’ intercultural competency in Anzali, Guilan province, Iran. To this objective, a group of 25 intermediate levels whose ages ...
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Adopting a qualitative design, the current study explored the usefulness of interculturally-laden tasks and intercultural training in improving the Iranian English learners’ intercultural competency in Anzali, Guilan province, Iran. To this objective, a group of 25 intermediate levels whose ages ranged from 21 to 30 participated in the study. The participants were required, initially, to complete seven intercultural tasks to assess their current level of intercultural competence. Then, they attended in eighteen sessions of intercultural training using Mirror and Window: an intercultural textbook and then completed the same seven intercultural tasks one again at the end of the course. Anchored in Byram's (1997) ICC theory, five components of the learners’ ICC enhancement, namely Savoir Comprendre, Savoire Etre, Savoire S’engager, Savoirs, and Savoire Apprendre / Faire were investigated throughout an intercultural training course. Two major sources of data were intercultural tasks, which were written by the participants per week as part of their assignments, focused-group interviews and self-report evaluation survey conducted at the end of the course to elicit the views they harbor toward the course. Drawing on the qualitative content analysis, findings indicated that interculturally-laden tasks could help the participants enhance their intercultural competence. Meanwhile, the analysis of the focused-group interviews and self-report evaluation survey revealed that learners evaluated most aspects of the tasks and textbook positively. Finally, the implications of the current study and suggestions for further research were discussed.
3. Applied Literature
Ali Montazerzadeh
Abstract
In this essay, I analyze the complex role capitalism plays in the formation and transformation of bodies within its system, using the novel Under the Skin by Michel Faber as a case study. As multidisciplinary research, this essay will use disability studies as a theoretical foundation with which the ...
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In this essay, I analyze the complex role capitalism plays in the formation and transformation of bodies within its system, using the novel Under the Skin by Michel Faber as a case study. As multidisciplinary research, this essay will use disability studies as a theoretical foundation with which the main arguments will be underscored. In order to do so, I focus on four dimensions: first, the distinction between normality and deviance as manifested in the bodies of the alien protagonist and the Vess corporation heir Amlis; second, the impact of different hierarchies in the novel; elites, workers, and human prey (vodsel); on the bodies of the group according to their position in each level of the pyramid; third, the role of disability and how it affects individuals under capitalism; fourth, how (de)prostheticization changes the way readers perceive and interpret the novel by shifting the perspective from the normative one to an alternative one that challenges the dominant assumptions of normalcy. This essay will argue that: capitalism use, misuse, and abuse society’s view of normalcy to take full advantage for its own hegemonic purposes.
3. Applied Literature
Saeid Rahimipour; Mohammad Reza Khodadust
Abstract
Literary works have been interpreted differently depending on the interpreter’s mindset and outlook. This study has launched an attempt to interpret the representation of the “Mocking Bird” in To Kill a Mocking Bird. Initially, a total number of 30 English majors studying at Farhangian ...
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Literary works have been interpreted differently depending on the interpreter’s mindset and outlook. This study has launched an attempt to interpret the representation of the “Mocking Bird” in To Kill a Mocking Bird. Initially, a total number of 30 English majors studying at Farhangian University of Ilam were selected through convenience sampling. They were, then, provided with the PDF version of the novel, and after a few weeks’ interval of reading time, the participants were exposed to the filmed version of the story. Thereafter, using Reader Response Theory, they were asked to write their comments, impressions, and views of whom, which, or what the “mocking bird” of the novel may be. The qualitative/quantitative content analysis of their writings revealed some fascinating interpretations regarding the representation of the “Mocking Bird’s” paragons in the novel. The final part of the paper discusses the findings and their implications which revealed fascinating information in this regard.
1. Applied Linguistics (Language Teaching and Learning)
Sajjad Khorami Fard
Abstract
Dynamic Assessment is an approach to assessment within Applied Linguistics which is stemmed from Vygotsky’s Socio-Cultural Theory of mind, his concept of Zone of Proximal Development and Feuerstein's theory of Structural Cognitive Modifiability. This study is an attempt to pinpoint the sources ...
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Dynamic Assessment is an approach to assessment within Applied Linguistics which is stemmed from Vygotsky’s Socio-Cultural Theory of mind, his concept of Zone of Proximal Development and Feuerstein's theory of Structural Cognitive Modifiability. This study is an attempt to pinpoint the sources of mental processing problems in listening comprehension and applies dynamic interventions to remove the problems and promote listening. Two male classes (each containing 5 upper-intermediate members) ranging in age from 19 to 24, were selected based on an intact group design. One class was selected as the control and another class as the experimental group haphazardly. The research was on the pre-test, mediation, and post-test paradigm. In the beginning, the two groups were pre-tested purposefully and their real time listening problems were detected through verbal and nonverbal recall protocols. Then, in the mediation phase dynamic group experienced different treatment sessions in two weeks to overcome the problems detected on the pre-test. The experimental group was instructed with mediations based on the Sandwich format of interventionist dynamic assessment while the control group received no intervention and was taught traditionally. Finally, all two groups were post-tested. The qualitative analysis showed that both groups suffered from various listening problems related to mental processing in comprehension. Result of quantitative analysis also revealed that the experimental group which was instructed dynamically outperformed the control group which was taught non-dynamically. The findings of this study suggest that dynamic interventions would not only affect the promotion of the EFL listening comprehension in educational settings but also have a significant effect on the performance of the dynamic group in comparison with the non-dynamic group.
2. Applied Linguistics (Inspirations from neighbor disciplines)
Sorayya Mozaffarzadeh; Parviz Ajideh
Abstract
As an important focus of modern language education, intercultural language learning reflects greater awareness of the inseparability of language and culture and the need for providing the learners with materials concerning teaching intercultural communication to enhance learners’ intercultural ...
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As an important focus of modern language education, intercultural language learning reflects greater awareness of the inseparability of language and culture and the need for providing the learners with materials concerning teaching intercultural communication to enhance learners’ intercultural competence in an increasingly multicultural world. Proper development of a learners’ understanding of another culture’s perspective and worldview is an essential of effective communication. Regarding the significance of issues, the present study is an attempt to consider the trend of addressing culture in Iranian ETL textbooks at the high school level of education before and after the Islamic Revolution. The research findings indicated that the cultural contents are neglected in the ELT textbooks used both pre- and post-Islamic revolution. Therefore, due to overlooking learners’ cultural communicative needs intentionally or unintentionally, Iranian ELT textbooks are insufficient materials for teaching communicative language and in overall teaching culture-general skills such as intercultural competence and understanding. It is noteworthy that this study recommends constructive changes in textbooks to make them more communicative and more consistent with the students’ needs and expectations.
3. Applied Literature
Masoud Farahmandfar; Ghiasuddin Alizadeh
Abstract
Shelley’s “Hymn to Intellectual Beauty” has suffered a critical overlook compared with the immense bulk of studies dedicated to his poetical and philosophical works. The reason behind the poem’s resistance to understanding is that it stands in stark contrast to Shelley’s ...
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Shelley’s “Hymn to Intellectual Beauty” has suffered a critical overlook compared with the immense bulk of studies dedicated to his poetical and philosophical works. The reason behind the poem’s resistance to understanding is that it stands in stark contrast to Shelley’s theological and philosophical opinions which he held throughout his life. Shelley's poem is torn between the need for a transcendental signified which would bestow meaning on human existence and the tragic realization that no such an ultimate guarantee can ever exist, that the lack in the Other is ontological and, as such, can never be compensated for. Availing itself of the theories of Slavoj Žižek, the present article argues that Shelley’s illusion is twofold: besides his opinion that a full access to Beauty will eradicate uncertainty and inconstancy from the human life, he locates the roots of the present universal discontent and suffering in the absence of the Spirit, rather than seeking the causes of failure in the very essential defectiveness of the symbolic reality.
3. Applied Literature
Ahad Mehrvand; Shiva Talebi Ashtiyani
Abstract
Conrad’s acclaimed works from his middle period have been thoroughly studied from several perspectives including postcolonialism whereas the novels from his early period were overlooked due to their so-called“uneven” quality. The most notable works among Conrad’s early novels ...
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Conrad’s acclaimed works from his middle period have been thoroughly studied from several perspectives including postcolonialism whereas the novels from his early period were overlooked due to their so-called“uneven” quality. The most notable works among Conrad’s early novels are hisLingard Trilogy- three of his early novels which are based on the recurring presence of the Captain Tom Lingard, the protagonist, and therelationship between Westerners and non-Westerners in a contact zone where both cultures meet. A postcolonial study of these novels can reveal Conrad’s attempt to change the binary logic of his time which put the West in a position of power. Postcolonial elements in this trilogy can be studied by using Homi Bhabha’s theories of stereotype, ambivalence, mimicry, hybridity, and othering to substantiate our claim that in Lingard Trilogy, Conrad’s discourse was anti-racist and against the imperial logic of the nineteenth century, since he tried to change it in the Trilogy.
2. Applied Linguistics (Inspirations from neighbor disciplines)
Vladimír Biloveský
Abstract
The current dynamic, rapidly changing labour market is influenced by the constant development of new technologies, globalisation, the changing nature of the economy, and changed demands on employees. In this context, university graduates are expected to be flexible, dynamic, and able to adapt effectively ...
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The current dynamic, rapidly changing labour market is influenced by the constant development of new technologies, globalisation, the changing nature of the economy, and changed demands on employees. In this context, university graduates are expected to be flexible, dynamic, and able to adapt effectively to new, rapidly changing conditions in the labour market, changes in individual job positions, and the changes and challenges that 21st-century society is undergoing. These circumstances force universities to respond to the situation as employers point to the disconnect between students’ university training and practice. According to them, students come unprepared to a contemporary working environment, their skills and knowledge not corresponding with the needs of practice. The field of study of philology is no exception in this regard. The position of the translator (in the near future) will be different, their tasks will be more diverse, and they will be required to have different competencies and skills. The translator will have to interact with other experts or participants in the translation process and will have to be a team player who is proficient in using IT. This paper focuses on the role of interpersonal skills in the development of translation competence. The first part defines key terms: knowledge, skills, and interpersonal skills; in the second one, a teaching model for specialised translation is introduced. This model also enables the monitoring of the development of interpersonal skills in the process of acquiring translation competence, while also revealing a change in the paradigm of teacher–student interaction.
2. Applied Linguistics (Inspirations from neighbor disciplines)
Bita Moradi; Zari Saeedi
Abstract
Conversational turns have long snatched the attention of discourse analysts. Despite this fact, and to the best of the researchers’ knowledge, intergenerational conversations made by females have never been investigated through the lens of turn-taking and interruptions. Accordingly, this study ...
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Conversational turns have long snatched the attention of discourse analysts. Despite this fact, and to the best of the researchers’ knowledge, intergenerational conversations made by females have never been investigated through the lens of turn-taking and interruptions. Accordingly, this study aimed at scrutinizing the differences between female Persian-speaking adults and adolescents engaged in casual conversations in terms of turn-taking organization, and interruption patterns. To this end, the casual Persian conversations of 5 adult and 5 adolescent females attending a private reunion were analyzed based upon the turn-taking model proposed by Sacks et al. (1974), along with interruption syntactic criteria introduced by West and Zimmerman (1983). The turn-taking model comprises two techniques (self-selection or selection by the next speaker) leading to gaining or allocating turns, and the interruption criteria emphasize deep intrusion of the last two or more syllables of the current speaker. The analysis of the recorded three-hour conversation revealed 1302 uses of the turn-taking techniques and 302 interruptions. The adults used approximately 86.01% of the turn-taking techniques while the counterpart group only used around 13.97%. Moreover, 93.37% of the interruptions were initiated by the adults compared with only 6.62 % initiated by the adolescents. Accordingly, the adult females were far more dominant speakers, adopted a much larger proportion of turn-taking techniques, and were considerably more inclined to use interruptions. The subsequent interview with the adolescents demonstrated that the dramatic between-group differences originated from some paralinguistic elements namely social, psychological, cultural, and power-related factors.
2. Applied Linguistics (Inspirations from neighbor disciplines)
Mehrangiz Anvarhaghighi; Farzaneh Farahzad; Hussein Mollanazar
Abstract
The development of sociological approach to the study of translation makes it possible for the researchers to adopt different methodology to develop new theoretical formulations and concepts. These formulations are arrived at through the interaction with those being studied through the interpretation ...
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The development of sociological approach to the study of translation makes it possible for the researchers to adopt different methodology to develop new theoretical formulations and concepts. These formulations are arrived at through the interaction with those being studied through the interpretation of real social world and meanings of the participants involved in the translation/social event. Grounded Theory Methodology (GTM) is ideally suited to areas of research where there should be an understanding of the social processes at work. However, the adoption of Grounded Theory (GT) approach in translation studies and translation education is rare if not inapplicable. The debates and suspicions for using GT in terms of its rigor are continuously confusing those who are relatively new to qualitative inductive research. The data collection and sampling anddata analysis in this methodology require high levels of rigor and reflection on the part of the researchers whose previous experience, assumptions, and the manner of transcription and data elicitation are very important, but are often neglected by some researchers.That is why the present paper tends to discuss some key arguable issues of undertaking and applying GT research for qualitative researchers in the area of translation. The paper provides a comprehensive review of GTM and its feasibility by demonstrating examples from a research project on constructing a model for developing translator competence. The project is part of the author’s doctoral study into conceptualizing the experience of the university students’ learning translation and their developing the translator competence. The present paper, however, intends to focus on the application and documentation of GTM in translation education. A review of literature on GT and the author’s practical experience of undertaking an empirical study into discipline form the approach to addressing the issue.
3. Applied Literature
Maryam Hosseini; Hossein Pirnajmuddin
Abstract
Bessie Head's A Question of Power intricately weaves existential philosophy into the tapestry of its narrative, so that the novel becomes a suitable venue to apply Emmanuel Lévinas’ philosophy of Self-Other relationship. The novel unfolds against the tumultuous backdrop of apartheid-era ...
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Bessie Head's A Question of Power intricately weaves existential philosophy into the tapestry of its narrative, so that the novel becomes a suitable venue to apply Emmanuel Lévinas’ philosophy of Self-Other relationship. The novel unfolds against the tumultuous backdrop of apartheid-era South Africa, with Elizabeth's journey serving as a poignant exploration of Lévinasian concepts. Lévinas, a philosopher of profound influence, posited that true ethical growth arises from direct encounters with the Other. This exploration dissects crucial aspects of Lévinasian philosophy mirrored in Elizabeth's trajectory across interconnected parts. One part contrasts Lévinasian ethics with Kantian and Hegelian philosophies, emphasizing the transformative power of encounters with the Other, evoking a "traumatism of astonishment" and calling for the embrace of otherness. The other section delves into Elizabeth's ethical journey, scrutinizing her struggles and moments of growth through the lens of Lévinas' concept of transcendence. Finally, the last part explores Elizabeth's transformative journey to Botswana, examining her encounters with the face of the Other and the symbolic dismantling of oppressive binaries within the Lévinasian framework. This analysis unravels how Head's narrative can mirror Lévinasian philosophy, unveiling the philosophical intricacies interwoven with the novel's literary fabric. As we embark on this journey through philosophy and literature, we peel back the layers of Elizabeth's narrative to reveal how it is possible to apply Lévinasian ethics on identity, connection, and the pursuit of transcendent wisdom to her painful interpersonal maturity in a world marked by division and inequality.
3. Applied Literature
Seyedeh Fatemeh Esmaeili; Farah Ghaderi
Abstract
In the 1990s, the first wave of trauma theories was raised to extend the boundaries of psychological trauma studies into other fields, including literary theories and literature. Jeannette Walls (1960-), an American author and journalist, writes about her characters’ resistance to life’s ...
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In the 1990s, the first wave of trauma theories was raised to extend the boundaries of psychological trauma studies into other fields, including literary theories and literature. Jeannette Walls (1960-), an American author and journalist, writes about her characters’ resistance to life’s adversities in her novels. Despite the existing studies on her most well-known novel The Glass Castle (2006), her other novel, The Silver Star (2013), has been marginalized since its publication. Thus, this study addresses The Silver Star and examines the “trauma and recovery” of the two main characters, Charlotte and Liz. It deploys Judith Herman’s trauma theory which focuses on the symptoms, effects, and recovery process of “post-traumatic stress disorder”. Following the experienced traumatic moments, Charlotte and Liz bear three main symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, including “hyperarousal”, “intrusion”, and “constriction”. As a primary effect of PTSD, they also disconnect themselves from their family and society while desperately seeking help to be recovered. The study argues that Walls represents social support as the most influential element in the “recovery” process of PTSD. The findings show that the recovery process varies according to the support that each character receives; Charlotte is not able to progress in the recovery process without receiving sufficient support from others while Liz recovers by getting enough support to construct a sense of safety.
