The British Journal of Applied Linguistics (ISSN: 2754-5253) is a peer-reviewed international open access journal focussing on all areas of applied linguistics. It is particularly interested in manuscripts reporting on studies that apply a multidisciplinary approach to research on second language acquisition, pragmatics, language learner identity, code-switching, language teaching methods, language change, language policy, language teacher education, approaches to language teaching and learning, the use of technology in language teaching and learning, theories of second language acquisition, cognitive and social aspects of language learning, and other relevant areas of research.
Al-Kindi Center for Research and Development
Investigating Moroccan High School Students' Attitudes Towards Leisure Reading
The present study investigated Moroccan high school students' attitudes towards leisure reading. The primary objective was to examine how students perceive and approach leisure reading in Moroccan high schools. Adolescent reading behaviour is a frequent focus of research. Hence, this study has helped fill the gap in research on adolescents' reading behaviour and attitudes in Morocco. Data for this study were collected through a questionnaire survey. The questionnaire was administered to 97 randomly selected participants. After collecting the quantitative data, it was analysed using SPSS. The study's findings revealed that students hold highly positive hedonistic and utilitarian attitudes towards reading, suggesting that they recognise both its enjoyment and its practical value. Despite these favourable attitudes, most students do not actively seek opportunities to read by borrowing, renting, or purchasing books, largely because they have not developed a strong reading culture or love of reading. Reading for leisure is uncommon among most students, who primarily limit their reading to the textbooks prescribed in the school curriculum in Arabic and French. Furthermore, few students engage with novels or storybooks, relying instead almost exclusively on the required academic materials.
Leisure reading; reading attitudes; reading behaviour; reading culture; Moroccan high school students; adolescents; secondary education
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Examining Ideophone in the Jita Bird Names: Communicative Perspectives
This study examines the use of ideophones in Jita bird names from a communicative perspective. No study of this nature has been conducted in Jita; hence, it attracts investigation into birds, reflected in their names under the Iconicity theory of sound Symbolism. Unstructured interviews, observation, and documentary analysis were the data collection methods. The study used purposive sampling to select six Jita native informants from Bunda Rural District, aged 40 to 50 years. The study revealed that most Jita bird names are idiophonic, reflecting the songs or calls they make and their names. These names serve important communicative functions by facilitating identification, description, memory, and cultural transmission of knowledge about their ecology and the environment. It is recommended that additional studies on human and animal ideophones be conducted to broaden awareness of ideophonic sound Symbolism. Also, it should undertake more documentation of ideophones to preserve indigenous linguistic knowledge for future generations of Jita and Bantu speakers.
Jita, Bird names, Ideophones, Iconicity theory, communication
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The Effectiveness of Using Bloom's Taxonomy to teach and assess Critical Thinking Skills in Secondary School
Critical thinking has become an essential component of language education, particularly in developing learners' higher-order cognitive abilities. This study examines the applicability of the Revised Bloom's Taxonomy, proposed by Anderson and Krathwohl (2001), as a theoretical framework for fostering and assessing critical thinking skills among young Moroccan learners of English in secondary schools. The revised taxonomy classifies cognitive processes into lower-order thinking skills (remembering, understanding, and applying) and higher-order thinking skills (analysing, evaluating, and creating), providing educators with a practical framework for classroom instruction and assessment. Although scholars have identified limitations in Bloom's Taxonomy, arguing that it does not fully capture the complexity of critical thinking, it remains one of the most widely adopted educational frameworks due to its clarity, simplicity, and instructional value. Drawing on previous literature, this study argues that the Revised Bloom's Taxonomy offers an effective and accessible model for integrating critical thinking into English language teaching for young learners. The paper further highlights the relationship between Bloom's higher-order cognitive processes and critical thinking, as recognised by leading theorists, while acknowledging the taxonomy's conceptual limitations. The findings support the continued use of the Revised Bloom's Taxonomy as a valuable pedagogical tool for promoting critical thinking in Moroccan EFL classrooms.
Revised Bloom's Taxonomy; critical thinking; higher-order thinking Skills (HOTS); Moroccan Secondary Schools; Young EFL Learners
Crosslinguistic Influence and Second Language Learning: Book Review
The book Crosslinguistic Influence and Second Language Learning by Kevin McManus talks about how a person’s first language affects the learning and use of a second language. This book is related to applied linguistics because it helps teachers and researchers understand why learners sometimes transfer from their first language to the second language when they speak or write. The linguist explains how language influences performance in real-life situations. He shows that learning a second language is not only about understanding certain rules but also about how learners and speakers improve their use. The book connects with the theory that says research and teaching in a clear way make it very useful for students like me who are learning second language acquisition. The purpose of this review is to summarize the main idea of the book and share my opinion about its strengths and weaknesses and my understanding of this book. In this review, I will summarize the book chapter by chapter to give a practical review of all aspects of this book and scientific critiques.
Crosslinguistic Influence; Second Language Learning; Book Review
Reframing Tourism Translation in Jordan: A Qualitative Inquiry into Cultural Mediation, Communicative Function, and Translator Practice
Tourism translation is a complex and multidimensional practice that goes beyond linguistic transfer to include cultural mediation, audience awareness, and persuasive communication. In the context of Jordan, it is the country that distinguished by its rich archaeological heritage, religious significance, and diverse natural attractions, the quality of tourism and recreational translation plays a crucial role in shaping international insights and enhancing visitors’ experiences. This study reforms tourism translation in Jordan by examining its theoretical fundamentals and practical applications, with a particular focus on communicative strategies and cultural adaptation. The study identifies main challenges faced by translators/interpreters, including the interpretation of culture-specific references, the balance between literal accuracy and promotional application, and the need to address diverse target audiences. It also explores the growing role of digital technologies and online platforms in transforming tourism discourse and translation practices. Adopting an academic perspective, the study emphasizes the importance of integrating practice-based training, real-life translation tasks, and technological tools into translator education programs. The findings highlight that effective tourism translation in Jordan requires a strategic combination of linguistic precision, cultural sensitivity, and persuasive techniques. Moreover, the study argues that translator training should be aligned with market demands and digital developments to ensure professional competence. Eventually, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of tourism translation as a dynamic field that supports cultural exchange and sustainable tourism development in Jordan.
Copyright (c) 2026 British Journal of Applied Linguistics
AI in EFL Writing Instruction: A Systematic Review of Writing Conceptualizations and Learner Agency
Recent research has increasingly focused on the application of generative artificial intelligence (genAI) in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) writing instruction, prompted by rapid technological advancements and growing pedagogical interest. Despite this trend, systematic reviews have not yet examined how learners are conceptualized within this field. To address this gap, the present study systematically reviewed 17 empirical studies, selected from an initial pool of 316, in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. The analysis identified three primary conceptualizations of writing: accuracy-oriented, process-oriented, and generative, each linked to distinct learner roles that range from active participants to more passive or dependent users. The findings revealed that learner agency is influenced more by pedagogical integration than by the technology itself. Structured uses of AI promoted engagement and higher-order thinking, whereas generative uses may lead to over-reliance and partial delegation of authorship. This review underlined the importance of teaching EFL writing through theoretically informed, process-oriented approaches that empower learners and incorporate effective AI use.
Listening and Speaking Instruction, Assessment and Technologies in the Saudi EFL Context: A Systematic Self-Review
This study sought to conduct a systematic review (SR) of the author’s studies on listening and speaking published between 2005-2023. The author’s 31 studies were categorized into 4 clusters: listening and speaking teaching approaches, combining listening and/or speaking with other skills, technologies used in listening and speaking enhancement (mobile apps, TED talks, podcasts, online tasks & Zoom, social media, online videos and digital multimedia language labs) and listening and speaking assessment. The corpus offers a comprehensive understanding of how EFL learners develop listening and speaking proficiency in Saudi higher education contexts. Across the clusters, the evidence demonstrates that oral skills development is most successful when instruction integrates meaningful content, explicit strategy instruction, phonological and cognitive support, and autonomous mobile based practice. Studies in Cluster 1 show that instructional models grounded in global themes, multicultural content, participation goals, and task based learning significantly enhance students’ engagement, confidence, and communicative fluency. Cluster 2 demonstrates that weaknesses in decoding and auditory processing significantly constrain learners’ ability to comprehend spoken input, while strong background knowledge facilitates more accurate and efficient processing of spoken input. Cluster 3 provides strong evidence that self study through audiobooks, MP3 lessons, podcasts, or apps, produces substantial gains in fluency, listening comprehension, and learner autonomy, outperforming textbook only instruction. Finally, Cluster 4 highlights the need for assessment practices that reflect authentic communicative performance rather than narrow, decontextualized tasks. Overall, the findings confirm that successful oral skills development emerges from the integration of pedagogy, cognition, technology, and assessment within a coherent instructional framework. This SR provides a unified perspective on nearly two decades of research and offers a foundation for future work on enhancing EFL listening and speaking proficiency in higher education settings. The listening and speaking aspects covered reflect the full range of themes that previous SRs in the literature have treated separately. By integrating strategies, technologies, pedagogical models, assessment considerations, and affective variables within a single comprehensive review, this SR provides a broader and more coherent understanding of L2 listening and speaking development, an approach not found in existing SRs.
Systematic review (SR), Al-Jarf research program, listening and speaking difficulties, listening and speaking strategies, listening and speaking instruction, listening and speaking assessment, listening and speaking technologies, Saudi EFL context, technology-enhanced oral skills, learner autonomy.
The Routledge Handbook of Applied Linguistics: A Critical Review (Volume 2)
Routledge Handbook of Applied Linguistics (2nd ed., 2023), edited by Li Wei, Zhu Hua, and James Simpson, is an important and extensive source of applied linguistics. This revised version contains more than 50 chapters by the foremost scholars across the globe, covering the traditional and current topics in applied linguistics. This volume has been edited by major representatives in the applied linguistics field, and it has been chosen to represent the growing breadth of the branch by adding newly emerged areas of interest, including digital communication, ecolinguistics, and critical applied linguistics (Li et al., 2023).
Artificial intelligence, ChatGPT, EFL writing, written corrective feedback, human feedback, learner uptake, Saudi Arabia
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Human vs ChatGPT Feedback in EFL Writing: A Comparative Study of Error Correction and Learner Uptake Among Saudi University Students
The rapid spread of artificial intelligence (AI) in language education has led teachers to use this tool in teaching and pedagogical practices across several disciplines. In English as a foreign language (EFL) context, various AI tools are being applied in teaching practices. ChatGPT is one of the most popular tools currently used by both teachers and students. This research compares human feedback and ChatGPT feedback as two methods used in Saudi EFL settings. The study adopted a quasi-experimental design. The learner participants were divided into two groups: a human feedback group and a ChatGPT feedback group. The research focused on different writing concerns addressed by the two methods of feedback. These feedback notes include grammar, vocabulary, organization, and discourse. Also, the study focused on the different responses of the students to the two types of feedback. The results revealed that ChatGPT feedback provided instant feedback on the surface level of the language structures. Human feedback, however, treated higher levels of contextual writing concerns. The study also focused on the students' rates of response to the two types of feedback. The results showed that the ChatGPT feedback group revised their grammatical mistakes rapidly. However, the students in the human feedback group spent a longer time dealing with contextual issues. Overall, the main recommendation of this research is that both types of feedback are helpful in improving EFL writing.
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Investigation of Students' Perceptions of the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Writing Assignments
This study examines the use of ChatGPT in three dimensions. First, it explores the purposes for which English language learners use the generative pre-trained model ChatGPT. Second, it examines the perceived positive and negative impacts on students when utilising this AI-powered tool to write their assignments. Third, it investigates instructors' perceptions of the positive and negative impacts of students who utilise this chatbot in writing assignments. The study focuses on higher education students majoring in English language and instructors who teach English language in higher education institutions. The study adopts a mixed-methods approach combining quantitative and qualitative methods. The first data collection method involved distributing a questionnaire to 50 students majoring in English language studies, with three types of questions: introductory items, Likert-scale, and open-ended questions, to answer the first and second research questions. For the third question, the researcher conducted semi-structured interviews with ten instructors. Findings revealed that students primarily use ChatGPT to clarify concepts and summarise information. Additionally, students' responses showed a positive attitude towards utilising this AI-based tool in writing assignments. In the open-ended questions, students frequently reported that ChatGPT enriched their grammar and vocabulary and enhanced the cohesion of their composition. However, overdependence on automated assistance in writing was found to be a concern for the majority of participants. Students showed a raised awareness of the potential drawbacks of over-relying on AI technology in writing, with regard to hindering critical thinking, information privacy, plagiarism, and ethical considerations. Instructors, on the other hand, demonstrated different attitudes; the majority agreed on integrating AI technology in the learning process under their instructions. Ultimately, the study underscores the importance for language instructors to be familiar with AI technology and stay current with its trends, enabling them to enhance the learning experience and help students maximise the benefits of AI while avoiding its potential pitfalls.
Artificial intelligence, ChatGPT, student perceptions, instructor perceptions, academic writing, higher education, mixed-methods research
The Role of ChatGPT in EFL Research-Paper Writing: BA and MA Students’ Use and Perceptions
This study, the second part of a wider examination of the role of ChatGPT in English as a Foreign Language (EFL), investigates its benefits in research-paper writing among female EFL Bachelor’s (BA) and Master’s (MA) students in Saudi Arabia (SA). The study used mixed-method research through the utilization of a questionnaire that was administered to 26 BA and nine MA students and then complemented by follow-up interviews. The results indicated that ChatGPT is perceived to be valuable in research writing for both BA and MA students, for generating ideas or topics, structuring the paper, checking grammatical mistakes, paraphrasing and summarizing, drafting research-paper sections, analyzing data, and citing and referencing. While the use of ChatGPT among BA students is very high, the use among MA students indicates more careful and advanced use. Furthermore, BA students’ use of ChatGPT generally shows a broad and positive, albeit slightly dependent, attitude, whereas MA students’ use reflects a more selective and more positive attitude. BA students mainly used ChatGPT for general tasks, like idea generation, paraphrasing, grammar checking, and drafting, viewing it as a helpful and time-saving tool. On the other hand, MA students mostly used it for outlining and refining their work, viewing it as an advanced supportive tool that enhances research quality and critical thinking. Limitations to accurate output, factual information, and ethical use were amongst the most common challenges voiced by both groups. The findings indicate that training is necessary to ensure ChatGPT is integrated effectively and used efficiently, ethically, and in ways that uphold academic integrity.
ChatGPT; Writing research; Constructivist Learning Theory; Purposes of use
Syntactic Complexity Development in Bahraini EFL Academic Writing: An Automated and Register-Based Analysis
This study examines the relationship between syntactic complexity and writing proficiency in EFL learners’ texts across three academic levels: Intermediate, Upper-Intermediate, and Advanced. The study utilized the Tool for the Automatic Analysis of Syntactic Sophistication and Complexity to analyze the syntactic complexity indices detected in students’ texts. These indices were statistically compared across academic levels and examined in relation to TOEFL writing proficiency descriptors to evaluate their diagnostic validity. The study conducted a close analysis of recurrent syntactic error patterns and developmental shifts in clause versus phrase density. It was guided by the Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English model. The findings revealed a progression from clause-based to phrasal syntactic structures in advanced-level texts and a notable decrease in syntactic error frequency. The results contribute to the growing body of research on automated syntactic analysis in EFL contexts, highlighting the importance of integrating both structural and usage-based measures in writing assessment and instruction.
writing proficiency, syntactic complexity indices, syntactic errors, TOEFL norms, LGSWE model
Arabic–English Transliteration of Personal Names and Public Signages: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
This study aimed to conduct a systematic review (SR) and meta-analysis (MA) of the author’s empirical studies published between 2021 and 2025 on Arabic–English transliteration of personal names on Facebook and public signages (shop names and linguistic landscapes). It aimed to synthesize evidence on orthographic anomalies, error patterns, and variation in English to Arabic and Arabic to English transliteration across social media, shop names, and linguistic landscapes. The fourteen studies share a unified methodological framework and provide quantitative data (percentages, frequencies, and error rates) that allow for statistical aggregation. The fourteen studies were categorized into 3 clusters: Shop names and linguistic landscapes, personal names, borrowed nouns, and ai generated transliteration. Results of the SR/MA revealed consistent patterns of inaccuracy and variation across human Arabic–English transliteration. In public signage, recurrent issues include vowel omission, inconsistent representation of consonants with no direct English equivalents, semantic and syntactic anomalies in compound names, and wide divergence from standard spellings. Personal names show similarly unstable patterns, with multiple transliterations for the same name, inconsistent rendering of the glottal stop and pharyngeal fricatives, variable spelling of the definite article /al /, and frequent gemination errors. Borrowed English nouns display phonological adaptation patterns shaped by Arabic orthography, especially in the representation of /g/ and other non native phonemes by Artificial Intelligence. Meta analytic pooling across studies shows high overall error rates, cross context variation, and tendencies toward under representation of vowels and over regularization of consonants. Subgroup analyses indicate that transliteration accuracy varies by domain, with signage showing the highest error density and personal names the greatest internal variability. Together, the findings demonstrate that human transliteration is shaped by sociolinguistic preference, orthographic habit, and contextual constraints rather than by standardized rules, establishing a coherent empirical profile of real world Arabic–English transliteration behavior. These results offer the first coherent map of human transliteration behavior and lay the groundwork for future research.
Systematic review (SR), meta-analysis (MA), shop names, personal names, linguistic landscapes, borrowed names, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Al-Jarf’s empirical studies
Exploring the Relationship between ChatGPT Use and University Students’ Syntactic Argumentation
This study preliminarily explores the relationship between the use of ChatGPT as an AI tool and Moroccan university students’ linguistic argumentation, taking syntax as a case study. This research project aims to better understand how tools like ChatGPT may influence students’ reasoning and argumentative skills in the field of syntax. A quantitative research design was adopted, using questionnaires distributed to 91 Moroccan EFL students from various educational levels (B.A., Master’s, and doctoral studies). Our main finding is that the majority of students used ChatGPT to solve issues related to theoretical linguistics. Nevertheless, the majority either stayed neutral or had negative attitudes towards ChatGPT improving their ability to critically analyze syntactic data and are confident to analyze data without ChatGPT. The implication behind this research is the cautious attitude towards using ChatGPT: It is used as a means but never a replacement for the traditional learning process.
Ease of Use and Perceived Usefulness As a mediating Factor Between ICT Competencies And EFL University Lecturers’ Motivation
The study's goal is to look at ease of use and perceived utility as a mediating factor in the relationship between ICT competencies and motivation among EFL professors. The TAM sample theory is used to investigate the primary criteria, "perceived ease of use & perceived usefulness." The study used exploratory, descriptive, and survey methods to analyze data. The participants are currently enrolled in King Khalid University. The goal is to choose areas where the researchers want to disclose significant facts about the study's purpose. The data-gathering tool was a 5-point Likert scale-based questionnaire. Furthermore, investigate the barriers and strategies for overcoming these issues. The findings show that there is a statistically significant association between obstacles, ease of use, and sense of interest. Moreover, there is a statistically significant association between ease of use and intentions. However, no statistical relationship exists between barriers, intentions, and trends. The study recommended that EFL professors be kept up to date on rapid technological advances and that motivation be activated at universities to assess ease of use and perceived utility.
EFL lecturers; Ease of use; perceived usefulness; Technology competencies
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“Beware of Him—He’s a Scammer Selling Fake Tickets”: A Pragmatic Study of Saudi Ticket Scam Warnings on X
Little research has examined the pragmatic structure of Arabic digital warning discourse. The present study aims to address this gap by investigating how Saudi users on X (formerly Twitter) construct public warning acts against ticket scams during Riyadh Season. It explores how these warnings are linguistically and culturally shaped and what politeness strategies users employ to intensify or mitigate face-threatening acts. The dataset comprises authentic Saudi digital discourse, including tweets, replies, and quoted posts related to ticket-scam incidents. Each warning message was qualitatively analysed for its explicit or implicit fulfilment of felicity conditions and its politeness strategy. The findings show that bald-on-record strategies overwhelmingly dominate Saudi digital warning discourse, indicating that users prioritize urgency and clarity over face-saving considerations when alerting the public. The highly explicit realisation of the Propositional Content, Sincerity, and Essential conditions suggests that Saudi users treat warning acts as high-stakes, socially consequential speech events where explicitness strengthens illocutionary force and minimizes the risk of misinterpretation. The study highlights that Saudi digital warnings are intentional and effective in high-risk contexts for community protection. The study contributes to the underexplored area of Arabic digital warnings about online fraud, offering new insights into how warning acts are pragmatically constructed in rapid, high-risk digital contexts.
Speech Acts, Warning, Politeness, Pragmatics, Riyadh Season, Saudi users, Ticket Scam, High-risk contexts, X
Integrating ESP, Value Education, and AI-Enhanced Pedagogy in Chinese Vocational Colleges: A Theoretical Construction of the “Three-Chains, Four-Dimensions, Five-Contexts” Teaching Model for Workplace Communication English Course
The increasing demand for workplace-oriented English proficiency, value education, and technological integration has posed new challenges for English for Specific Purposes (ESP) curricula in Chinese vocational colleges. Addressing the need to meaningfully integrate Curriculum Ideological and Political Education (CIPE) into professional English instruction, this conceptual paper proposes a theoretically grounded “Three-Chains, Four-Dimensions, Five-Contexts” teaching model for the Workplace Communication English Course. Drawing on ESP theory, sociocultural learning, moral education, and AI-enhanced pedagogy, the model conceptualizes learning as a developmental process that links linguistic knowledge acquisition, situated workplace practice, and professional identity formation. It further integrates knowledge, values, skills, and application within authentic communicative tasks, supported by AI-mediated interaction and multidimensional assessment. By embedding value formation within workplace communication rather than treating it as an external addition, the model addresses critiques of superficial CIPE implementation in ESP. This study contributes a coherent conceptual framework for vocational English curriculum design and offers directions for future empirical research and pedagogical innovation.
English for Specific Purposes (ESP); Curriculum Ideological and Political Education (CIPE); vocational English education; workplace communication; AI-enhanced language learning; value-integrated pedagogy; professional identity development
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Examining the debatable concept of the Interdisciplinary and Multidisciplinary fields of research from EFL students’ perspectives
This study attempts to investigate the of the Interdisciplinary and Multidisciplinary fields of research from EFL students’ perspectives field of research from EFL students’ perspectives. A vast literature review shows that many Applied Linguistics contributors believe that the field necessitates insights from diverse academic disciplines, such as sociology, psychology, anthropology, political science, and education. Therefore, researchers are attempting to determine how EFL students may find it challenging to differentiate between interdisciplinarity and multidisciplinarity and grasp the connection between linguistic studies and other fields such as psychology, sociology, education, and cultural studies. To conduct this investigation, the researchers used a quantitative research methodology. A questionnaire of 15 items was distributed to a sample of 48 study subjects randomly selected during the academic year 1441 – 1442 at Qassim University, KSA. One of the key findings indicates that it is challenging to differentiate between the primary focus of applied linguistics and certain theoretical linguistics areas like sociolinguistics. The study also shows that the subjects are aware that areas like computational linguistics and clinical linguistics are also branches of applied linguistics.
Applied linguistics, Interdisciplinarity, Multidisciplinarity, EFL, Perspectives
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Navigating Compliment Responses among Jordanian and Omani Students: A Conceptual Study
Compliment is one of the linguistic aspects used by Jordanian and Omani speakers. Therefore, understanding the strategies of compliments is essential to improve communication during interactions. This study aimed to investigate the pragmatics of compliment responses between Jordanian and Omani students, highlighting the differences and similarities in their use of compliment strategies in their interactions. A quantitative approach, in the form of a questionnaire, was adopted to collect data from both student groups. This study employs Herbert's (1986, 1990) theoretical framework to analyze the data. It categorizes compliments into five types: acceptance, mitigation/deflection, rejection, no response, and request interpretation. It is expected that there will be some differences and similarities, although the forms of their compliments may vary considerably. Thus, the hypotheses to be examined are: First, the Jordanian and Omani students' compliment strategies are different. Second, the compliment strategies used by both groups are largely similar. Third, the forms of compliments differ between the two groups despite speaking the same language.
Compliment, Oman, Jordan, pragmatics, sociolinguistics
From Word Choice to Impact: Textlinguistic Insights into Albanian Advertising Slogans
This paper examines the language of advertising, with a special focus on the textlinguistic analysis of advertisements and slogans in the Albanian press. The study aims to identify the linguistic strategies and features used in advertising texts to capture readers’ attention, communicate messages effectively, and ultimately motivate action. By applying textlinguistic methods, various aspects of advertising language are analyzed, including lexis, syntax, stylistics, and rhetorical devices. The analysis is based on a comprehensive collection of advertisements and slogans extracted from different Albanian newspapers and magazines. The findings reveal how advertisers employ specific linguistic techniques to present products and services in an appealing and persuasive way. Particular attention is also given to cultural aspects and local specificities in language use within the Albanian advertising landscape. The results of the study not only provide insights into the practices of advertising language in a specific media and cultural context but also contribute to understanding the role of language in commercial communication.
text linguistics, advertising language, Albanian press, rhetorical strategies, cultural contextualization
Improving Lexical Resources among ESL Learners: A Corpus-Based Approach
This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of utilizing the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA) in fostering the writing skills, particularly the lexical resources, of ESL learners. A quasi-experimental design was implemented involving two groups. An experimental group (n = 25) in which COCA was integrated into their teaching practice, and a control group (n = 25) that received no COCA intervention. Data were gathered using pre- and post-writing tests designed to evaluate students' vocabulary. The data were analyzed using independent and paired samples t-tests, supported by an Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) to contrast the performance of the two groups. Results showed a statistically significant and positive change in the writing skills of the experimental group compared to the control group. Furthermore, the two tests revealed dramatic gains within the experimental group from pre-test to post-test. The ANCOVA further supported the positive effect of the COCA intervention. These findings suggest that integrating COCA can significantly enhance the lexical resources of ESL learners, resulting in improved writing skills. The study supports the use of corpus-based tools in language instruction to enhance vocabulary learning and overall writing proficiency among ESL learners. The research suggests that COCA is a valuable resource in English language teaching and can be applied to other criteria, such as grammar, cohesion, and coherence.
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Sustainability Transition in the Moroccan Agrarian Regime: Transformative Learning and the Coalition of Discourses
Soulaliyine Social Movement in Morocco, as any social movement, could function as a means of social change. This social change happens as a result of empowering oppressed people. Empowerment, contesting hegemony, social change mechanisms, and social movement dynamics are the focal points of the majority of the existing studies. This study takes a different direction, using in-depth interviews with two activists and based on their real life and pedagogical experiences. it aims to establish how social tension over collective land led activists to adjust their thinking and actions as well as shed light on how notions of sustainability penetrated their discourse. By using Mezirow’s Transformative Learning theory as a lens for analysis, the examination of activists’ experiences and narratives showed that activists’ perceptions and frames of references changed as a result of participating in Soulaliyine Social Movement, and this change in their personalities is irreversible. This study also shows that openness to sustainability discourse helped those activists legitimize their demands.
Soulaliyine Social Movement, Morocco, Activism, Transformative Learning, Sustainability Transitions.
Ecopoetry-Based Instructional Model for Enhancing High School Students’ Creative Writing Skills in Indonesia
In a time of increasing environmental challenges, it is essential to incorporate ecological literacy into education, especially through subjects that involve both cognitive and emotional engagement, such as literature. In the setting of Indonesian high schools, poetry education frequently lacks relevance to students' lived experiences and environmental issues, hence constraining its transformative capacity. Current methodologies rarely use ecological issues as a stimulus for creative writing, resulting in a deficiency in educational frameworks that connect ecological consciousness with literary creation. This study presents and analyzes an Ecopoetry-Based Instructional Model, based on Garrard’s six ecological categories, aimed at improving students’ creative writing abilities while promoting ecological awareness. The model was designed, verified, and evaluated using a Design-Based Research (DBR) methodology across three public high schools in Parepare, Indonesia, engaging 180 Grade X students. Results demonstrate considerable enhancement in poetic components like imagery, metaphor, and emotional tone, as well as heightened student motivation and engagement. The validation results affirmed the model's educational clarity and practical viability. The research emphasizes the value of incorporating local knowledge and personal experiences into poetry expression, hence enhancing ecocritical theory within effective classroom practices. These results indicate that ecopoetry can function as an effective medium for environmental teaching and provide scalable applications across many educational settings.
Copyright (c) 2025 British Journal of Applied Linguistics
A Stylo-Linguistic Analysis of Syntactic Complexity and Narrative Coherence in Kenyan Motorsport Commentary during the 2024 Safari Rally
The study explores the linguistic processes of motorsport commentary of the 2024 Safari Rally in Kenya, paying attention to the syntax complexity and narrative integrity as the key characteristics of spoken sports language. Based on Critical Stylistics (Jeffries, 2014), the study will examine how commentators negotiate the challenges of telling stories under real-time pressure, combining technical accuracy and appeal to the audience. A qualitative research design was utilized, and purposive and stratified sampling was executed to identify 60-minute live broadcast commentary segments on radio (KBC), television (TNT Sports), and online streaming (WRC+). These clips were selected depending on race intensity, commentator experience, and linguistic diversity. Audio recordings were used as a method of data collection, as well as orthographic transcriptions of the data with ELAN software, and contextual metadata (race stage, driver position, crowd reactions). Lexical density, syntactic variation (clause coordination/subordination, verb-argument constructions), and narrative strategies (temporal sequencing, thematic repetition) were investigated using qualitative content analysis and discourse analysis. Important discoveries indicate that commentators dynamically switch between simple exclamations and highly complex subordinate structures to reflect the race dynamics, and syntactic complexity is used to achieve clarity and dramatic impact. It was sustained by discourse markers (e.g., “Suddenly,” “Meanwhile”) and theme framing, which would commonly employ nationalistic or heroic motives. The commentary was in multiple languages, mixing English, Swahili, and local dialects, which offered a better cultural fit but necessitated an efficient code-switching strategy to maintain its intelligibility. The study contributes to African linguistics in sports because it puts motorsport commentary in the context of a stylistically rich genre formed by sociocultural and ideological processes. It also finds out gendered linguistic patterns where both male and female drivers were constructed using ideologically loaded lexicons. The drawbacks are genre-specific data restraints and a lack of L1 background controls. In subsequent studies, examining the longitudinal tendency, cross-cultural distinctions, and commentary systems powered by AI will be interesting. This study highlights the importance of the spoken commentary as a perspective through which sociolinguistic processes can be interpreted in multilingual communities by reflecting the gap between linguistic theory and media practice.
Narrative coherence, motorsport commentaries, multilingualism, syntactic complexity , kenyan Languages.
Splitting Unsplittable Foreign Words in Casual Speech by EFL Arab Learners
This study sheds light on a novel mispronunciation problem in L2 where Arabic-speaking EFL learners split unsplittable foreign long words in the flow of speech into two sub-parts and the factors involved in this faulty word segmentation. A sample of 15 unsplittable foreign long words segmented by 74 Arab college students was analyzed. Results showed that Arab learners split words to two parts as in Skype > Sky + pe, Kaspersky > Kasper + sky, Swarovski > Swaro+viski, Google > Go + gil, vegetable > vege + table, marshmallow > Marsh + mello, Michigan > Mit + shigan, Wednesday > Wednes + day, manipulated > manu + plated and so on. In segmenting long words, Arab learners often rely on the words’ written form, treating unfamiliar long words as consisting of familiar parts and pronouncing them as if they were two words, with a slight pause between both parts, especially in the case of segments that resemble known English words as sky, table, go, day, marsh. They rearrange consonant clusters based on their Arabic (L1) phonotactic constraints, insert a vowel to break the clusters, and stress the penultimate syllable in the second part. Some faulty word segmentation in the sample is based on cross-linguistic lexical associations, where segments evoke meaningful words in their native language (Arabic) as Swaro سوار meaning (bracelet). Learners intuitively reconstruct unfamiliar words using analogies from both English and Arabic. Their pattern of phonological segmentation is driven by both orthographic influence and phonotactic constraints in Arabic. Learners try to make sense of unfamiliar phonological forms using Arabic phonology, English orthography, and semantic associations. To enable Arab learners to pronounce long words without segmenting them, this study recommends awareness-raising of orthographic mismatches, phonetic awareness training, stress and rhythm drills, listening to native speakers and shadowing their pronunciation, pause, juncture and boundaries, metacognitive strategy training, contrastive analysis and cross-linguistic awareness, and interactive activities. A variety of technologies can be used in pronunciation practice as well. Results of the data analysis, sources of faulty word segmentation and recommendation for teaching and practice are described in detail.
Pronunciation errors, unsplittable words, word splitting, word segmentation, foreign words, casual speech, Arab EFL learners, educated Arabs. Arabic speaking learners
From Challenge to Catalyst: Reframing NNEST Identity in Global ELT
The English language teaching (ELT) profession remains steeped in native-speakerism ideologies that disproportionately marginalize non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs), despite their constituting the majority of the global ELT workforce. This paper investigates the systemic challenges NNESTs face, including hiring discrimination, wage gaps, and accent bias, while spotlighting their resilience and transformative potential within the profession. Drawing on recent empirical research and policy developments, this paper reframes perceived professional deficits as sources of pedagogical strength. NNESTs’ multilingual awareness, personal language-learning journeys, and cross-cultural competencies position them uniquely to connect with learners and model realistic paths to English proficiency. This paper explores how native speakerism is embedded in structures of coloniality and neoliberalism. It then highlights emerging shifts—both pedagogical and institutional—that prioritize intelligibility over accent. Ultimately, this paper argues that NNESTs are not only overcoming entrenched bias but actively reshaping what it means to be a credible, effective language teacher in a global context. By asserting their legitimacy, NNESTs challenge outdated norms and help create a more inclusive, authentic, and learner-centered vision of English education.
Non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs), native-speakerism, accent bias, teacher credibility, World Englishes, inclusive pedagogy, multilingual competence
Translating medical terminology presents unique challenges due to its complexity, specificity, and reliance on Latin and Greek roots. This paper explores strategies such as morphological decomposition—breaking terms into prefixes, roots, and suffixes—to enhance comprehension and accuracy. An interdisciplinary approach integrating morphology, translation, and semantics is proposed to address linguistic and cultural barriers. The study also examines the role of foreignization in contexts where target-language equivalents lack precision. Findings emphasize the importance of structured methodologies for learners, educators, and translators in the medical field.
Medical translation, morphology, foreignization, interdisciplinary approach, terminology
Strategies Adopted by Libyan Students in the Production of English Onset clusters: An Acoustic Study
This acoustic study investigates how Libyan second-semester university students at the Department of English, University of Tripoli, produce English word-initial three-consonant clusters. The study seeks to explore vowel epenthesis as one of the strategies adopted by those students to facilitate the production of these consonant clusters which do not exist in their mother tongue. The study also aims to investigate the site where the epenthetic vowel is inserted and its acoustic characteristics, such as duration and quality. Twenty Libyan second-semester students were recorded while reading nine sentences with the clusters /spl/, /spr/, /spj/, /str/, /skj/, /skr/, /skl/, /skw/ and /stj/ in word-initial position. Results of the acoustic analysis showed significant variability in participants' performance, with vowel epenthesis as the most preferred strategy to simplify the production of problematic clusters. In addition, the findings revealed that Tripolitanian Libyan Arabic shows features of both VC and CV dialects. As for the duration and quality of the epenthetic vowel, the results showed that epenthetic vowels are shorter than neighbouring vowels, and their quality is that of the short high-front unrounded vowel [ɪ]. These results highlight the importance of recognising phonological differences between first and second language and they could improve our understanding of phonological adaptation in second languages and the role it plays in improving learners’ proficiency level and communication skills.
Simplification Strategies, Consonant Clusters, Epenthetic vowels, EFL Libyan learners
A Pragmatic Analysis of Refusal Strategies in Management Communication
This study examines the refusal strategies employed in superior-subordinate communication during departmental meetings. It aims to reveal these strategies' function, specifically exploring why individuals use particular refusal techniques in their interactions. Data is collected through observation of participants' turn-taking patterns in departmental meetings. The findings indicate that both heads of departments and department members utilized direct and indirect refusal strategies. Participants employed two direct refusal strategies, as defined in the Beebe et al. (1990, pp. 55-73) framework, and five indirect refusal strategies: explanation, statement of alternatives, attempts to dissuade, acceptance functioning as a refusal, and silence. The most frequently used direct strategy is the non-performative statement, while the most common indirect strategies are explanation and statements of alternatives. Social power dynamics are evident in the heads of departments' speech, as they seek to control dissenting opinions. Department members, however, exercise social power by forming coalitions to support specific viewpoints discussed in the meetings. Future research could investigate the politeness strategies used by superiors and subordinates in these meetings and their impact on influencing heads of departments.
Management, Refusal Strategies, Superior-Subordinate Communication, Academic Setting.
Exploring the Impact of Digital Tools on Linguistic Competence: A New Dimension in English Language Teaching Methodologies
We are currently in an era where technology is everywhere and essential. Additionally, technology has transformed how we teach English. Integrating modern technology represents a significant advancement in contemporary English language teaching and learning. Most current English language teachers are actively utilizing various technological tools to enhance teaching effectiveness. In terms of language education, digital media is becoming increasingly prominent in the classroom. Generally, teaching and learning language today appear to be more engaging due to the technological landscape. It fosters a sense of creativity and, above all, an innovative approach. The concept of 'e-learning' or 'Technology in Language Acquisition' has turned into a prominent term in all educational environments. Learners in the 21st century recognize the importance of technology in the language acquisitions. While traditional methods mostly rely on lecturing, today's learning systems emphasize interactivity. Recent technologies like blogs, the internet, interactive whiteboards, smartphones, Skype, Twitter, YouTube, and many others have not only enhanced learning but also boosted student engagement and genuine interactivity in the classroom. This paper intends to identify the various technological elements utilized in English teaching and learning that introduce innovative techniques and foster effective, high-quality education.
Technology, Advancement, Tools, Digital Media, 21st Century, Learning System, Innovative Techniques