International Journal of Linguistics Studies
The International Journal of Linguistics Studies (ISSN: 2754-2599) is a double-blind peer-reviewed, open-access monthly journal published by Al-Kindi Center for Research and Development. It publishes high-quality articles across the breadth of linguistics, literature and translation research. With its uniquely broad coverage, all published articles are freely available online immediately to anyone, anywhere, with no subscription or access fees, allowing authors to share their research and maximise its impact.
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EFL Academic Writing Development Beyond the University Essay Genre: Functional Syntactic Complexity in Scholarly Research Writing
Effectively realizing meaning in the lexis and grammar of a foreign language is naturally challenging. The compounded challenges EFL learners experience in academic written communication result in a deficiency that has been studied extensively in the context of Morocco. Different aspects of this deficiency have been identified. Yet, we know little about whether the lack of writing genre proficiency contributes to this academic writing underdevelopment. The present study investigates functional syntactic complexity as a characteristic feature in complex meaning-making in the applied linguistics scholarly research writing genre. Towards this end, the deployment of syntactic complexity features in 120 Discussion sections in research articles written by Moroccan doctoral candidates was compared to the use of the same features in 120 Discussion sections in research articles authored by expert international researchers. Theoretically underpinned by the cognitive-functional outlook and guided by the corpus linguistics approach, this study was carried out using computational linguistics tools. The statistical analyses of the data indicate significant differences between the two groups regarding the use of syntactic complexity to realize rhetorical functions; namely, the degree of coordination, the degree of subordination, the degree of phrasal sophistication, nominal modification, apposition, prepositional phrases, and nominalization. These findings provide actionable insights with respect to functional grammar instruction and teaching grammar for and in the context of writing. Furthermore, the empirical evidence here signals the imperativeness of foregrounding the conceptualization of academic writing proficiency as genre-based, rather than the transfer of a uniform writing skill to different meaning-making situations. These insights thus afford deriving practical applications for academic writing development, scholarly research writing instruction, and syllabus and assessment framework design.
Syntactic complexity; academic writing development; research writing; genre-based pedagogy; systemic functional linguistics; cognitive linguistics; corpus linguistics
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A Cross-Cultural and Linguistic Study of Refusals: A Comparative Investigation of the Jordanian and Egyptian Pragmatic Competence
This paper is a conceptual comparative study of refusal strategies that are employed by Jordanian and Egyptian speakers, emphasizing how cultural and linguistic factors shape these strategies. Understanding the utilization of these strategies is vital for comprehending the responses of those receiving refusals. This study investigates the diverse refusal strategies applied by Jordanian and Egyptian student speakers to discover the cultural and linguistic influences on their choices. Data will be collected through interviews and memos employing Beebe et al.’s (1990) framework. The expected results are anticipated to elucidate the significant influence of linguistic and cultural factors on the articulated refusal strategies employed by the students. The study also aims to recognize the different types of refusal strategies commonly used by Jordanian and Egyptian student speakers. Eventually, this research will provide a basis for future investigations into the discursive markers utilized by Jordanian and Egyptian speakers in their interactions. Examining the implicit and explicit discursive markers of refusal will assist in getting an in-depth understanding of the linguistic and cultural impacts on Jordanian and Egyptian speeches.
Refusal strategies, Jordanian refusal, Egyptian refusal, Culture, Linguistics
Copyright (c) 2026 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Moroccan EFL Teachers' Perceptions towards the Portfolio Task Assignment as a Pedagogical Tool for Enhancing Critical Thinking Skills
The main aim of this study is to examine teachers’ perceptions of using the portfolio task assignment as an instructional tool to develop students’ critical thinking skills. It seeks to explore the factors shaping these attitudes, particularly teachers’ training and classroom experience with portfolio-based practices. In addition, the study evaluates the effectiveness of portfolio tasks in enhancing the critical-thinking abilities of Moroccan middle-school learners. By analysing students’ engagement with portfolio activities, it aims to determine the extent to which such tasks support their capacity to think critically, solve problems, and interpret information. This study is significant because it contributes to the growing body of knowledge on the use of portfolio-based assessment to foster critical thinking among early adolescent learners. Given that these students are at the initial stages of English language learning, the study also considers the added challenges they face in developing language proficiency and higher-order thinking skills simultaneously. Ultimately, the study seeks to deepen understanding of the pedagogical value of portfolio task assignments and their role in promoting critical thinking in middle school contexts, while also offering insights that may help improve teaching practices and educational outcomes in this area.
Portfolio-based assessment; critical thinking; teachers' perceptions; English language learning (EFL); Moroccan middle school learners; Higher-order thinking skills
Copyright (c) 2025 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Metaphorical and fixed Expressions in Students’ Translation: A Systematic Self-Review of Studies on Error Types, Strategies and Error Sources
This study sought to conduct a systematic review (SR) of the author’s research program on student translators’ difficulties in translating metaphorical and fixed expressions between English and Arabic. The corpus comprised 12 studies categorized into 3 thematic clusters: General and technical language metaphorical and fixed expressions, and human vs AI translation weaknesses. Across the 12 studies with expressions involving impossibility, kinship (ibn/bint & Om/Abu), numeral, time, dar/bayt, color, binomials, or word + preposition collocations, the students translated fewer than 35% correctly, left many items on the test blank, and relied heavily on literal translation. Expressions similar in English and Arabic were easy, whereas opaque and culture‑specific expressions were difficult to translate. In the study on common names of chemical compounds, the students translated fewer than 20% correctly and defaulted to transliteration or literal equivalents. AI outperforms students in accuracy, but also defaults to literal translation, especially when expressions require cultural grounding or conceptual alignment. The translation weaknesses observed across all studies reveal deeper linguistic, cognitive, and cultural factors. Student translators rely on surface level lexical processing rather than conceptual mapping, show limited awareness of how metaphors, metonyms, and set phrases operate in English and Arabic, and demonstrate low tolerance for ambiguity and weak inferencing skills when confronted with opaque expressions. Cultural literacy gaps further hinder performance, as many expressions require familiarity with religious, historical, scientific, or social references. Structural complexity (as in binomials & collocations) interacts with semantic opacity, compounding the difficulty and affecting both meaning and syntactic accuracy. Although AI is more accurate overall, it still struggles with conceptual alignment, often prioritizing direct lexical equivalence and producing culturally awkward or semantically distorted translations. Overall, the corpus indicates that translation difficulties stem not from isolated linguistic gaps but from a systemic lack of conceptual, cultural, and cognitive readiness to handle non literal meaning. The significance of this SR lies in providing the first unified, empirically grounded account of how Arabic English student translators, and AI systems, struggle with non literal meaning across multiple figurative domains, offering a foundation for redesigning translator training, curriculum development, and AI assisted pedagogy.
Systematic self-review, Al-Jarf research program, metaphorical expressions, fixed expressions, translation difficulties, student translators, semantic opacity, literal translation, AI vs human translation, English–Arabic translation
Augmented Reality in Computer-Assisted Language Learning: A Critical Review of Recent Literature (2020-2025)
Augmented Reality (AR) has gained increasing attention within Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) and Technology-Enhanced Language Learning (TELL) due to its potential to support immersive, contextualised, and interactive language learning experiences. Despite the growing body of research in this area, findings regarding the educational effectiveness of AR remain inconsistent, particularly in relation to sustained linguistic development and communicative competence. In response to this situation, the present study provides a structured critical review with an interpretative orientation of recent research on AR-assisted language learning published between 2020 and 2025. A corpus of 27 publications, including empirical studies, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and theoretical contributions, was critically examined in order to identify dominant implementation patterns, recurrent learning outcomes, and the pedagogical and contextual conditions shaping the educational role of AR in language learning environments. The analysis focused on recurring themes related to learner engagement, situated interaction, instructional mediation, cognitive processing, and communicative participation across different educational contexts. The findings indicate that AR frequently enhances learner motivation, participation, and experiential engagement through multimodal and context-sensitive interaction. However, the review also suggests that positive affective responses do not consistently translate into equivalent linguistic gains. Variability across studies appears closely associated with differences in instructional design, task organisation, cognitive load management, and the degree to which immersive interaction remains pedagogically structured. Building on these findings, the study proposes the Conditional Affordance Model of AR in Language Learning as a theoretical framework for interpreting how technological affordances, instructional mediation, situated participation, and cognitive processing interact to shape language learning outcomes. Rather than conceptualising AR as an inherently transformative educational technology, the model positions immersive learning as pedagogically conditional and context-dependent. The study contributes to current discussions surrounding immersive language learning by offering a theoretically grounded interpretation of AR-assisted language education while also identifying methodological and pedagogical challenges that continue to affect the implementation of immersive technologies within contemporary language classrooms.
Affordance Theory, Augmented Reality, Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL), Immersive Learning, Technology-Enhanced Language Learning (TELL)
A Comparative Syntactic Analysis of Passivization in English and French
This study conducts a comparative analysis of passivization in English and French, focusing on their structural features and formation rules. Key differences, such as agreement patterns and agent expression, are shown to significantly influence both syntactic theory and language pedagogy. The analysis demonstrates that features like participle agreement in French and agent omission in English have direct implications for language acquisition and instructional strategies. Comparative analysis is therefore essential for advancing both theoretical understanding and practical application. Drawing on empirical data and student perspectives, this research identifies patterns and distinctions not addressed in foundational studies, including Siewierska (1984) and Péry-Woodley (2008), and connects grammatical structures to specific educational outcomes. The findings indicate that awareness of cross-linguistic distinctions can enhance curriculum design and inform targeted interventions for linguists, educators, and curriculum developers.
Passivization passive voice, syntactic comparison, English, French, language learning, linguistic theory, cross-linguistic analysis
Speaking of Power: Personal Deixis in Prabowo’s Presidential Rhetoric
This study aims to investigate Prabowo's political perspective and perspective in building power relations through an analysis of the use of deixis persona. The focus of this research includes the types of personal deixis, power relations built using persona deixis, and the construction of Prabowo's political identity. The method used is qualitative research with data sources in the form of Prabowo's communication in interactions with the public and state officials taken from YouTube videos. The data collection technique is carried out through three stages, namely the transcription of all Prabowo's speeches in various forms of communication, the recording of all deixis personas that appear in various contexts, and the classification of data based on their type. The data was analyzed using a pragmatic matching method. The results of the study show that deixis in Prabowo's speech is not just a linguistic tool, but a rhetorical device that is full of ideological meaning. Prabowo seeks to balance personal authority with collective inclusivity, create warm quasi-relations, and affirm his political image as a national leader who is firm, inclusive, close to the people, and has a national vision.
Copyright (c) 2026 International Journal of Linguistics Studies
Tracing the grammar–discourse interface in Spanish (2000–2025): A bibliometric analysis of epistemological shifts
This study provides a bibliometric analysis of the grammar–discourse interface in Spanish-language academic production between 2000 and 2025. It aims to identify how theoretical frameworks, methodological practices, and research trends have evolved in the field over time. The analysis is based on a corpus drawn from Google Scholar and CORE, combining automated topic modelling with qualitative analysis of research domains. The findings reveal a clear shift from predominantly theoretical approaches toward empirically grounded, interdisciplinary, and computationally oriented paradigms. Functionalist frameworks—especially Systemic Functional Linguistics and Functional Discourse Grammar—emerge as central in articulating the relationship between grammatical structure and communicative context. At the same time, the field has expanded toward new domains, including academic literacy, political discourse, and social media, where grammar is increasingly examined as embedded in multimodal and ideological practices. Taken together, the results position the grammar–discourse interface as a productive domain for understanding how linguistic structure and social meaning interact in contemporary discourse.
The structure of ʔillaa as a response particle in Najdi Arabic: a lexical account
This paper examines a specialized use of the particle ʔillaa in Najdi Arabic (NA), where it functions as a clause‑initial response particle whose use is restricted only to negative contexts. By comparing it with its counterpart particle balaa in Classical Arabic, the paper identifies the structural patterns in which ʔillaa occurs and shows that its primary linguistic role is to deny or negate a negative assumption. In addition to describing and classifying the constructions of ʔillaa, the paper attempts to offer a theoretical lexical account of ʔillaa using the framework of Head‑driven Phrase Structure Grammar (HPSG). It argues that ʔillaa in NA has shifted via the process of grammaticalization from an exceptional marker to this specific use. It also proposes that ʔillaa here can be analyzed as a clausal particle that can occur alone as a complete independent clause (i.e., it does not have any categorial or semantic selectional properties).
Najdi Arabic, ʔillaa, response particle, HPSG, lexical analysis.
A Comparative Analysis of Question Formation in English and Bukavu Swahili
This paper presents a comparative syntactic analysis of question formation in English and Bukavu Swahili within the framework of Theoretical Generative Grammar. Focusing on yes-or-no questions and wh-questions, the study examines how interrogative structures are derived in both languages through phrase structure rules, movement operations, and morphological strategies. English is shown to rely on obligatory syntactic movement, notably subject–auxiliary inversion and wh-movement to the specifier of CP, to encode interrogativity. In contrast, Bukavu Swahili, a regional variety of Swahili spoken in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, employs a more flexible system in which interrogative meaning is frequently expressed through verbal morphology, question particles, and intonation, with wh-movement remaining optional. Adopting a qualitative-descriptive methodology based on library research, elicited sentences, and natural speech data, the study highlights key typological differences between the two languages and evaluates their implications for Universal Grammar and parameterization of movement. The findings further demonstrate how structural differences in question formation may lead to negative transfer among native speakers of Bukavu Swahili learning English as a foreign language. The paper therefore underscores the importance of contrastive and form-focused instruction in English language teaching in the Bukavu context and contributes to broader discussions in comparative syntax and applied linguistics.
Linguistic Framing and Media Discourse in the Sudanese Conflict: The Strategic Function of Lexical Choice
This study analyzes the systematic weaponization of language in Sudan’s ongoing armed conflict between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which began in April 2023. We employed qualitative discourse analysis based on critical discourse analysis and sociolinguistic theory to analyse 1,842 social media postings, 387 transcripts from state media, 92 official documents, and 37 ethnographic interviews collected in the span of April 2023 to June 2025. The analysis classified 87 unique phrases into eight different functional categories: incitement of war; sarcasm; hatred; racism/ethnic incitement; mobilization; delegitimization; dehumanization; and symbolic and/or military language. The findings show that lexical choices are manifestations of performative violence, constantly producing realities of conflict through nominalized and othering and legitimizing language. The RSF supporters demonstrated more linguistic creativity when challenging the institutional legitimacy of the SAF in their postings and comments, though both sides engaged in dehumanizing language as had occurred prior to historically documented instances of ethnic violence in other countries. Social media platforms supported the hastening of semantic invention while more widely producing ideological echo chambers of extreme discourse. Linguistic warfare builds upon historical centre-periphery divides and hierarchies of Arabic language established during the colonial period, and there were notable correlations between patterns of hate language and humanitarian outcomes impacting millions of people. The findings support the theories of performative violence and necro politics and have important implications for peace journalism intervention, content moderation practices, and post-conflict reconciliation.
lexical choice, media discourse, Sudanese conflict, word power
A Corpus-Based Morphosyntactic Analysis of Grammarly-Corrected Philippine English Tweets
The growing use of artificial intelligence–driven writing tools has reshaped English language production, particularly in informal digital spaces. While tools such as Grammarly are widely used to improve grammatical accuracy, their compatibility with nativized varieties of English, such as Philippine English (PhilE), remains underexplored. This study investigates how Grammarly processes the morphosyntactic features of PhilE tweets and examines the patterns that emerge across the corpus. Using a descriptive, corpus-based mixed-methods design, 160 publicly available tweets from eight Mindanao cities were drawn from the Twitter Corpus of Philippine Englishes (TCOPE) and analyzed through frequency counts and qualitative textual analysis grounded in Error Analysis and World Englishes frameworks. Findings reveal that users’ tweets often feature syntactic reduction, verb-phrase deviations, prepositional and idiomatic variations, and noun-phrase modifications, reflecting systematic, rule-governed patterns in digital discourse. Grammarly most frequently applies preposition and infinitive particle insertion, article insertion and possessive correction, preposition deletion and verb transitivity adjustment, article insertion for countable nouns, and standardization of spelling, orthography, and word segmentation. Many of these flags, however, were false positives, reflecting hyper-standardization rather than genuine errors. Overall, Grammarly frequently overcorrects nativized features of Philippine English, emphasizing Inner-Circle norms. The study underscores the need for users to critically engage with automated feedback and for developers to design tools sensitive to the systematic, rule-governed features of localized English varieties. Filipino users should consider Grammarly’s advice as guidance, not set-in-stone rules, when writing for local or digital audiences. Revision decisions should be guided by context, communicative purpose, and linguistic identity.
Beyond Hashtags: A Morphosyntactic Inquiry into English Neologisms Across Social Media Platforms
This study examines the morphosyntactic patterns, communicative functions, and identity-related roles of English neologisms used by Generation Z across TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and Facebook. Employing a qualitative-descriptive research design, the study analyzed a manually collected corpus of 150 publicly accessible social media posts produced by apparent Gen Z users over a three-month period. Qualitative linguistic analysis was conducted using Aronoff's Word-Formation Theory, Jakobson’s Communicative Functions of Language, and the Social Identity Model of Deindividuation Effects (SIDE) to code neologisms by formation process, grammatical and semantic shifts, communicative functions, and identity signaling. Findings reveal that systematic morphosyntactic processes, including clipping, Taglish mixing, affixation of non-Filipino bases, acronymy, and orthographic stylization, shape Gen Z neologisms. The results further show that neologisms frequently undergo semantic and grammatical category shifts to fulfill referential, phatic, emotive, and conative functions in digital interaction. Additionally, the study demonstrates that neologisms serve as powerful resources for constructing generational identity, in-group solidarity, and platform-specific self-presentation. The study concludes that Gen Z neologisms are not random or fleeting slang but socially meaningful linguistic innovations shaped by platform affordances and digital culture. It is recommended that future research adopt longitudinal and quantitative approaches to track neologism diffusion and conventionalization. This study is relevant to linguistics, digital discourse studies, and sociolinguistics by documenting real-time language change across platforms. Pedagogically, this study is significant to English language teaching by encouraging the integration of contemporary digital language into instruction.
The Phonemic Status of Affricates in Qassimi Arabic
This study investigates the phonological status of alveolar affricates in Qassimi Arabic (QA), a variety of Najdi Arabic spoken in central Saudi Arabia. Descriptions of Najdi Arabic typically treat the alveolar affricates [t͡s] and [d͡z] as predictable allophones of the velar stops /k/ and /ɡ/, derived through an affrication process conditioned primarily by front vowels. However, earlier accounts also acknowledge numerous exceptions involving vowel adjacency, consonant clusters, gemination, and lexical origin, raising questions about the productivity and coherence of this proposed rule. Drawing on a dataset of 282 distinct word types collected through wordlist elicitation, natural narration, and silent-film narration from eight native QA speakers, this study re-evaluates the distribution of velar stops and alveolar affricates across a wide range of phonological environments. The analysis examines adjacency to front and non-high vowels, consonant cluster contexts, gemination, and syllable structure, and applies commutation tests to assess phonemic contrast. The results show that alveolar affricates and velar stops occur in overlapping and contrastive environments, including identical phonological contexts where no conditioning rule can predict affrication. Minimal and near-minimal pairs demonstrate direct contrast between /k/ and /t͡s/, as well as between /ɡ/ and /d͡z/, providing clear evidence against an allophonic analysis. Furthermore, affricates are attested in geminate environments and across different syllable structures, indicating that neither gemination nor syllable structure systematically blocks affrication in QA. These findings support analyzing [t͡s] and [d͡z] as independent phonemes in the consonantal inventory of Qassimi Arabic. More broadly, the study underscores the importance of dialect-specific evidence in Arabic phonology and cautions against assuming Classical or Old Arabic segmental inventories as default underlying representations for modern varieties.
Qassimi Arabic; affrication; phonemic contrast; Najdi Arabic; Affricates
Copyright (c) 2025 International Journal of Linguistics Studies
Constructing Textual Coherence through Pronominal Systems: A Contrastive Study of Albanian, German, and English
This article develops a contrastive analysis of how Albanian, German, and English construct textual coherence through their pronominal and morphosyntactic systems. The study places Arbër Çeliku’s (2009, pp. 19–24) distinction between Coherence A (explicit coherence) and Coherence B (implicit coherence) at the center of its theoretical framework, demonstrating that the three languages differ fundamentally in how they encode referentiality, continuity, and discourse progression. Albanian, as a pro-drop language with a highly developed clitic system, realizes coherence largely through implicit and inferential mechanisms, whereas German and English rely primarily on overt pronominal expressions and expletive subject pronouns. Through a tri-lingual mini-corpus (6000 words) and synthetic media-inspired examples based on contemporary Albanian news discourse (2023–2025), the study shows that Albanian systematically omits subjects, encodes referents through morphology and clitics, and avoids expletive subjects in existential and impersonal constructions. German and English, conversely, maintain explicit subject positions and rely heavily on overt pronouns for coherence. These findings argue for a coherence typology in which Albanian exemplifies a prototypical Coherence B system, and German and English codify Coherence A. The article concludes that a modern theory of coherence must account for languages in which implicit mechanisms, not surface markers, carry the essential burden of textual cohesion.
Albanian, German, English, coherence, pronominal systems, Coherence A/B, clitics, pro-drop
Annotated Bibliography: Language Attitudes in The Sociolinguistics Setting
Language attitudes are a central topic in sociolinguistics since they reveal how people feel, think, and behave toward different languages, dialects, or speech varieties. These attitudes can influence language use, policy, identity, and even social hierarchy in a sociolinguistic setting. Language attitudes refer to the beliefs, feelings, and predispositions people have about a language or its speakers, and they can be positive, negative, or neutral, which often shape social interactions, educational outcomes, and linguistic change. By analyzing scholars' perspectives on the analysis of human behavior in sociological settings, this paper will identify significant reasons why two generations from the same background behave differently and examine the influence of sociopolitical issues.
Language attitudes, social interaction, vitality, language policies
Copyright (c) 2025 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Libyan University Students’ Views on the Value of Lecture-Based Method
Lectures, as a medium of teaching, are still considered an integral part of higher education in Libyan universities. However, the role of lectures has been recently questioned, particularly after the sudden spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. To address this issue, this study aims to establish whether Libyan university students still value the lecture teaching mode as part of their university education. It also examines the factors that encourage students to still attending lectures. Thereby, an online questionnaire consisting of 19 items was circulated to undergraduate and postgraduate students studying in the Department of English at the Faculty of Arts and Languages, University of Tripoli. The study’s findings revealed that students still favor lectures as a method of teaching. Accordingly, 49 respondents considered lectures, as a mode of teaching and learning, essential with various educational, practical, and social benefits. These include elements such as an in-depth understanding of the subject course and direct interaction with peer students and lecturers. Ultimately, the study suggests that, although lectures continue to be valuable in Libyan universities, other innovative teaching techniques and methods can also be used to improve their effectiveness.
Lectures, views, higher education, teaching methods
Copyright (c) 2025 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
A Study of Emotional Resonance in Workplace-Based Mocking Humor in Stand-up Comedy
This study examines how mocking humor elicits emotional resonance among audiences in Chinese workplace-themed stand-up comedy. Through meticulous analysis of 21 carefully selected performances from the renowned stand-up competition King of Comedy, the research uncovers two fundamental strategies—self-deprecation and satire—each skillfully executed through three distinct sub-techniques: direct statement, imagination, and comparison. Employing discourse analysis methods, the study demonstrates how comedians artfully transform ubiquitous workplace pressures, such as working overtime and excessive competition, into universally relatable daily narratives. The research further elucidates that self-deprecation effectively bridges social gaps by revealing personal vulnerabilities and imperfections, while satire serves as a powerful tool to externalize blame and validate collective criticism of workplace injustices. These strategies collaboratively evoke audience empathy toward common workplace dilemmas. The study significantly expands the scope of humor research beyond traditional Western perspectives. Moreover, it provides practical, actionable techniques for comedians to enhance audience engagement and emotional connection, offering valuable insights for both academic researchers and comedy practitioners alike.
Stand-up comedy; Workplace; Mocking humor; Emotional resonance; Discourse analysis
Copyright (c) 2025 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
From Markers to Dynamic Augmentation: Modalities and Outcomes of AR in Language Teaching
This review synthesises post-2020 empirical research on augmented reality (AR) in foreign and second-language education to identify prevailing trends, modalities, pedagogical outcomes, and barriers to classroom integration. Following PRISMA-guided selection, 25 peer-reviewed experimental studies with a minimum of 50 participants each were analysed from ERIC and Web of Science. Results indicate that AR is primarily implemented as marker/vision-based experiences but also appears in NFC, location-based, and emerging dynamic-augmentation formats. Across educational stages, AR consistently enhances student motivation, engagement, and positive attitudes toward language learning; evidence for reliable short-term gains in specific linguistic outcomes is mixed, though several studies report improved vocabulary retention and promising applications in phonetics and discipline-specific contexts. Key research foci include general learning effects, vocabulary acquisition, teacher and student perceptions, pedagogical proposals, and methodological innovation such as AR-supported storytelling and CLIL-integrated gamification. Major obstacles to effective adoption are limited teacher digital competence, device and connectivity constraints, potential mobile-device distractions, and heterogeneity in study designs and intervention duration. The review concludes that AR holds pedagogical promise as a multimodal, situated learning tool but requires targeted teacher training, institution-level resourcing, and more rigorous, longitudinal research comparing AR modalities and isolating pedagogical variables. Recommendations include expanding studies on location-based and dynamic augmentation, exploring AR for specific competences (e.g., pronunciation, ESP), and prioritising scalable teacher-development pathways.
Augmented Reality; Language Education; Educational Technology; Multimodal Learning; Teacher Digital Competence
Representing Islam: The Portrayal of Religion and Gender Through Fiction in Travel Literature
This study investigates Western orientalist viewpoints in the promotion of non-Western tourism destinations. The research focuses on narratives produced by Western advertisers which incorporate themes of religion and superstition. The study aims first to identify orientalist ideologies embedded within promotional discourse. Additionally, it examines the power dynamics exerted by advertising entities over both the Western tourist and the local Moroccan population.
Orientalism, discourse, tourism advertising
The Role of Machine Translation in Language Learning and Teaching
Online machine translation tools have the potential to revolutionize the teaching of foreign languages. The efficiency and accuracy of translation are approaching human capabilities. Apart from translating letters and sentences, there are also machines that can translate speech, and they come in different varieties. Speed, multilingual compatibility, and mobility are some of this technology's benefits, but it also has drawbacks and affects users. Despite its numerous accuracy issues, machine translation is currently unable to fully replace humans. It is easy to apply machine translation once we are aware of its benefits and drawbacks. After all, users can comprehend and use the words correctly without the need for machine translation if they increase their language proficiency. This study was based on the most recent journals. The process of converting written content from one language to another is termed translation. Oral translation likely originated when humans first sought to communicate, while written translation can be traced to the earliest documented texts. Although various factors contributed, the 18th century, coinciding with the Industrial Revolution, represents a significant advancement in the field of translation.
Machine Translation, MT Translation, Teaching and Learning
A Cross-cultural Study of Humor Intensity in Chinese and English Family Jokes: A Large Language Model-Based Approach
Humor is frequently conveyed through jokes, with family jokes serving as a particularly insightful medium that reflects both humor-creation techniques and culturally embedded perspectives on familial relationships. This study develops a computational model based on Large Language Models (LLMs) to quantify humor intensity in Chinese and English family jokes, focusing on three key indicators: ambiguity, sentiment, and incongruity. Our analysis reveals a 3:1:1 weighting among these factors, underscoring ambiguity as the most influential determinant of humor intensity. The sentiment score of Chinese family jokes showcases a more pronounced polarity. Chinese and English family jokes share similar incongruity structures, but the Chinese family jokes tend to combine both semantic contrasts and plot reversals. English family jokes often have higher ambiguity scores than Chinese family jokes, which typically demonstrate this effect depending on multiple factors such as plot and cultural background. This study elucidates cross-cultural variations in humor design preferences and cultural conceptions of family through a comparative analysis.
Large Language Model; Natural Language Processing; Humor Computation; Family Joke
Linguistics Properties of Adjectives in Iraqw
The main focus of this study was to investigate linguistic items representing adjectives in Iraqw, a southern Cushitic language spoken in Manyara region and in some parts of the Arusha region. The study was conducted in Babati district council, specifically in Daredakati and Gajal villages. Sentence questionnaires were used as the main method of data collection, complemented by extraction from written materials and elicitation methods that included Iraqw narrations and songs. This study was qualitative, guided by the prototype theory proposed by Elianor Rosch in (1970s) and involved five respondents who are native speakers of Iraqw and competent in Kiswahili. Adjectives are classified based on their prototypicality. This study employed three criteria for word categorization: semantic, morphological, and syntactic. The researchers found only 44 prototype adjectives, 10 derived from adjectives and nouns, 11 flexible adjectives, 10 cardinal numbers, four quantifiers, and two represented by nouns, and concluded that Iraqw adjectives form an independent word category.
A Quantitative Study on Academic Texts from an Interdisciplinary Perspective
Measurement studies on the syntactic complexity of academic texts have been widely conducted. Using a quantitative linguistic approach, this study explores the syntactic features of academic texts from an interdisciplinary perspective by analyzing the dependency distance (DD), mean dependency distance (MDD) and dependency types of academic texts from different disciplines in a self-constructed corpus. The corpus includes 400 abstracts of parallel comparable academic texts from eight disciplines authored by native and L2 writers. Research findings indicate that: 1) Both native (L1) and second language (L2) authors’ academic texts exhibit a highly consistent distribution of dependency distances, following a long-tail distribution, , which suggests constraints imposed by human working memory. 2) Across all disciplines, abstracts written by L2 authors have significantly longer Mean Dependency Distance (MDD) compared to those written by L1 authors, indicating the significant impact of native language background on the syntactic complexity of academic texts. 3) Within the same language background, there are significant differences in dependency types across different academic disciplines, reflecting specific emphases in how authors express their research findings across disciplines. These findings further reveal the correlation between MDD and disciplinary contexts.
The Impact of Linguistic Perspectives through Literature and Translation Studies: A Review Study
This study examines the interplay between linguistic theories and their application in literary and translation studies. Employing a qualitative methodology, the research analyzes existing studies through coding and thematic analysis, classifying them based on the degree of integration observed among linguistics, literary, and translation. The results indicate a more pronounced influence of linguistic frameworks within translation studies than literary studies. This disparity can be attributed to the intrinsic link between translation and linguistic principles, necessitating translators' engagement with grammar, syntax, semantics, context, and morphology. This suggests that the practical application of linguistic theories is more readily apparent in translation, where linguistic structures are actively manipulated and adapted. Further research is warranted to explore the potential impact of linguistic perspectives on diverse fields beyond literature and translation, such as management and medicine. This could involve investigating how linguistic analysis can inform communication strategies, cross-cultural understanding, and the interpretation of complex texts within these domains. Such interdisciplinary investigations could reveal valuable insights into the pervasive influence of language across various fields of study.
Examining Determinants of Academic Writing Skills Among Female Students in India
Writing is one of the most essential parts of a learner's academic and professional journey. The clarity with writing skills can help a student to express themselves with ease. However, in the course of enhancing the flowability of English writing skills, there are several obstacles observed among students where the language is second in line after its native language. There is several literature found where the issue of recurring errors among students when developing writing skills has been pointed out. The study here has observed the lack of literature focusing on female students in India whose English writing skills consist of errors. In India, although English is highly spoken and written, its fluency in terms of academic requirements is subjected only to a few institutions. The late development of writing skills can lead to several difficulties that would cause an impact throughout a learner's life. Further, in India, the female students, especially in rural areas, are often subjected to traditional norms that could affect their writing skills. To understand the perception of English writing skills among Indian female students and the factors that impact on their intention to learn, the study here has been conducted. With a structured questionnaire designed using secondary sources of literature, a total of 25 items measuring different aspects of writing skills have been provided to the students. Using purposive sampling, a total of 250 respondents are collected and analyzed using different statistical tools. The confidence level among the female students in their writing skills is found to be very low. The chi-square tests show significant association with demographics such as age group, area of residence, and marital status. It is interesting to note that the majority are not willing to add extra courses to evolve their current English writing skills. Going further into the understanding of the major factors contributing to this status, the PCA extracted six underlying factors, representing grammatical errors, peer influence, native impact, technical challenges, unwillingness, and intention. In the multiple linear regression conducted to estimate the impact of the five factors on intention to learn in a statistically significant model, an overall variance of 23.2% is reported. The most significant contributor being peer influence causing a positive impact. Native impact, technical challenges, and unwillingness have a negative impact, while grammatical errors interestingly have a positive impact. From this set of results, a number of implications for the future have been established.
Writing; Grammatical Errors; Skills; English; Peer; Students; India
Translanguaging on Social Media by Educated Arabs
Translanguaging is the ability to move smoothly between the languages that a person knows. A sample of Facebook posts written by a sample of educated Arabs was collected. All the participants are native speakers of Arabic and have a good command of English or French as English/French was the medium of instruction in their major area of specialization such as medicine, computer, and engineering. The study aims to find out whether educated Arabs are capable of communicating equally well in both English/French (L2) and Arabic (L1) especially that Arabic is diaglossic having a standard form used in school textbooks, print material and formal situations and a colloquial form used in daily communication with family and friends. Data analysis showed that most educated Arabs are incapable of translanguaging. They communicate better and are more proficient in English/French than Arabic. Their weaknesses are manifested in their use of slang and Colloquial Arabic rather than Standard Arabic. Many completely ignore Standard Arabic spelling and grammar rules. They spell words the way they pronounce them in their local dialect. Many make agreement, definite article attachment, plural formation, and derivation errors. They code mix, i.e., transliterate English/French words and insert them in Arabic posts (cases الكيسز, schemes اسكيمز, share شير). They do not seem to know the Arabic equivalents of simple general and specialized English/French words (center سنتر, neuro نيورو, maps المابس). They even substitute simple Arabic words with English ones (shoes, fans, café, like, comment). It seems that educated Arabs are unable to think in L1 and L2 simultaneously. Their knowledge of English/French surpasses that of Arabic. They transfer the foreign pronunciation and structures to Arabic. Recommendations for reinforcing the native language and enhancing translanguaging skills are given.
Translanguaging, bilingualism, educated Arabs, social media language, Facebook, national language, foreign language, code-switching
Grammaticalization of Modal Verbs in Bisha Colloquial Arabic
This study investigates modality in Bisha Colloquial Arabic (BCA), examining how various modal forms interact with different tenses, including future, present progressive, past progressive, and present perfect. Data were collected from undergraduate and postgraduate students, social media content, and analyzed to identify modal verbs, particles, and grammaticalized forms conveying meanings of ability, necessity, possibility, and obligation. The findings highlight the grammaticalization of motion verbs, active and passive participles, and nominal forms as markers of tense and aspect, showcasing BCA’s unique approach to modality. Notable findings include the use of amda (امدى) and mada (مدى) for present perfect tense and the transformation of sensory and postural verbs into markers of futurity and present progressive tense. Additionally, modal forms like yigdar (يقدر) and lāzim (لازم) exhibit versatility across multiple tenses, underscoring the flexibility and richness of the BCA modality system. Importantly, the study confirms that the emergence of grammaticalized forms does not eliminate the usage of their original lexical variants, allowing these forms to coexist and further enrich BCA’s expressive range. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of modality in Arabic dialects and offers insights into the syntactic and semantic evolution within BCA.
Bisha Colloquial Arabic, Modal verbs, Auxiliaries , Active participles, Aspect markers, grammaticalization
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E-Learning: Challenges of Utilizing Weblog in EFL learning Environment
E-learning can enhance learners’ collaboration and interaction synchronously or asynchronously via utilizing Web 2.0 platforms. Yet blog utility in EFL contexts could have serious challenges. So, this study explored the most serious challenges perceived by Yemeni EFL Level-II students, English Department, Faculty of Arts, Ibb University, in 2023-2024 after a semester-long blogging. A quasi-experimental research design was used with an experimental group of 5 males and 10 females who utilized blog for posting their writing assignments and a controlling group of 3 males & 12 females who did so traditionally. A Survey Students Open-ended Questionnaire and Students Semi-Structured Interviews were used for collecting the data. The posttest findings revealed that experimental group performed better than the controlling group confirming that blog substantially developed students’ writing skills. Also, the interview findings showed highly-perceived learning situation, blogging situation, and students challenges. The findings can avoid Yemeni EFL teachers contingent jump-start blogging pitfalls. Further
E-learning, writing skills, digital platform, blog challenges, EFL students
Critical Reflection of Adolescents on Self-Expression Through Multimodal Texts on Social Media
This research is motivated by the low ability of students to represent themselves to the phenomena that occur during learning. This low ability is allegedly due to the lack of student confidence. This research aims to discover how adolescents' critical reflection in representing themselves in adolescent life is influenced by various multimodal texts uploaded on social media platforms. This study investigates how adolescents develop critical self-representation reflection through multimodal texts widely shared on social media. This study uses a qualitative descriptive approach. Data was collected through in-depth participant observation of a group of adolescents who actively use social media. Data analysis in the form of self-representation content uploaded on various mass media platforms. The study results showed that students were more free and confident in conveying critical reflection on the phenomena around them in self-representation in the form of multimodal texts through social media.
Copyright (c) 2024 International Journal of Linguistics Studies