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This Special Issue examines how social actors – individuals, communities, and institutions – engage in multilingual and multimodal communication in digital spaces, particularly in the post-pandemic era. The five articles included offer empirical evidence from diverse perspectives on how and why social actors strategically employ these resources for meaning making and communication. Key findings highlight multilingual youths and Black female activists engaging in digital multimodal composing to address sociocultural issues and advocate for social justice. The studies also discuss the role of cultural relevance, bias and surveillance in shaping communication outcomes. Furthermore, the concept of digital materiality highlights the agentive role of digital tools in constructing meaning and facilitating collaboration, while also exposing inequities in access and intercultural tensions in online environments. This collection underscores the transformative potential of multilingual and multimodal digital communication. It also highlights the challenges of ensuring inclusivity and equity, emphasising the importance of context-sensitive approaches to address inequalities and support marginalised communities. The special issue is concluded by a comment by Professor Helen Kelly-Holmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australia is a world leader in providing valuable resources that support multilingual access to healthcare services. However, the COVID‐19 pandemic revealed that these resources are not always effective in ensuring that linguistically diverse citizens have access to information in a crisis. In this paper, we consider whether authorities around the world have implemented effective approaches that might be adapted to enhance multilingual communications in public health crises in the Australian context. Using a systematic literature review, we identify strategies implemented by governments and public health authorities to effectively support communication in a range of languages during public health emergencies. Four databases were searched and resulting studies analysed. We found that substantial bodies of the literature document the communication needs of culturally and linguistically diverse communities and the role of community and religious organisations in providing that support. However, there is almost no attention to the role that governments or public health authorities might play in implementing strategies to address those needs. Analysis of the studies suggests that public health authorities could benefit from working more collaboratively with community organisations to establish communication strategies that are timely, trustworthy, efficient and capable of cultural and linguistic nuance in public health emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This conceptual article discusses how a digital storytelling (DS) project encouraged inner, interpersonal, and intergroup peacebuilding between members of one Midwestern community in the United States. The article reports on a DS project where (1) multilingual participants explored themes of multilingualism and migration as they produced DS in a week‐long workshop and (2) community members viewed and responded to these DS in a series of public showings. The DS process helped create opportunities for connections across linguistic and cultural differences and provided a multimodal platform for multilingual community members to share their stories of migration and belonging. The process of DS production facilitated inner peacebuilding as multilingual speakers reflected upon internal conflicts related to multilingualism, migration, and their sense of belonging. Further, workshop participants were empowered to express their multilingual experiences, and their DS revealed continued searching for inner and interpersonal peace. During public showings, community members viewed the DS and then responded to prompts about migration, multilingualism, and belonging. Their answers revealed emotional responses, eagerness to understand multilingual experiences, and the desire to create harmonious relationships among community members. The authors believe that sharing the stories of multilingual speakers and hearing their experiences in their own words is a powerful tool for peacebuilding—rooting out conflict and striving to create a happy, healthy, and prosperous community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports on data from two 6‐week virtual intercultural exchanges (VIEs) between teachers of multilingual learners in K‐12 schools in Türkiye and the United States. Using the data from these asynchronous VIEs, we focus on Turkish world Englishes speakers’ use of epistemic markers and evidentials. We examine how participants from Türkiye use markers of epistemic modality and evidentiality in intercultural encounters and how that use influences their construction of cultural information about Türkiye. Our findings show participants selectively code epistemic modality and evidentiality to indicate (their proximity to) the source of cultural information, avoid potential misunderstanding, and claim responsibility for the factuality of the information shared (or not). Our study contributes to understanding how world Englishes and Intercultural Communication intersect in multilingual contact zones that transcend borders―both real and imagined―between cultures, languages, and nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In multinational corporations, language training is gaining increasing importance against the backdrop of growing cultural and linguistic diversity of employees. The main objective of this study is to explore the role of informal communication at the multilingual workplace and in corporate language training. The paper mainly draws on interview data with employees from a leading German company of the technology sector. The findings of the analysis imply that informal communication and necessary socio-pragmatic competencies are marginalized in the examined language courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Internet age, the development of intelligent software has broken the limits of multilingual communication. Recognizing that the data collected on rumor propagation are inherently discrete, this study introduces a novel SIR discrete Internet rumor propagation model with the general nonlinear propagation function in a multilingual environment. Then, the propagation threshold R 0 is obtained by the next-generation matrix method. Besides, the criteria determining the spread or demise of rumors are obtained by the stability theory of difference equations. Furthermore, combined with optimal control theory, prevention and refutation mechanisms are proposed to curb rumors. Finally, the validity and applicability of the model are demonstrated by numerical simulations and a real bilingual rumor case study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals' exposure to morality elicits instantaneous intuitions and influences personal behavior without rational thought or reasoning. Despite our increasing knowledge about the ideology‐driven use of morality in bipartisan systems, we lack a good understanding, on the one hand, of political actors' use of moral appeals in multiparty settings and, on the other hand, of what incentives besides ideology lead political actors to strategically use morality. To fill this gap, we examine parties' use of moral appeals applying newly translated versions of the Moral Foundations Dictionary (MFD) into four languages (French, German, Italian, and Spanish) to party manifestos. Our analysis focuses on 31 elections in nine European multiparty systems over the last two decades. Our findings suggest that the use of morality is ideology‐driven for some moral foundations, whereas some other moral domains are being used by political actors according to an issue‐dependent logic. From a methodological perspective, this article proposes (i) a fully reproducible semi‐automatic translation procedure and (ii) an innovative time‐ and resource‐efficient dictionary validation methodology based on formally translated documents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food Is Heaven, written by Ge Liang (2022), has achieved phenomenal success since its publication. The innovative use of vernacular and classical Chinese, vivid narration of food, and multilingual interactions among characters have introduced readers to translanguaging aesthetics. Translanguaging, as a methodological and theoretical framework of language communication and human cognition (Li, 2011a, 2011b, 2018, 2022a), is regarded as a literary device in Food Is Heaven. The lens of translanguaging emphasizes multisensory, multimodal, multisemiotic, and multilingual communication, fostering creative and critical approaches to meaning-making by transcending the boundaries of semiotic and linguistic divides. Literary works, serving as imaginative reflections of daily practices, bridge the gap between reality and imagination, embracing creative and aesthetic narrations in their meaning-making. However, few studies have explored literary works in light of translanguaging. This article aims to explore how translanguaging is employed as a literary device through a case study of the phenomenal Chinese book Food Is Heaven, written by Ge Liang (2022). Through the lens of translanguaging, we examine the creativity and criticality of the writer’s innovative language philosophy, exploring how translanguaging is employed to break linguistic and semiotic boundaries, offering readers an embodied reading experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the linguistic landscape of Sanur, Bali, focusing on the functional discourses present in public signs and the inherent language contestation. Utilizing a qualitative descriptive research design, data were collected through observational and photographic documentation of 1,406 public signs. These signs were categorized into ten types of discourse: orientation, regulation, alerting, commemorative, commercial, educational, artistic, protest, identity, and political, following the framework proposed by Opiłowski and Makowska. The findings indicate that the public signs in Sanur reflect the socio-cultural, economic, and political dynamics of the area. Both top-down signs, created by official authorities, and bottom-up signs, created by private entities, were analyzed to understand their communicative purposes. The study reveals the multilingual strategies employed in these signs, with a predominant use of Indonesian and English to cater to both local residents and international tourists. The study also highlights the importance of visual symbols and their role in enhancing the effectiveness of public communication. The analysis underscores the complex interplay between language use, community identity, and tourism, providing valuable insights into the broader field of linguistic landscape studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Íkala: Revista de Lenguaje y Cultura is the property of Universidad de Antioquia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article focuses on how Ms. Bernice uses technology to integrate family stories into her preschool transportation unit. Topics include incorporating multilingual families' experiences through QR codes and videos, enhancing classroom content with personal narratives, and fostering a strengths-based approach by valuing family contributions to learning.

In the context of an increasingly dynamic and competitive job market, the cultivation of professional relationships between academia (professors and students) and different professional fields has emerged as an extremely important factor in addressing contemporary industry demands. Our study examines the critical role of fostering professional interactions in educational settings to align with the current market requirements, namely with some specialized fields (multilingual professional communication, general and specialized translation, and interpreting). Our paper aims to emphasize the role of professors in extending their roles beyond traditional pedagogy to include mentorship, guidance that integrates industry insights, tailored career advice, and practical applications. This research utilizes a “mock” service-learning project to demonstrate the positive outcomes of proactive professor-student engagements on career readiness and adaptability to market shifts. The most important findings of our project are reflected on the pedagogical approach that bridged the gap between academic theory and practical application by enhancing learning (academic concepts were applied to real-world scenarios), impacting the business community (significant and positive impact on addressing immediate needs and long-term collaborations between higher education institutions and business communities), contributing to personal growth, and preparing for future careers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ideal multilingual health information website is relatable to all readers. Natives and immigrants should have a culturally adapted website in their language hosted by their place of residence that imparts the facts and incites a call to action to improve health, and ultimately reduces disease in the diverse community. The writer's word choices and attitude as conveyed through the text influence the reader's decision-making process. This paper will examine the differences between the non-translated and translated English versions of multilingual health information websites on HIV and TB diagnostic testing. These samples pertain to a large interdisciplinary study whose purpose is to determine whether the multilingual health communication websites are appropriately written regarding health literacy, and whether each cultural population, in terms of language adaptation, would receive the health information as intended. The study questions whether there exist differences between the translated and non-translated texts in English, Spanish and Catalan; this paper focuses on the two English sub-corpora. A comparable corpus of seventy-three multilingual health information websites underwent a quantitative and a qualitative analysis. The methodology is based on adaptations of Clerehan et al.'s (2005) Evaluative Linguistic Framework to assess the writer-reader relationship. The findings show statistically significant differences between the two English subcorpora as regards the writers' and translators' approach; the non-translated English sub-corpus contained more relational and engagement markers, whereas the translated English sub-corpus had more persuasion markers. These results should serve researchers and professionals in the translation and language sciences as well as the public health field for, respectively, future studies and techniques to improve the composition of multilingual health information texts in culturally diverse countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machine Translation (MT) has emerged as a crucial tool in bridging language barriers. In health settings, MT is increasingly relevant due to the diversity of patient populations, the dominance of English in medical research, and the limited availability of human translation services. Improvements in MT accuracy have prompted a re-evaluation of its suitability in contexts where it was once deemed impractical. This scoping review with meta-analysis delved into the appropriateness and limitations of MT in health, including in medical education, literature translation, and patient-provider communication. A keyword search in PubMed, PubMed Central, and IEEE Xplore produced peer-reviewed literature that focused on MT in a health context, published from 2018 to 2023. Analysis and mapping of full-text articles revealed 33 studies among 2,589 returned abstracts, indicating that MT is still unsuitable for direct use in patient interactions, due to clinical risks linked to insufficient accuracy. However, MT was showing promise further away from patients, for translation of medical articles, terminology, and educational content. Further research in improving MT performance in these contexts, coverage of understudied languages, and study of the existing usages of MT are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cross-lingual image description, the task of generating image captions in a target language from images and descriptions in a source language, is addressed in this study through a novel approach that combines neural network models and semantic matching techniques. Experiments conducted on the Flickr8k and AraImg2k benchmark datasets, featuring images and descriptions in English and Arabic, showcase remarkable performance improvements over state-of-the-art methods. Our model, equipped with the Image & Cross-Language Semantic Matching module and the Target Language Domain Evaluation module, significantly enhances the semantic relevance of generated image descriptions. For English-to-Arabic and Arabic-to-English cross-language image descriptions, our approach achieves a CIDEr score for English and Arabic of 87.9% and 81.7%, respectively, emphasizing the substantial contributions of our methodology. Comparative analyses with previous works further affirm the superior performance of our approach, and visual results underscore that our model generates image captions that are both semantically accurate and stylistically consistent with the target language. In summary, this study advances the field of cross-lingual image description, offering an effective solution for generating image captions across languages, with the potential to impact multilingual communication and accessibility. Future research directions include expanding to more languages and incorporating diverse visual and textual data sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machine translation (MT) accounts for the largest, and increasingly growing, proportion of translated text produced today, yet the most influential theoretical frameworks developed in translation studies had preceded the contemporary MT era by decades. The question arises as to whether these theories are well-equipped to capture the makeup of today's corpus-based MT. The current article examines and compares the explanatory power of different theoretical frameworks with regard to MT processes and phenomena. The article discusses the incongruences between corpus-based MT algorithms and major paradigms of (human) translation such as natural equivalence, Skopos theory, and poststructuralist approaches. The article then argues that Descriptive Translation Studies (DTS), in its classic formulation introduced and advanced by Gideon Toury, is the theoretical approach that best corresponds to, and is the most useful framework for conceptualizing, the features of corpus-based MT – and, consequently, of an overwhelming proportion of the translation produced today for multilingual communication and understanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tourism communication, especially since the digital turn, has registered several attempts to open to new forms of multilingualism. For instance, the traditional multilingual experience offered by guided tours and audio guides has now been enhanced by social networking tools. Recent research points to the need of interdisciplinary work at the crossroads of linguistics, media sciences and museum studies to investigate communication strategies and linguistic devices by means of which an international audience of tourists can be addressed and get involved in museums in the digital age. The present paper illustrates the first findings of the project "Museo poliglotta", a project run by two universities in the Italian towns of Bergamo and Brescia in cooperation with local museums with the goal of producing digital multilingual contents for international museum visitors. The empirical part of the paper describes a workshop activity in which students developed Instagram reels in Italian, German and English on the figure of the well-known Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti. A number of observations lead to the conclusion that synergies between language research and foreign language teaching on the one hand and museum institutions on the other can bring about important benefits for all parties involved, in particular the possibility to offer professionalising training in the academic world and stimuli to innovate and improve multilingual communication in the museum sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an era where English is the global lingua franca, academic writing has transformed significantly. This manuscript explores academic writing in English as a lingua franca (ELF) contexts, tracing the journey of English from colonization to lingua franca status and contextualizing it within evolving paradigms of English and language teaching worldwide. We delve into ELF research, where English plays a multifaceted role as a resource for multilingual communication. Our examination encompasses ELF’s definitions, diverse users, and English as a multilingual franca. Our focus shifts to academic writing practices within ELF contexts, scrutinizing unique challenges and opportunities arising from linguistic diversity, cultural nuances, and communication strategies. Through a review of existing studies on academic writing in ELF contexts, we offer practical insights for educators, researchers, and students navigating this realm. This manuscript guides readers through the intricate world of academic writing in the globalized domain of English as a lingua franca. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rise of ELF in an increasingly multilingual society presents a great array of challenges as regards teachers’ stereotypical perspectives, generating the need to revisit teacher education both for English language teaching (ELT) and Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL). Multilingual classrooms require that teachers update their understanding of language in use, of the new status of English, of material development, of authenticity, and of the use of ICT and of mediation strategies. Adopting these aspects in teacher education can indeed bring about significant change in the language classroom, where the contributions of non-native teachers, as well as of their learners, may offer novel pedagogical insights. The study described in this article is partly based upon the ENRICH CPD course and two methodological courses for CLIL subject teachers using English in their classrooms, which aimed primarily at developing teachers’ awareness of the role of English in communication and their multilingual classrooms. The study investigated their responses to the approach adopted and to ELF through questionnaires, lesson plans and comments in discussions among the course participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Investigaciones Historicas is the property of Universidad de Valladolid, Facultad de Filosofia y Letras and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Synergies Italie is the property of GERFLINT (Groupe d'Etudes et de Recherches pour le Francais Langue Internationale) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Playmobil pro is an innovative modelling kit for adults that encourages creative thinking in the university/workplace. International multilingual students often disclose that they have little opportunity to develop their intercultural awareness, and cross-cultural and multilingual communicative competencies while engaging in meaningful activities that foster sustainable content and language learning. In the present study, 35 students were involved in two Playmobil pro workshops. They worked individually to present themselves to their peers, referring to their cultural background. They then worked in groups to explore intercultural differences among people working for organizations operating in the UK and another country of their choice and offer recommendations to help organizations avoid cross-cultural conflicts. The aim was to actively engage students to work on their final assignment and develop their intercultural awareness and cross-cultural communicative skills. This case study used a qualitative design and explored students' attitudes by asking them to write a short anonymous report at the end of the implementation and provide anonymous feedback via Mentimeter after each workshop. The lecturer also kept notes in the form of a diary during this implementation. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data which revealed that Playmobil pro facilitated intercultural communication in the post-COVID-19 era as students seemed to be unwilling to work with their peers in face-to-face classes, possibly suffering from trauma. However, learners confessed that they needed more time, support, and artefacts to fully present their ideas and thoughts. Recomm, endations for the effective implementation of Playmobil pro with multilingual students will be offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Tertium Linguistic Journal / Pólrocznik Jezykoznawczy Tertium is the property of Cracow Tertium Society for the Promotion of Language Studies and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In public-health crises, members of multilingual communities must be able to access, understand, trust and act upon behaviour-change messaging. The role of translators is therefore critical, not only for the relaying of information but also in the transcreation of texts, understood as adaptation to suit the characteristics of an intended audience. Failure to use transcreation may produce messaging that is culturally inappropriate and thus ineffective. This study analyses healthcare resources created by governments in Australia with a view to identifying formatting and other visual features that would benefit from transcreation. A mixed-method approach combined numerical evaluation of four documents using the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT) and a bottom-up thematic analysis of the way the same texts were discussed by 58 members of a broad range of ethnocultural and linguistic groups in Victoria, Australia. The findings point to a need to go beyond the linguistic aspects of the translation and take into account the discourse organisation, layout, images and cultural appropriateness of health messaging. The implications of applying the PEMAT criteria are not only that start texts will become more accessible and better able to facilitate understanding-based trust relations, but also that translators are well placed to participate in the transcreations that may be required in the various target languages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In evaluating the making of the language provisions of the Indian Constitution, this paper tries to argue that the idea of Constitutional parity of languages in the Indian polity of a secular nation was overlooked, in contrast to the Constitution's ethos of recognizing and respecting the diverse religions of the land. The Constitution has failed to consider languages as yet another cultural artefact, like religion. By proposing a mono-linguistic model of 'official language', the provisions actually gave way for a 'national' language in disguise, while also valuing and promoting Hindi's Sanskritic roots, thereby assuring Sanskrit a role and visibility in the future of the modern, new-born nation. Finally, the paper tries to propose that the lack of linguistic parity in the legal realm, in terms of state's recognition and patronage, impact the growth and expansion of languages negatively, by exploring the specific case of Bhojpuri language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aims to identify the various languages used in the Central University of Karnataka, which is the most dominant language, and explore the hierarchy of languages used in writings within the campus. By observing and analysing 150 images from various locations inside the campus, the research objectives were successfully achieved. The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the linguistic dynamics and language preferences within the multilingual educational environment of Central University, Karnataka. English is the primary language; Kannada is the secondary language and Hindi is the third language in usage on the campus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to examine the strategies for conveying regional culture-bound terms in monolingual and bilingual (or multilingual) texts and chooses a type of museum for which such terms are particularly important: the folk museum. After a brief overview of this type of museum in Italy and Germany (section 2), section 3 deals with culture-bound terms, their classification and the strategies for introducing them in texts. Section 4 presents the empirical analysis carried out on a corpus of texts from the websites of 10 Italian and 10 German or Austrian folk museums. The use of realia was examined first in the monolingual, then in the multilingual museum communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The book "Multimodal communication in young multilingual children: Learning beyond words" by Jieun Kiaer explores how multilingual children in Korean-English households acquire language development through communication. The book is divided into two parts and an epilogue, with the first part contextualizing the study and describing translanguaging as a multilingual competence. The second part outlines six thematic studies that investigate how translanguaging operates in dynamic intercultural contexts. The book offers insights into how multilingual children interact with families and friends using different languages and modes, and it highlights the relationship between translanguaging and embodied mechanisms. The book's ethnographic approach and longitudinal data collection contribute to the authenticity and reliability of the research. Overall, the book is a valuable resource for scholars and students working in the fields of multilingualism, sociolinguistics, discourse studies, and literacy studies. [Extracted from the article]

In a globalized society, effective communication across linguistic boundaries is essential. This paper explores the advantages and challenges of multilingualism, emphasizing its role in shaping societies and relationships. It contrasts the use of dominant natural languages with the development of artificial languages like Esperanto and Unish, highlighting their potential in promoting linguistic equality and neutrality. While acknowledging their limitations, these artificial languages offer promising avenues for more equitable and inclusive multilingual communication, contributing to the ongoing discourse on linguistic diversity and justice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper discusses providing (or not) information about coronavirus during the pandemics of COVID-19 in minority languages in Russia. It explores different minority languages, indigenous, and migrant, in the announcements and doctor-patient communications. The study is based on the observation of the linguistic landscape in 4 Russian cities (N=150) and on materials from semi-structured interviews. According to the data, Russian has been the preferred language for communicating official information about COVID-19. Doctor-patient communication in the multilingual regions was also predominantly in Russian, but there is a tendency to use another, minority native language in communication with mid-level medical staff and with all other actors in the rural area. The paper discusses creation of a more trusting relationship between a doctor and a patient by using the native language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multimodal communication via social media employed by governments as a COVID-19 communication strategy with multilingual populations hopes to alter behaviours and attitudes. However, there is presently no understanding about the responsiveness of these videos to the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) populations in Australia. This study aimed to analyse the cultural responsiveness of content in multilingual videos shared via a government social media page from NSW, Australia. A systematic search of videos shared between June 2021 and October 2021 was conducted. Using quantitative methods, 37 videos were analysed using a modified version of the Patient-oriented and culturally-adapted (POCA) healthcare translation model and readability indexes. Of these, 5/37 were classified as culturally responsive. The culturally responsive videos scored higher than those that were not culturally responsive. While credible sources, positive language and cultural symbols were observed in several of the videos, there was a lack of familiar experiences and economically viable vaccine uptake behaviours. Videos favoured generic examples of vaccine practices and failed to address concerns about vaccine eligibility, cost, and transport. All videos exceeded recommended readability indices for CaLD populations. Removing complex and abstract terminology and including familiar vaccine experiences could improve multilingual communication for CaLD communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is part of the MACSI project (Multilingual Accessible Communication in Swiss Institutions) and focuses on a case study carried out with the Federal Statistical Office (FSO). The broad aim of this collaboration with the FSO is to evaluate how multilingual accessible communication on statistics can be produced. While most of the research on accessible communication is text- and recipient-based, in this study we focused on text producers. Like writers, who are specialized experts in different domains, translators are also presented with the challenge of interlinguistic transfer when it comes to both plain and specialized texts. This paper presents the results from a questionnaire on accessibility submitted to writers and translators within the FSO. The responses show that writers either address several target groups with the same text or produce a variety of texts for different target groups. Moreover, both writers and translators have little knowledge or experience with plain and easy language, even though most of them are interested in writing more lay-friendly texts. There is therefore a need to train and raise awareness among writers and translators so that they are able to adapt content, level of technicality and language to different levels of expertise when producing a variety of multilingual, accessible texts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Semiotica is the property of De Gruyter and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Our research investigates multilingual practices and communication among ethnic minority communities in the southeast of Vietnam, where globalization and migration have led to dramatic changes in all aspects of socioeconomic life. A range of empirical data collected through interviews, questionnaires and direct observation of interviewees in their daily interactions helps to determine what languages or language varieties they are speaking and how they are speaking with them. Our aim is to present how rich linguistic superdiversity is in the region. The findings show that in everyday social interactions, speakers move dynamically and creatively between fragments from a number of languages to fulfil a variety of strategic and communicative functions in appropriate domains of use. The flexible use of named languages, including the national vernacular, Vietnamese, as well as ethnic minorities' languages and other language varieties, offers new insights into the complexity of language superdiversity and signifies a need to review post-multilingualism issues in Vietnam in the twenty-first century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of RumeliDE Journal of Language & Literature Research / RumeliDE Dil ve Edebiyat Araştırmaları Dergisi is the property of RumeliDE Uluslararasi Hakemli Dil & Edebiyat Arastirmalari Dergisi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Language & Law / Revista de Llengua i Dret is the property of Revista de Llengua i Dret and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Effective communication in multilingual environments requires bilinguals to constantly monitor linguistic cues. It is hypothesized that the constant need to monitor may result in improved attention. However, previous investigations have reported mixed, often null results, with positive findings attributed to non-linguistic variables. To address these issues, we investigated whether higher levels of bilingualism were associated with improved attentional function in a sample of culturally and socioeconomically homogenous Mandarin–English speaking bilingual adolescents. Participants completed the Attention Network Task to assess attentional network function. Data were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models in order to account for nontrivial differences. Mixed results provide partial support for domain general cognitive benefits associated with higher levels of bilingualism. Both improved and reduced performance differed based on the specific dimension of bilingualism and the attentional network assessed. Findings support the conclusion that separable dimensions of bilingual language experience assert different influences on attentional network function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multilingualism can both enrich and complicate interactions in health care. Several studies (Ferguson, 2002; Jacobs, 2017) point out that language differences between care providers and patients can lead to less access to and lower quality of care. More specifically, challenges regarding communication, mutual understanding and shared decision making are often present (Cox & Maryns, 2021; Schouten et al., 2017) in health care situations. A specific type of care where communication is both instrument and goal of therapy is Speech language therapy (SLT). This profession offers guidance for people who experience difficulties with communication. In the daily practice of speech language therapists (SLTs) clients are vulnerable in their communication in different ways (Blackstone, 2015). For example, in multiethnic cities in the Netherlands many people have limited language proficiency in Dutch and they can also have a communication disorder These converging communication vulnerabilities form a challenge for SLTs. Several studies within the field of SLT have been performed to improve the diagnosis and treatment of complex multilingual cases (Hyter & Salas-Provance, 2023), but little research has been done on the actual interaction during those multilingual encounters (Hand, 2006). Although SLTs are experts in communication, experiences from the work field indicate that these professionals often feel less competent when interacting with multilingual clients or their parents (Lagendijk, 2021). As these situations occur very often in SLT practice and are quite complex due to interfering communication vulnerabilities, they need to be critically explored. The current PhD study LIMINA (Logos In Multilingual InterAction) aims to gain insight into multilingual communication in Speech language therapy in order to enhance inclusive care. By carrying out various research methods (discourse analysis, in depth interviews, focus groups and design based research) different perspectives in the SLT setting are being explored. Data from the actual interaction will be compared and synthesized with the perspectives of clients and professionals in order to create a kaleidoscopic view. Moreover, the project intends to design a practical intervention in co-creation with representatives from the work field in order to enhance inclusive communication in SLT care. For the purpose of the first sub study, students of the Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences collected transcripts from conversations between SLTs and parents, representing their underaged children. Two datasets were composed for the current analysis: a) transcripts of intake sessions (n = 15) and b) transcripts of test results discussions (n = 18). Parents have diverse linguistic backgrounds and most of the conversations took place in Dutch, without an interpreter. By performing a critical discourse analysis (Ten Thije, 2001) multilingual interactions are currently being reconstructed in order to gain insight in patterns, structures and (un)successful actions. Preliminary results show that both SLTs and parents use several interactional strategies for inclusive multilingualism (Backus, 2013) during consults. Mostly supporting materials, such as reports, were used by the SLT to facilitate the verbal interaction; especially during the test result discussions. Also gesturing, writing and drawing were often used as strategies to facilitate the conversation. In five (out of fifteen) intake sessions no strategies were used during interaction. These parents were considered to be sufficiently fluent in the Dutch language by the researchers who analyzed the transcripts. In none of the test result discussions (n = 18) an interpreter was present to enhance understanding. First conclusions regarding inclusive multilingualism in SLT care reveal that although participants choose different ways to support their verbal message, this does not guarantee an adequate transfer of knowledge within the institutional setting of Speech language therapy. Specific conversational goals from both SLTs and parents were often not achieved during the intake sessions and test results discussions. This seems to correspond with the earlier reported experiences of SLTs (Lagendijk, 2021) and underlines the importance of the current study. The present poster gives a textual and graphical overview of the research design for the overarching PhD study LIMINA. The indicated colors represent the different sub studies and the image shows an authentic fragment of a resolved misunderstanding between a parent and a speech language therapist. Furthermore, the poster provides a table of preliminary results concerning the interactional strategies used by SLTs and parents during institutional encounters.