Search

Aims and objectives: What exactly happens to a mixed language's system in a multilingual contact setting? This study aims to investigate the interactions between speakers' exposure to, frequency of, and proficiency in four languages (English, Tagalog, Hokkien, and Mandarin) and their influences on the why -fronting only wh -question system of Lánnang-uè, a mixed language used by the metropolitan Manila Lannangs. It also aims to test the validity of the assertion that symbiotic mixed languages are more likely to be in flux. Methodology: The Lánnang-uè speakers participated in production and acceptability experiments. Data analysis: Likelihood to front (production) and responses to a 7-point Likert-type scale (acceptability) were the dependent variables for several Bayesian linear mixed-effects models with age, frequency of language use, and language proficiency as primary fixed effects, sociolinguistic factors (e.g., attitudes, identity) as covariates, and participant (and when appropriate, item) as a random effect. Findings: Both production and acceptability results showed that the effects of contact are numerous and far from homogeneous. They vary depending on the source language, wh- phrase type, and degree of consciousness. They corroborate the widely held belief that mixed languages are less stable in symbiotic contexts. However, this paper goes an extra step to show that this "instability" or variability is not always a consequence of contact-induced transfer. It demonstrates that when the source languages influence the stability or development of the mixed language, the effects can be diverse, encompassing aspects such as identity processes, language attitudes, structural transfer, and/or other sociolinguistic innovations. Originality: This article is one of the first studies to examine the effects of contact between multiple languages on a mixed language variable using both production and acceptability experimental data in a five-language context. It is one of the very few variationist works in the Philippines that considers the effects of multilingualism on variation and change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we tried to understand the status of the Marma language and identity in Bangladesh. Being an Indigenous community in a country where Bengalis form a numerous as well as political majority, the Marmas in Bangladesh experience cultural and linguistic marginalisation. An added dimension of hegemony comes from the Chakmas who, arguably, are the most prominent Indigenous community in Bangladesh with an active political history. Given the multiple layers of marginalisation, we examined how the Marmas in Bangladesh negotiate their language and identity. Using an ethnographic approach through interviews and focus group discussions, we collected data from 14 Marma community members from Rangamati, Bangladesh. A thematic analysis confirmed the double marginalisation of the Marmas in Bangladesh. The findings also showed a shift in language use primarily driven by socio-economic concerns and an intergenerational negotiation of identity among the community members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identity construction of hard-of-hearing language learners has received limited attention in educational research. This study examined how two Chinese English learners navigated hearing impairment and constructed identities in a mainstream educational context. Using positioning theory as a conceptual framework, the study explored their cognitive and behavioural engagements within daily interactions. The findings revealed that these learners actively shaped their identities through purposeful self-positioning, highlighting two distinct patterns: (1) behavioural engagement often triggered subsequent cognitive engagement, directly influencing self-positioning and identity construction; and (2) learners strategically initiated behavioural engagement to create conditions conducive to cognitive engagement, thereby advancing their identity formation. These findings unveil the proactive strategies and agency demonstrated by hard-of-hearing learners in navigating challenges and constructing their identities. This study contributes to understanding identity construction in marginalised groups, emphasising the dynamic interplay between agency, engagement, and identity formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Measured ERPs during sound (phoneme) and visual (grapheme) categorization. • Listeners showed faster and stronger categorization of phonemes compared to graphemes. • Category neural representations emerged in both modalities within ∼250 ms. • Auditory and visual stimuli recruited common association areas in extrastriate cortex. • Isomorphic, domain-general mapping for phonetic categories in dorsal visual system. This study assessed the neural mechanisms and relative saliency of categorization for speech sounds and comparable graphemes (i.e., visual letters) of the same phonetic label. Given that linguistic experience shapes categorical processing, and letter-speech sound matching plays a crucial role during early reading acquisition, we hypothesized sound phoneme and visual grapheme tokens representing the same linguistic identity might recruit common neural substrates, despite originating from different sensory modalities. Behavioral and neuroelectric brain responses (ERPs) were acquired as participants categorized stimuli from sound (phoneme) and homologous letter (grapheme) continua each spanning a /da/−/ga/ gradient. Behaviorally, listeners were faster and showed stronger categorization of phoneme compared to graphemes. At the neural level, multidimensional scaling of the EEG revealed responses self-organized in a categorial fashion such that tokens clustered within their respective modality beginning ∼150–250 ms after stimulus onset. Source-resolved ERPs further revealed modality-specific and overlapping brain regions supporting phonetic categorization. Left inferior frontal gyrus and auditory cortex showed stronger responses for sound category members compared to phonetically ambiguous tokens, whereas early visual cortices paralleled this categorical organization for graphemes. Auditory and visual categorization also recruited common visual association areas in extrastriate cortex but in opposite hemispheres (auditory = left; visual = right). Our findings reveal both auditory and visual sensory cortex supports categorical organization for phonetic labels within their respective modalities. However, a partial overlap in phoneme and grapheme processing among occipital brain areas implies the presence of an isomorphic, domain-general mapping for phonetic categories in dorsal visual system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the reconstruction of professional identity among three experienced language teacher educators through collaboration in pluralistic approaches. Framing identity within a narrative-based understanding and exploring the interactional aspects of collaboration through the Complex Dynamic Systems Theory (CDST) lens, the study moves beyond traditional narrative inquiries in teacher education. Employing an autobiographical narrative approach, the study metaphorically represents professional identity reconstruction as complex dynamic systems. Grounded in autobiographical accounts from a year-long international collaboration on developing teacher competencies for pluralistic approaches, the study identifies emerging themes such as the role of peer collaboration, digital tools, and contextual influences in identity transformation. Findings suggest implications for professional development through collaborative and international networks in language education. The study contributes to understanding language educator identity as a dynamic, ongoing interpretive process in collaborative settings, offering insights for teacher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since its publication in 2018, the novel Uhvati zeca (Catch the Rabbit) by Lana Bastašić (Zagreb, 1986) has entered the European and the global market as a novel that problematises the identity of the generation brought up during the Bosnian war (1992–1995), the role of language in the construction of that identity, and the different forms of displacement experienced by the two female protagonists. Along with these thematic traits, Bastašić also establishes a dialogue with Dubravka Ugrešić’s work and the Southeastern European tradition that problematises the linguistic myth constructions, as well as the established ideas of Europeanness and transnationalism, focusing on voices from the margins of the continent. This article analyses Bastašić’s work with the methodological perspective of the global novel discussion and explains the narrative strategies that allow a reflection on identity from both a local and a global perspective: aware of the political implications of the narrative construction of identity, Bastašić novel refuses to adapt to simplified global literary models circulating in the global market and provides a complex view on the narrative strategies of national and European identity building. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to examine Holocaust survivors' testimonies in order to identify the issues related to language inside the camps, analysing the survivors'metalinguistic reflections. As a case study, the Salonikan Jews' linguistic situation will be examined. Salonika, home of the largest Jewish community in Greece, lost 96% of its Jewish population during the Holocaust. The Salonikan Jews in the camps, in particular the Auschwitz complex, constituted a minority and were affected by their lack of knowledge of German,Yiddish, and Polish. They spoke Ladino, reflecting their Sephardic heritage, and Greek, due to Salonika's annexation to Greece. Their linguistic and cultural uniqueness initially heightened their vulnerability, often alienating them and increasing their mortality risk, especially during the early stages of imprisonment. Over time, their shared language and culture became a source of unity and strengthened group bonds. Ladino and Greek functioned as markers of identity, making them recognizable within the anonymity of the camp. They also adapted by learning new communication strategies and using Ladino and Greek as code languages for specific purposes. The survivors' metalinguistic reflections highlight the critical role communication constituted: they had to learn to talk with their feet, their eyes, and their hands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to examine how children growing up in Norway develop Lithuanian heritage language skills and maintain their Lithuanian identity based on the perceptions of parents and teachers. Theoretical Basis: The study is grounded in social identity theory, which helps to understand how personal and social identity is formed and transformed through interactions in various social environments. Methodology: A case study strategy was chosen, allowing the phenomenon to be interpreted in different environments and perspectives. The study describes the environments and contexts of three Lithuanian heritage language schools operating in Norway, as the participating teachers (n = 5) and parents (n = 8) are from these schools. The results showed that in Lithuanian cultural schools, which operate every other Saturday, the spoken Lithuanian language is developed, children are introduced to Lithuanian history, traditions, and culture, and Lithuanian holidays are celebrated. However, parents have different expectations when sending their children to these Lithuanian heritage language schools; some are satisfied with the spoken Lithuanian language, while others want deeper learning of Lithuanian writing so their children can take the Lithuanian language exam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of laughter in evaluating language use has received little attention in language attitude research and laughter studies. In this paper, which draws on focus group discussions involving 132 Nigerian university students, we analyse how students use laughter to perform social actions in evaluating language use in Nigeria. The analysis shows that participants use laughter to deride the outgroup, reinforce ingroup coherence, mark their own or others' linguistic inferiority, and mitigate self-face-threatening linguistic behaviour. We argue that a comprehensive theory of laughter should include the functions of laughter: especially how people use it to 'do things' in discourse. The implications of the findings vis-à-vis language attitude research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the educational challenges and linguistic diversity of indigenous students from Latin America in U.S. schools, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and honoring their native languages which often differ from Spanish. It advocates for culturally relevant pedagogies that not only facilitate learning but also preserve the linguistic and cultural identities of these students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study argues that the natural relationships between people, societies, and languages are established through the full presence of what we call the «language charter,» which consists of four key principles: (1 a comprehensive knowledge of the meanings of language vocabulary and its grammatical, morphological, and spelling rules; ( the exclusive use of the language in all aspects of daily life within their communities; (3 the use of the language solely in writing within their societies; and ( the establishment of a «close relationship» with these languages, manifested in love, pride, defense, and loyalty to the language above any other. This relationship is further reinforced by the concept of the «linguistic barrier,» which refers to the practice of teaching exclusively in national languages, at least in all pre-university educational stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Larq Journal for Philosophy, Linguistics & Social Sciences is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) 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.)

Globalization has given rise to a new generation of English language teachers, including transnational teachers, who have complex teacher identities that the traditional "native" versus "non-native" English teacher dichotomy fails to capture adequately. Researchers have problematized this dichotomy by applying theories such as poststructuralism. However, there is a lack of consensus on a theory that can challenge the monolingual model and the language hierarchy to support the development of teacher identity. Consequently, this case study draws on the theory of hybridity from sociology and uses narrative inquiry and interviews to explore the evolution of a Chinese-Canadian English teacher, Sally, in constructing her teacher identity, which includes both achievements and challenges. The study contributes to the literature by attempting to lessen the impact of the language hierarchy and the "native" versus "non-native" dichotomy through empirical evidence supporting hybridity theory. The findings reveal the complexity of Sally's teacher identity development across various contexts, resulting in numerous struggles. This complexity aligns with hybridity theory. Moreover, Sally outlines her coping strategies, which could help transnational teachers overcome obstacles and successfully broaden their teacher identities. The study discusses theoretical and pedagogical implications for the development of English language teacher identity and teacher training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing from Bourdieusian constructs of habitus, field, and capital, and teacher identities' studies, this paper investigated how Tanzanian language teachers who attended the Fulbright exchange program in the United States negotiated their professional identities after returning to their country. Data obtained through semi-structured surveys, semi-structured interviews, and documents and recursively analyzed demonstrate layers of habitus conflict among these teachers and resistance from their local context, which caused them to give up their transformative initiatives in their local communities in favor of alternative spaces. By moving to the alternative spaces, these teachers were able to reclaim their desired identities but also use the space to resist the identity devaluation from their local field. By exploring experiences these teachers encounter in negotiating their professional identities after the Fulbright program, this study contributes to the field investigation of the underrepresented population of language teachers in peripheral countries who attend professional development programs in developed nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study addressed the language in professional communication and national identity of civil servants-bilinguals in the Ukrainian border oblasts with Russia. It was empirically determined that the civil servants mainly use the Ukrainian language in professional communication with the users of civil services, but with colleagues, the Russian language. Most civil servants are proud of their nationality, but not all of them are clearly aware of their national identity. A statistically significant relationship between the valence of the national identity of the civil servants and oral and written professional communication in Ukrainian with the colleagues and users of civil services has been established. The clarity of the national identity of the civil servants is connected only with oral professional communication in Ukrainian with the colleagues and users of civil services. The parameters of male civil servants' national identity is connected with a larger number of professional communication forms in Ukrainian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This ethnographic, qualitative case study empirically explores how six youth from refugee backgrounds positioned their identities through design choices in producing reaction videos—a popular YouTube genre—at school in their settlement context. Through reflexive thematic analysis, we identified three ways in which youth took ownership of how they were to be perceived by their classmates and teachers, establishing their identities in the classroom through: (a) knowledge brokering; (b) navigating gaze; and (c) playfully disrupting cohesion. The study makes a timely contribution to helping language and literacy researchers, educators, and teacher-educators better understand how digitally composing in YouTube genres such as reaction videos can be used to affirm the identities of youth from refugee backgrounds in school settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Language in CLIL is dependent on the subject that embraces it, as it is the case of Physical Education. The present descriptive exploratory case study examines how content and language are integrated into Physical Education lessons with CLIL in secondary education. It applies the Cognitive Discourse Function construct as a heuristic to analyse 19 lessons. The results show that all the acts of thinking are used, but not equally. The specific unit and the approach used by the teacher seem to affect the prevalence of each category and the students' engagement when verbalising their acts of thinking. In addition, a number of features (i.e., the role of questions, simple language, explicit language teaching, multimodality, translanguaging) were identified in order to integrate content, language and literacy. These findings can thus inform researchers, teachers and teacher training programmes to understand how integration takes place and promotes deep learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most recent research on language learning and identity emphasizes on investing learners' capital as affordance to affirm their identities (Darvin & Norton, 2015; Norton, 2013). Learners' capital refers to prior knowledge, home literacies/native languages. Drawing on data from English language academies from Pakistan, this study finds a conflicting picture to the one advocated in the investment model. Gripped by the "deficit ideology," teachers and students tend to "disinvest" in the native languages. Analyzing data through the conceptual lenses of "Neoliberal Governmentality" and "Linguistic Entrepreneurship," we find that "enterprise culture" governs learners' mode of investment. It reflects in their construction of English learning as a form of entrepreneurship, celebrating competition, self-entrepreneurship, and relentless self-improvement. Given the "disinvestment" tendency, the current investment model seems to overlook the power-driven linguistic hierarchies, and linguistic inequalities that may hamper the use of such capital. The paper discusses decolonial pedagogy as an alternative to current ELT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper draws from a collaborative project in which we piloted a Critical Multilingual Language Awareness approach (CMLA) in a preparatory class for recently arrived secondary school students in Sweden. We adapted material on Language Awareness from We Are Multilingual (). This adapted approach followed the five principles of educational design for multilingual learners, which also relate to cognitive, performative, affective, social and power domains of Language Awareness. Data consist of audio- and video-recorded interactions from classroom observations, student/teacher interviews, and teaching/student-produced material. With a process-oriented focus, we discuss student participation in this co-learning design as contingent upon practices of curiosity. A focus is also on the co-learning process through reflection on activity, and how cultivating new ways of listening, involving multilingual study mentoring, may spur linguistic participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although they constitute twenty percent of Israel's citizens, Arabs have no significant opportunity to study their own language in Israel's academic institutions. Academic courses are conducted in Hebrew, the official language of the country. This has implications for the Arab students' academic achievement as well as for their sense of belonging on Israeli campuses. In the framework of a graduate program on exclusion, the Academic College of Education has recently introduced two courses in Arabic—a revolutionary experiment in the Israeli academic world. Based on interviews with twenty Arab students who participated in these courses, the research presented here demonstrates how these courses not only enhance the students' self-expression, participation, and self-confidence in the classroom; they also send a message to the Arab students that the college sees them and acknowledges their identity. The study has implications for the growing multi-cultural reality of academic institutions elsewhere in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was designed to understand the multi-layered aspects and conflicts that shaped the identity development of English language pre-service teachers in Chile. This longitudinal, multiple case study research investigated the identity trajectories of seven EFL Chilean pre-service teachers over an 18-month period. Data were drawn from a range of sources, including semi-structured interviews, analysis of recorded lessons, and pedagogical artefacts. Framed by a sociocultural perspective, student teachers' perezhivanie and lived experiences were examined. This work found that the transition to a developed English language teacher identity was a slow and recursive process and shaped by multiple interactions and situations of conflict in practice. Strong and conflicting emotions of joy, self-fulfilment and frustration, anxiety, and self-doubts were recurrent. These findings contribute to the understanding of how English language teacher identity is developed in the Global South. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This intervention study helped EFL learners visualize their possible selves as successful L2 speakers. It included three classes as a control group and three EFL classes as an experimental group at a secondary school in Yemen. The three experimental classes received one ideal L2 self-visualization lesson a week for six weeks, whereas the three control classes received their regular classroom activities. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected. Results of an analysis of covariance indicated that the ideal L2 self, L2 intended learning effort, and L2 learning experience of the experimental group increased significantly, whereas there was no significant increase in those of the control group. Analysis of qualitative data showed that the intervention motivated the students by helping them develop future L2 self-guides, enjoy the L2 learning experience, enhance L2 intended effort, make future plans, goals, and decisions, and recognize the needs to learn English. Pedagogical implications are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines young children's perceptions and ideas about their emergent bilingualism drawing on data from an ethnographic case study of the language development of a Head Start classroom. The purpose of this study was to examine the language practices of 4-year-olds in a bilingual (Spanish/English) classroom. The findings discussed in this paper focus on the children's understanding of the language(s) they speak and how they come to understand the complex interactions of their languages, identity and the contexts within which they use them. Examples of children's conversations where they explicitly discuss and articulate their knowledge of language demonstrate that young children are both capable of discussing their bilingualism and are developing an understanding of the intersections between language(s) and identity. These findings build on previous work that emphasizes the importance of examining language ideologies in early childhood classrooms and has implications for how to support young emergent bilinguals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses critical issues of how Indigenous (Diné/Navajo) youth construct meaning of their racial, cultural, and linguistic identities within the historical, political, and socio-cultural contexts of the United States of America as a racialized, settler/colonial society. Using Tribal Crit theory, the author, a member of the Diné (Navajo) Nation, shares insights about Diné youth's perspectives that reaffirm Indigenous-centered understandings of identity in resistance to dominant racialized discourse and white supremacy. In discussing the different ways Diné youth make meaning of multiple identities, the author postulates the need for Diné communities to articulate Diné-centered counter narratives about what it means to be Diné for the benefit of the youth. Key implications include the need for Diné communities to engage in critical dialogue about race, race relations, nationhood, language, and identity using Indigenous-centered perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The vast body of research on language teacher identity from the past two decades along with more recent research on language teacher emotions has shown that identity and emotions are mutually shaping facets of language teachers’ professional lives. (Un)belonging is a key link between teacher identity and emotions in that the feeling of belonging typically corresponds to insider identities and unbelonging with peripheral or outsider status. However, we still know relatively little about how the feeling of (un)belonging is experienced by language teachers, particularly veteran teachers. Given that belonging can deepen teachers’ ongoing commitment to their students and enhance their overall well‐being, it is important to have a theoretically informed understanding of (un)belonging and to examine how veteran teachers perceive and experience it and what it moves them to do. This study focuses on accounts of (un)belonging that emerged unsolicited in semi‐structured qualitative interviews with 24 experienced language teachers working in Germany and Norway. Thematic analysis of the interviews revealed that (un)belonging is entangled in teachers’ decisions to become language teachers, relationships with colleagues and students, perceptions of their professional efficacy, and attachments to school communities. The article also explores what (un)belonging does. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While political participation today manifests in many new, creative, and individualized forms, the contextual drivers and implications of lifestyle politics remain underexplored. This paper offers a comprehensive framework for the study of lifestyle politics, and examines deeply intimate private-life decisions that acquire political meaning during times of conflict. It leverages 18 unique in-depth interviews with Ukrainian refugee and migrant mothers in Denmark to investigate the political nature of linguistic choices, particularly the shift from Russian to Ukrainian after the invasion. Findings show that choosing to speak Ukrainian over Russian and avoiding Russian-language cultural products demonstrates solidarity and protest. Mothers’ policing of language and popular culture at home illustrates how language politicization blurs the line between private and public life and facilitates intergenerational transmission of lifestyle politics. These findings reveal the pervasiveness of and overlooked barriers and sacrifices to this form of political participation, offering insights that are relevant beyond the Ukrainian context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a personal reflection on methodological issues in terms of data collection and analysis using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to explore ethnic minority (Mongol-Chinese) students' multilingual lived experience and their identity construction in language learning and practice. IPA, as a contemporary qualitative methodology, has developed quickly in psychology and other fields of social science, but it gets limited attention and practice in investigating how ethnic minority students negotiate their identities in multilingual education. Mongol-Chinese speakers as the target participants were interviewed online to share their subjective language learning experiences and perspectives on identity construction and negotiation. By reflecting on my doctoral journey in data collection and analysis, this paper aims to share my personal experience (concerns and solutions) in terms of the multilingual and ethical challenges that arise in this IPA project. It also intends to show the potential of IPA to explore students' language learning experiences and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative study examines how Latina mothers with multilingual children institutionally designated as English Learners negotiated dominant notions of competence in their dual language bilingual program. Findings demonstrated that Latina mothers reclaimed competence for themselves and their children by interrogating intersecting, hegemonic constitutions of competence while employing various forms of motherwork to support their children’s learning and well-being. Specifically, they sustained their children’s expansive, historicized identities and language practices, advocated for their children’s access to interdisciplinary, multimodal learning experiences, and asserted their children’s right to wellness and personal agency in utilizing bilingual educational spaces. Findings from this study have implications for how to contest problematic institutional conceptualizations of families in schools, and how to create programming and leadership structures that elevate Latina mothers as critical leaders of collective mobilization efforts aimed at equity and justice in bilingual educational programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immigrant students bring to school multiple identities, shaped by language exposure at home and in school. The present study examined the relationship between the multiple identities of 264 immigrant students’ and their classroom engagement. Participants from French (n = 105), Russian (n = 63), English (n = 55) and Kuki (n = 41) speaking backgrounds in elementary, middle and high schools rated their current, preferred and future Israeli and heritage identities. Five identity clusters emerged: Strong Israeli (n = 27), Future Israeli (n = 43), Bicultural (n = 96), Current home (n = 49) and Strong home identity (n = 49). No differences were found among immigrant groups in terms of the identity cluster they fall under except for Kuki-Hebrew immigrants. Classroom engagement as measured by class attendance, participation, textbook use and assignment submission differed for the different identity clusters. Bicultural and Future Israeli identity clusters showed the highest engagement levels. Furthermore, younger students who opted for Current home identity exhibited the lowest engagement levels. The discussion argues for a multiple identities approach, challenging the conventional Home-School dichotomy used to study identity. This approach proposes using pedagogical approaches, such as translanguaging, to foster a sense of belonging and promote achievement among immigrant students by acknowledging their diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The elegies are sad narratives sung by narrators for the deceased after their deaths in society. Those who sing elegies by revealing the good aspects of the deceased and using praising expressions are called meddah. Although elegies are an independent genre in the Iranian field, they differ from the elegies in the Anatolian field in terms of the variety of genres. The presence of Shi'ism and political propaganda in the background of meddah and elegy, which continue to exist as a tradition in Iran, represent the ideological aspect of the traditions. Therefore, the state wants to gather the people around the collective memory of Shiism and create a super-identity through these traditions. At this point, it is important for the storytellers to perform their performances mostly in Azerbaijani Turkish in order to preserve the language and identity of the Iranian Azerbaijani Turks in the region. The study examines the traditions of elegy and meddah of Iranian Azerbaijani Turks in light of the field research conducted in Iran in 2015, 2017-2018, and 2021. The study used the ethnographic model of qualitative research methods to examine the importance of these traditions for the state, society, religion, and language. The research aims to reveal the state of the traditions in the region and how they are used as an ideological discourse on the axis of the state religion. As a result, it has been determined that although the two traditions serve the Shiism ideology of the state, they are an important area that enables Turks to preserve their identity through language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on Basque and Occitan in schools in New Aquitaine, France, and analyses the philosophical arguments underlying its constitution. The school model in New Aquitaine depends on the central education system, which protects and promotes French as the majority language, although there are some schools in which the minority languages Basque and Occitan are taught. The article describes the situation of Basque and Occitan in New Aquitaine and seeks to understand, from a philosophical perspective, the ideologies and arguments underlying their linguistic and educational situation. Thus, arguments in favour of both monolingualism and linguistic diversity, as well as the relationships between identity, diversity and linguistic rights are presented. The article concludes with some implications for New Aquitaine's Basque and Occitan speakers, who lack real opportunities to build a strong linguistic group through the educational system and are therefore disadvantaged in comparison with monolingual speakers of the majority language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing presence of African diasporic people in Europe and their identity politics have given rise to a proliferation of studies on their experiences, albeit with the exception of central eastern Europe (CEE). This research expands on this scholarship by addressing lived experiences, racialisation processes and struggles to belong among Afropeans in Czechia. Grounded in ethnography the study draws from narrative interviews with self-identified Afroczechs who are closely connected to both their African heritage and their Czechness. We conceptualise their identity politics as Restricted Affiliation in a sense that the state of belonging to Czechia has distinct limits due to the high costs of racial Otherness they experience. The findings demonstrate the limits of a shared language vis-à-vis racial ideologies in Czech national identity constructions and contribute to more visibility and further theorising of Czech blackness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of modern Kazakh and Turkish languages is crucial in the context of internationalisation and globalisation, as they represent ancient Turkic cultures and national identity elements. The purpose of the study is to analyse the features of the development of the Kazakh and Turkish languages, considering the image of Korkyt Ata in the Kazakh language system. Axiomatic, comparative, and generalisation methods were used. The study reveals that the evolution of modern Turkish and Kazakh languages is a complex process that reflects the interplay between language, culture, and society. Language changes may indicate cultural shifts, including lifestyle, social interactions, and religious beliefs rooted in ancient times. The image of Korkyt Ata, present in the Kazakh language, is not just a linguistic artefact but also a deeply rooted cultural symbol. The linguistic elements used to portray him as an ancestor, wise mentor, and heroic defender form a "code" that can be understood through cultural values. Korkyt Ata's mention in the language promotes linguistic identity, cultural heritage, and belonging to an ancient culture, especially in the context of language preservation. The practical significance of this study lies in its potential to enhance measures for preserving and strengthening the cultural heritage of Turkic-speaking communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper discusses the impact of recent socio-economic and geopolitical changes on cultural ties and ethnic identity formation in the wider area of Čabar, Croatia. It emphasises the importance of understanding the historical context of cross-border relations in this geographically peripheral border region. To assess the specific position of relative isolation, a robust interdis- ciplinary methodological approach was used, combining the analysis of historical documents, registry books, and population censuses with qualitative methodology like in-depth semistructured interviews with local residents. To assess the specific local interrelations, the patterns of population migration and cross-border marriages (presented in the appendix) were reconstructed and exa-mined. Changes that occurred after the dissolution of Yugoslavia and the establishment of new independent states shed new light on how the local populace reproduced their identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teacher cognitions of multilingualism influence classroom behaviour and are partly formed during pre-service teacher (PST) education (Borg 2003). In Fryslân, a linguistically diverse region of the Netherlands, Frisian is a compulsory subject, yet teachers feel underprepared to teach it, leading to negative attitudes towards the minority language and multilingualism in general. A survey, dominant language constellation (DLC) artefacts (Ibrahim 2022), and focus groups with vignettes (Barter & Renold 1999) were used to explore 72 PSTs' cognitions of multilingualism in education and multilingual identities. Our triangulation of methods shows how cog- nitions of multilingualism can be mapped in various ways. PSTs held slightly positive cognitions of multilingualism in education in the survey and identified as multilingual in the DLCs and focus groups. However, PSTs' cognitions of minority languages should be improved. This study contributes to the understanding of PSTs' multilingual identities and cognitions and offers guidance on how the concept of teacher cognition can be applied to multilingualism to improve training on multilingual pedagogies for PSTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of English Teaching & Learning is the property of Springer Nature 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 present work draws on Activity Theory (AT)--a goal-oriented branch of Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory--to approach writing as a means of self-representation. The participants were ten first-generation college students (nine females and one male) between the ages of 19 and 21 who were Spanish heritage language learners (HLLs) of Mexican (80%) and Salvadorian descent (20%). Of the ten participants, eight (second-generation immigrants) had been born and had lived in the Midwest (Kansas and Nebraska), while the other two (first-generation immigrants) had moved to this geographical zone before the age of 6. Only three HLLs reported having received formal instruction (i.e., academic preparation) in Spanish before college, even when all the participants had been raised in predominantly Hispanic communities (>60%) in Kansas (i.e., Liberal and Dodge City). This made them feel like inadequate users and writers of Spanish, despite their ability to understand and communicate in Spanish and English through comparable linguistic skills. As such, this study incorporated writing as an empowering tool (as per AT standards) that enabled the participants' use of the heritage language and access to their community funds of knowledge to construct a representative scenery of their identity and sense of cultural belonging. This was possible because writing was not incorporated as a mechanical ability to express thoughts on paper but rather as a social task that prompted a transformative dialogic process. This study aims to keep developing awareness of the impact that minority languages have (1) at the social level and (2) at the personal level for individuals to connect with their family members and community. Additionally, it offers some pedagogical pointers for language instructors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study attempts to investigate the notion of guided conceptualization of identity and purposeful language reconstruction in dystopian literature. It explores the connection of identity and language with the creation of the genre as an optimistic, didactic, and cautionary one. Themes will be explored in terms of their instructiveness rather than descriptiveness; the characterization of the protagonists in dystopian works is examined accordingly. Moreover, this research offers a critical study of the factors that contributed to the onset of this literary trend. To achieve this, The Handmaid's Tale, The Giver, and The Running Man are scrutinized in terms of modes, themes, and literary elements. Eventually, this research examines the representation of the concepts of identity and language in dystopian narratives and the role of this representation in presenting the genre as a utopian auspicious one; the seemingly pessimistic mold of this fictitious form inspires to and aims indirectly at change. Finally, this research finds that both identity and language are deliberately re-created and used to further authority's goals in a dystopian society, but they also function as tools of resistance. This research highlights the role of this representation in the creation of the novels as optimistic ones. Even though the seemingly pessimistic dystopian genre offers a bleak image of a society under oppression, it holds hopeful aspirations. It narrates the protagonist's laborious journey as they struggle relentlessly to grasp the handle of the door that leads to a brighter tomorrow fueled by the refusal to accept injustice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employing membership categorization analysis and conversation analysis, we uncover how students performing classroom discussion tasks for language learning locally ascribe themselves and others to various identity categories within single discussion activities. Data consist of 126 hours of video‐recorded small‐group discussions for second language learning collected in Japanese universities. Analysis unveiled the members' methods by which students themselves construct their identities in invoking various membership categories. In addition to sequential identities that are relevant at any point during the discussions, participants overwhelmingly oriented to hypothetical identities set up by the tasks. These identities were layered over the omnirelevant identities of Japanese language speakers, second language speakers, and students. Through publicly observable orientations to membership categories, these interactants manifested their collective understanding of the aims and motivations of the educational activities and institutional environment. The findings show how learners orient to their own and co‐participants' multiple identities as they accomplish language‐learning tasks and how these varied layers of identity contributed to language‐learning affordances in different and unique ways. We then suggest some implications for task‐based language learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore English language teachers' vulnerability and identity negotiation in relation to self‐branding on social media. It focused on 15 Iranian teachers' experiences in teaching and self‐promotion on Instagram through narrative frames and follow‐up interviews. The analysis of the teacher narratives demonstrated that the new online context that valorizes visibility by demanding audience appealing content and personalities generated a great amount of vulnerability among the language teachers. The results evidenced the teachers' constant struggles in competing against those who seemingly possess superior skills and resources for self‐promotion and their resistance to the "rules of the game" in gaining quick visibility. They shed light on language teachers' vulnerability and identity negotiation in their efforts to present themselves as authentic and legitimate teachers on Instagram against popular, self‐branded individuals. Highlighting the intersection of language teaching, emotion, and identity, this study provides theoretical and pedagogical implications for language teacher identity in a shifting teaching context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Language teacher identities and emotions are deeply sociocultural phenomena. Although intersectionality has asserted itself as a powerful framework in other fields, it is just beginning to emerge in language teacher education. This article argues that intersectionality provides a powerful conceptual lens for analyzing the complex and varied connections between language teacher identity and emotions. It also claims that emotions originate in the spaces between different social factors. Specifically, the article investigates the following questions: How do English‐as a‐second‐language teachers construct their emotions in narratives and what discourses of emotion do they evoke? How are emotions generated within the intersectional spaces of facets of their social identities? To address these, the article focuses on the micro‐level of analysis and the daily emotional experiences of two language teachers. The findings show how the focal participants navigate the complex emotional landscapes of teaching and how these are mediated by the intersections of different social identity markers such as gender, race, non‐native speaking status, and socioeconomic status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning the host country's language(s) is a necessary step toward social and professional inclusion for migrants. However, it is often regarded as a challenging task that depends heavily on the sociocultural context in which migrants are situated. This study explores the Norwegian language learning strategies of highly educated Indonesians outside the classroom, particularly in the workplace, in Norway. Following the social turn in second language learning research, the study aims to investigate how social context influences migrants' strategies for learning Norwegian. The data were collected through a combination of qualitative methods consisting of sequential in-depth interviews, language diaries, and focus group discussions with four focal participants, including both recently arrived and long-term migrants. Based on Darvin and Norton's (2015) investment model, participants' narratives of their reported language learning strategies are analyzed in relation to language ideology, identity, and capital in their language learning experiences. The findings from this study suggest that migrant learners' ideal learning strategies are influenced by their language ideologies. However, different contextual factors, such as work tasks and roles, have a considerable impact on their learning opportunities, and consequently, on why and how they end up using certain learning strategies but not others. Migrants' professional identities also play an important role in their strategy choice and use. By analyzing migrant learners' narratives, this study provides a nuanced and learner-centered understanding of language learning strategies in the context of migration in the globalized world. This study also contributes new insights into the use of learning strategies of languages other than English by adult migrant learners inside and beyond the classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative study explores the experiences of 22 Grade 11 students, aged 17–18, studying science subjects at highly selective English medium instruction (EMI) schools. The study is guided by Dörnyei's L2 Motivational Self System (namely, the ideal/ought-to L2 self concepts) and Hajar's (2019) distinction between compulsory and voluntary strategies. Specific focus was paid to the participants' English learning challenges, language learning strategies (LLSs) and future selves. The data were collected from two rounds of semi-structured individual interviews with 22 participants. The interview data revealed that most students indicated that although it was their parents' decision to send them to outstanding English-medium schools, they gradually realised that studying at this type of school fostered their identity formation as users of English and helped them visualise their ideal end state. This end state related to professional, intercultural and academic gains. The students reported that they sometimes faced challenges in understanding new terminology in science, along with using English to answer their teachers' questions. Despite these challenges, the students exercised their agency by valuing studying in a resource-rich EMI environment, using certain effective strategies, and receiving fee-charging private tutoring. This study highlights the importance of understanding language learners' motivations for attending English private tutoring and how it impacts their LLS use and future vision. Also, it reveals how educational policy and the distribution of language learning resources can affect individuals' LLS choices and use, and their identity development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identity plays a crucial role in determining whether diasporic minority communities either integrate into the host country or resist acculturation and assimilation. Since identity is performed and negotiated through discourse, the study of connections between identity and language practices of migrant groups is crucial in understanding how language is used to express their multilayered identities. Using sociolinguistic interviews as the primary data source, this research analyzes how three generations of a Pangasinan-American family negotiate their complex identities and express their attitudes towards English, Filipino, and Pangasinan. Findings show that their Pangasinan-American identity is performed through translingual practices, which enable the portrayal of their membership to their home community and their integration into the host society. Each participant situates their Pangasinan identity in relation to their other identities – Filipino and American – which emerge in the diasporic context. This study contributes to the research on the role of language in the development of community membership and allegiances of bi-/multilingual transmigrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Arts for Linguistic & Literary Studies is the property of Thamar University 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.)

This article explores the pragmasemantic features of metatextuality in the discourse of autobiographical narrative. Autobiographical discourse is inherently subjective and expressed through various modalities. Subjectivity is an ontological property of thinking, inevitably manifested in language. Here, metatextuality was defined as a unity of explicit metatextual elements and metapoetic meanings, given that the writer, producing autobiographical discourse, impregnates it with their personal perception of the creative process and aesthetic principles. The methods used include inductive-deductive reasoning, comparison and contrast, semantic analysis, and philological interpretation. Based on the analysis of Yury Olesha’s autobiographical book “Not a Day without a Line”, the main verbalizers of metatextuality (introductory words and phrases; inserted constructions; gradational comparisons and expanded metaphors; lexemes zhizn’ (life), pisat’ (write), and isskustvo (art), as well as their word-forming derivatives; precedent onyms; stylization of metapoetic fragments as monologues) were identified. The results obtained show that the pragmasemantic potential of metatextuality is determined by its alignment with the metapoetics of the writer’s autobiographical discourse as a form of personal, existential discourse.

This article presents a qualitative study exploring how eleventh-grade EFL students in a Colombian private school construct their linguistic identities through discursive positioning practices. In the context of language standardization, students negotiate their identities amid tensions between institutional frameworks and actual discursive practices. Drawing on discourse analysis, positioning theory, conversational analysis, and speech acts theory, the study reveals the struggle between an imagined ideal of English proficiency and learners’ lived experiences. Findings highlight how institutional discourses influence students’ perceptions of themselves and others, fostering both conformity and resistance. The implications emphasize the need for socially responsible language education practices that challenge hegemonic ideologies and empower learners to redefine their linguistic identities.

Ethnic, linguistic identity, heritage language maintenance and transmission, language attitudes and policies remain important topics in nowadays globalized world. The main purpose of this study, which is a part of a large-scale research on Lithuanian heritage language, was to analyze the linguistic and ethnic identity development within Lithuanian diaspora. The article investigates the linguistic attitudes, language practices and language policies within the Lithuanian diaspora in Ireland and Norway, paying extra attention to the younger (K2) generation of Lithuanian migrants. A specialized sociolinguistic questionnaire was developed for this study. A total of 74 first-generation Lithuanian emigrants based in Ireland (n = 18) and Norway (n = 56) participated in the online survey. All participants had children aged 4–17. The data from the questionnaire survey are also illustrated with examples from 5 semi-structured interviews. The study revealed that emigrants from both countries maintain a strong connection with their country of origin. Almost half of the respondents claim that their children visit Lithuania at least once a year, while more than a third of respondents’ children visit Lithuania twice a year or more often. A third of participants are planning to return to Lithuania. Most of the respondents enroll their children to Lithuanian Saturday schools. However, the younger generation seem to differ from their parents in their language attitudes and practices: Lithuanian children based in Ireland tend to feel a stronger connection with the majority language (English) than Lithuanian. Meanwhile, children in Norway are multilinguals, having more than two languages in their everyday repertoire. To summarize, the study demonstrated the main language attitudes and practices of Lithuanians abroad and also highlighted some differences between the first and the second generation of Lithuanian migrants. The results from this study might provide interesting insights for future studies in the fields of sociology, sociolinguistics, and diaspora studies.

This study employs online archival and interview methods to understand how people on X (formerly Twitter) interpret and construct the ‘No Gree for Anybody’ tweets as a form of digital protest. ‘No Gree for Anybody,’ translating to ‘Do not compromise for anyone’ in Nigerian Pidgin English, became a sort of national anthem on social media, especially on Twitter, amid the socioeconomic challenges in Nigeria. The adoption of this slogan, despite concerns from the Nigerian Police, underscores its influential role as an alternative protest form advocating systemic reform and confronting entrenched power structures. The qualitative data analysis constructed four key themes: Language and Identity, Digital Protest/Mobilization and Collective Identity, Multiple Symbolism of Defiance, and Protests Continuum in Nigeria’s socio-political landscape. These themes provide a nuanced understanding of ‘No Gree for Anybody’ and how its subtleness and non-episodic features shape digital activism and socio-political discourse in Nigeria, highlighting its position in contemporary protest dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the theorisation of codeswitching (CS) as an emotional-identification phenomenon, little research has examined the emotional side of CS. The present study explored 15 Iranian English language teachers’ CS-invoked emotion and the contribution of such emotions for their identity construction. Collecting data over a three-month period and from classroom observations, post-class discussion, semi-structured interviews, and narrative frames, we found three major categories as defining the teachers’ CS-related emotion and identity construction: codeswitching as an agentic act, codeswitching as enhancing institutional emotionality, and codeswitching as a source of emotion labour. We found that CS interacts with circulating discourses and institutional participants to define the push and pull of teachers’ perceptions about CS and how such factors contribute to their emotionality, agency, and interpersonal identities. Based on the findings, implications for teacher educators are provided in how to anchor CS in teachers’ agency and emotionality to positively contribute to teachers’ effective identity construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]