Fluency, comprehensibility, and accentedness are considered importantparameters of interpreting quality but have rarely been studiedsystematically in training programs of interpreting. Therefore,... Show moreFluency, comprehensibility, and accentedness are considered importantparameters of interpreting quality but have rarely been studiedsystematically in training programs of interpreting. Therefore, the presentstudy was set up to investigate the effect of fluency training on speechfluency, comprehensibility, and accentedness of interpreter trainees. Twogroups of interpreter trainees at a university in Iran took part in the study,receiving the same amount of instruction and practice (12 hours over 4weeks). The experimental group (N=30) spent 33% of the time (i.e., 4 of the12 hours in the training program) on dedicated fluency strategy training,encouraging the memorization, repetition, and retelling of audio and videomaterials. The remaining 67% was spent on training general speaking skills.The control group (N=30) were only taught general speaking skills in thetraining program but received no dedicated fluency training. Systematicinterviews were run to assess the interpreter trainees’ speech fluency,comprehensibility and accentedness, which were judged independently bythree expert raters at three moments of testing, i.e., pretest, immediateposttest, and delayed posttest (one month later). The findings revealed thatthe fluency training significantly enhanced the interpreter trainees’ fluency,and to a lesser extent the students’ comprehensibility but had only amarginal effect on accentedness. The pedagogical implication would be thatawareness training on speech fluency Show less
The present study investigated the use of the iBrainstorm app in a collaborative argumentation-based learning context for developing listening comprehension skills by EFL learners. Two groups of... Show moreThe present study investigated the use of the iBrainstorm app in a collaborative argumentation-based learning context for developing listening comprehension skills by EFL learners. Two groups of students were formed. All of them studied English as a foreign language at the BA level at Bu-Ali Sina University, Iran. Participants were assigned to groups at random. Participants took a pre-test of listening comprehension skills before starting the programme. The control group listened to authentic audio tracks in English and discussed their contents, watched authentic English movies, discussed issues in the movies in pairs in the classroom. The experimental group spent part of the time on theoretical explanation of, and practical exercises with, argumentation-based learning by the iBrainstorm application. The total instruction time was the same for two groups, i.e., 32 hours. Students then took a post-test and, a month later, a delayed post-test in listening comprehension skills. The results show that the use of the iBrainstorm app significantly improved the students’ listening comprehension skills, and significantly more so than those of the control group. These results have pedagogical implications for curriculum designers, material producers, and all who are involved in language study and pedagogy Show less
This article studies a number of questions in the reconstruction of the Berber deictic system. Based on a comparative analysis informed by historical phonology, it is shown (1) that the variation... Show moreThis article studies a number of questions in the reconstruction of the Berber deictic system. Based on a comparative analysis informed by historical phonology, it is shown (1) that the variation of the form of the singular proximal deictics can be understood from a basic form a, which could be expanded by a complementary element d, and, possibly, also by an element Ɂ; (2) that the proximal system of deictics originally had a number difference, even among adnominal deictics; (3) that the Ghadames (Libya) Anaphoric series sg -e, pl -id has clear parallels in other varieties, especially in Kabyle (Algeria), and that, as a consequence, it can be reconstructed for proto-Berber. Show less
This study examines the effect of native vs. non-native prosody instruction on developing interpreter trainees’ speech comprehensibility in English as a foreign language (EFL) using a pretest... Show moreThis study examines the effect of native vs. non-native prosody instruction on developing interpreter trainees’ speech comprehensibility in English as a foreign language (EFL) using a pretest-posttest-delayed posttest design. Twenty-three groups of 28 interpreter trainees at a University in Iran (six different branches) took part in the study, all groups receiving the same amount of instruction (9 hours over 3 weeks). Three control groups listened to/viewed authentic audio recordings and movies in English, discussed their contents, and completed a variety of speaking tasks but received no specific prosody instruction. Twenty experimental groups spent part of the instruction time on theoretical explanation of, and practical exercises with, English prosody by thirteen nonnative instructors, and seven native instructors. Three experts evaluated the comprehensibility of the trainees in elicited speech samples collected during the pretest, immediate posttest and delayed posttest, and subsequently presented in random order. The findings revealed that the experimental groups gained between 1 and 2 points on the 0 to 10 comprehensibility scale, and lost little in the delayed posttest; however, hardly any changes were observed in the control groups. We conclude that native and non-native English instructors’ prosody teaching were equally effective in enhancing EFL students’ speech comprehensibility. Show less
This article presents the results of an experiment with eleven students from two universities that translated and post-edited threeliterarytextsdistributed on the first and last days of their... Show moreThis article presents the results of an experiment with eleven students from two universities that translated and post-edited threeliterarytextsdistributed on the first and last days of their translation technology modules. The source texts were marked with units of creative potential to assess creativity in the target texts (before and after training). The texts were subsequently reviewed by an independentprofessional literary translator and translation trainer. The results show that there is no quantitative evidence to conclude that the training significantly affects students’ creativity. However, after the training, a change is observed both in the quantitative data and in the reflective essays, i.e. the students are more willing to try creative shifts and they feel more confident to tackle machine translation (MT)issues, while also showing a higher number of errors. Further, we observe that students havea higher degree of creativity in human translation (HT), but significantly fewer errors in post-editing (PE)overall, especially at the start of the training, than in HT. Show less
This article presents the results of an experiment with eleven students from two universities that translated and post-edited three literary texts distributed on the first and last days of their... Show moreThis article presents the results of an experiment with eleven students from two universities that translated and post-edited three literary texts distributed on the first and last days of their translation technology modules. The source texts were marked with units of creative potential to assess creativity in the target texts (before and after training). The texts were subsequently reviewed by an independent professional literary translator and translation trainer. The results show that there is no quantitative evidence to conclude that the training significantly affects students’ creativity. However, after the training, a change is observed both in the quantitative data and in the reflective essays, i.e. the students are more willing to try creative shifts and they feel more confident to tackle machine translation (MT) issues, while also showing a higher number of errors. Further, we observe that students have a higher degree of creativity in human translation (HT), but significantly fewer errors in post-editing (PE) overall, especially at the start of the training, than in HT. Show less
Yenkimaleki and van Heuven (2021) studied the effects of teaching either segmental or suprasegmental (prosodic) aspects of English, in combination with either perception or production-focused... Show moreYenkimaleki and van Heuven (2021) studied the effects of teaching either segmental or suprasegmental (prosodic) aspects of English, in combination with either perception or production-focused practice (four combinations in all) on the speech intelligibility and comprehensibility of Persian L1 learners of English as a foreign language. Generally, production-focused exercises were more effective but there was no overall effect of teaching segmentals versus prosody. However, the specific combination of emphasis on prosody and production-oriented exercises was most beneficial. We summarize the results of the study and present, more systematically and in more detail than in the original article, the materials and teaching methods used. Show less
The Indo-European u-stem nouns merged almost completely with the o-stems in all Slavic languages. In every Slavic language, their combined paradigm shows traces of both original sets of endings.... Show moreThe Indo-European u-stem nouns merged almost completely with the o-stems in all Slavic languages. In every Slavic language, their combined paradigm shows traces of both original sets of endings. The merger of the two paradigms began before the earliest attestations of Slavic, but the attested evidence allows us to determine that the paradigms must have been distinct in late Common Slavic. The original distribution between u- and o-stems was blurred when they started to merge. The endings were redistributed on the basis of phonological and semantic criteria. In this paper it is argued that a similar process took place in the accentuation of masculine o- and u-stems in Slavic. The accentual phenomena discussed here have alternatively been explained as reflexes of a Proto-Slavic accentual pattern referred to as accent paradigm d. Show less
Spiers, C.; Lubotsky, A.; Griffiths, A.; Silk, J.A. 2024
This paper combines experimental, theoretical and quantitative approaches to syntactic microvariation. The empirical goal is to clarify the situation with respect to wh-doubling (also: wh-copying... Show moreThis paper combines experimental, theoretical and quantitative approaches to syntactic microvariation. The empirical goal is to clarify the situation with respect to wh-doubling (also: wh-copying) in varieties of German and Dutch. With a large-scale survey in the German and Dutch language areas we sought to establish which speakers allow wh-doubling, which speakers allow right-complexity, i.e., configurations in which the lower copy of the wh-dependency is more complex that the higher one, and which speakers allow left-complexity, i.e., the reverse, with a more complex higher copy. We also wanted to know whether there are associations between these properties, to identify groups of speakers and dialects. We found three types of grammars: (i) a grammar that allows both wh-doubling and right- and left-complexity; (ii) a grammar that allows wh-doubling and has a strong preference for right-complexity over left-complexity; and (iii) a grammar that does not allow any wh-doubling configuration. This shows that there is a clear limit to variation in this domain. Grammars with a preference for left-complexity do not exist. We then point out the consequences of these findings for the copy theory of movement, and for analyses that enrich this theory with the option of partial deletion. Show less
The present study investigates the effectiveness of digital instructional games (DGBL) on alphabet signs (AS) and Word Learning (WL) in Persian to non-Persian-speaking children. The quasi... Show moreThe present study investigates the effectiveness of digital instructional games (DGBL) on alphabet signs (AS) and Word Learning (WL) in Persian to non-Persian-speaking children. The quasi-experimental method with a pretest-posttest design was applied to the study. Fifty-nine participants were randomly chosen from 400 students in Kalat-e Naderi, Iran. The participants were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. Descriptive and inferential (e.g., covariance) statistics were used to analyze the data. The findings revealed that DGBL significantly enhances AS and WL in Persian to non-Persian-speaking children. It is concluded that instructing AS and WL using the DGBL can improve the learners' performance in Persian learning. This conclusion may have pedagogical implications for language education programs, language instructors, and curriculum designers in academic settings. Show less
This paper follows the analysis of Vansina in analyzing colonization as an attempt to destroy and replace Africa’s autonomous cultural systems. It shows that in Botswana, this has been only... Show moreThis paper follows the analysis of Vansina in analyzing colonization as an attempt to destroy and replace Africa’s autonomous cultural systems. It shows that in Botswana, this has been only partially successful. Due to clever forms of resistance,Botswana has been able to keep part of its autonomy intact. This helps to explain the relative success the country has had. However, in the educational field, the country is now also one of the first to be confronted with the limitations that are inherent in the colonial education system. The paperargues that a gradual transition to using indigenous languages as a medium of instruction is practically possible and will become inescapable if the country wishes to reach the goals it has set for itself. In this, special attentionis needed for the speakers of Khoisan languages. Show less
This article addresses the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) through the lens of pivot template subtitling, a practice deemed logistically efficient... Show moreThis article addresses the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) through the lens of pivot template subtitling, a practice deemed logistically efficient by some and ethically suspicious by others. Drawing on (i) a critical review of 29 European codes of ethics promoted by professional translation associations and (ii) the answers to our online questionnaire on pivot subtitling (completed by 376 subtitlers based in Europe), we analyse the main concerns raised about pivot subtitling from the standpoint of access to decent work and economic growth in the AVT industry. Findings suggest that, from the professional subtitlers’ point of view, current practices in pivottemplate-centredworkflows may slow down the progress on SDG8, worsen working conditions and clash with professional codes of ethics. We end by suggesting ways to improve the use of indirect translation, so it does not hinder progress on SDG8 in the AVT industry. Show less
Progressive constructions in Germanic are usually studied as progressive constructions—that is, exclusively so. I characterize this as a top-down approach to aspect, which, I argue, harbors the... Show moreProgressive constructions in Germanic are usually studied as progressive constructions—that is, exclusively so. I characterize this as a top-down approach to aspect, which, I argue, harbors the risk of overlooking relevant language-specific structures that are similar in form and meaning. This paper, therefore, advocates taking a bottom-up approach. Based on a case study of the prepositional progressive in Dutch (aan het-progressive), I claim that this approach is of added empirical and theoretical value. Drawing on construction-based theories, the relevant patterns—dubbed situational constructions—are analyzed in terms of horizontal constructional links. Show less
The special issue on ‘The sociolinguistics of exclusion: Indexing (non)belonging in mobile communities’ delves into the phenomenon of exclusion as a means and outcome of social positioning within... Show moreThe special issue on ‘The sociolinguistics of exclusion: Indexing (non)belonging in mobile communities’ delves into the phenomenon of exclusion as a means and outcome of social positioning within diverse communities undergoing continual transformation due to social, demographic, political, and technological changes. Through empirical studies that critically engage with exclusionary discourse practices, this issue analyzes the semiotic means that social actors employ to presuppose and/or entail exclusion. Additionally, it explores the underlying ideological assumptions on which these choices are perceived, rationalized, justified, and/or contested as exclusionary. Show less
This paper describes the possible predication strategies in MakhuwaEnahara and under what circumstances each occurs. Makhuwa-Enahara (Bantu P31E) has three main copular constructions: Predicative... Show moreThis paper describes the possible predication strategies in MakhuwaEnahara and under what circumstances each occurs. Makhuwa-Enahara (Bantu P31E) has three main copular constructions: Predicative Lowering, the invariant copulas ti (affirmative) and kahi (negative), and the verbal copulas ori and okhala. It was previously posited that the choice between predication strategies depended on the syntactic type of the predicate, but further analysis shows that deference is instead given to the semantic type of the predication. The underlying structures of Makhuwa-Enahara are identical for Equation, Predication, and Identification; Specification shows a different structure, and Locative predication yet another. Predicative Lowering and the invariant copula are argued to be different spell-outs of the Pred head, depending on its raised position within the syntactic tree and whether or not the initial element of the predicate is long enough to undergo Predicative Lowering. Show less
Lier, E. van; Backus, A.; Jong, N. de; Gijn, E. van; Konrad, R.; Smit, J.; ... ; Welie, C. 2023
Dit artikel gaat na of taal- en cognitiewetenschap kan helpen bij de vorming van een objectievere en betrouwbaardere vaststelling van de mate van overeenstemming tussen tekens in het merkenrecht.... Show moreDit artikel gaat na of taal- en cognitiewetenschap kan helpen bij de vorming van een objectievere en betrouwbaardere vaststelling van de mate van overeenstemming tussen tekens in het merkenrecht. In hoeverre snijden de uitgangspunten en rechtsregels die worden gehanteerd in de rechtspraak, bekeken vanuit de wetenschap, hout? Is het wetenschappelijk te onderbouwen dat consumenten meer letten op overeenstemming dan op verschillen, en is het juist dat consumenten meer letten op het begin van woorden dan op het einde? Vervolgens wordt een relatief objectief kader voorgesteld voor het vaststellen van de mate van overeenstemminng tussen merknamen (en woorden in het algemeen). Google Translate: This article examines whether linguistic and cognitive science can help form a more objective and reliable determination of the degree of similarity between signs in trademark law. To what extent are the principles and legal rules used in case law valid, viewed from a scientific perspective? Can it be scientifically substantiated that consumers pay more attention to similarities than to differences, and is it correct that consumers pay more attention to the beginning of words than to the end? A relatively objective framework is then proposed for determining the degree of similarity between brand names (and words in general). Show less
The relationship between student performance in education and medium of instruction needs to be investigated in a systems-oriented way, comparing what educational systems are able to achieve given... Show moreThe relationship between student performance in education and medium of instruction needs to be investigated in a systems-oriented way, comparing what educational systems are able to achieve given different medium of instruction policies. This article combines data on language, medium of instruction, participation in education and effectiveness of education to propose a new categorization of educational systems: colonial systems, decolonial systems and systems in transition. It shows that there is an evolution towards decolonial systems, but that such an evolution will require a transition to indigenous languages as medium of instruction. It briefly discusses the pitfalls and possibilities of such a transition. Show less
