International Journal of Linguistics and Translation Studies

An experimental study on receiving Audio Descriptions in Iran

Javad Sagha — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Despite the growing body of research on audience satisfaction, Audio Description (AD) in Iran is still in its early stages of scientific development. Given the non-professional nature of AD production for Persian films in Iran, this research aimed to determine whether the current AD services meet users' needs and satisfaction. This study is based on a questionnaire survey of 30 blind and partially sighted individuals. The results indicate that AD services in Iran are limited to movies, revealing a significant gap between supply and demand. AD in Iran faces several challenges, including low quality, a lack of specialists, and insufficient theoretical research. From the audience's perspective, common issues include inappropriate timing, unsuitable vocabulary, subjective judgments, premature disclosure of story elements, neglect of actors' characteristics, and a disregard for standard guidelines in favour of self-made norms in descriptions. However, the existing Persian AD does help the audience understand the film's storyline. Our experimental research shows that participants prefer objective AD with detailed descriptions.

A Correlational Investigation into Master Thesis Supervisory Feedback through Online Learning Platforms: Moulay Ismail University Master Students as a Case Study

EL MEHDI EL MADANI, FATIMAZAHRAE MOUASSINE, MOUNYA M'RABTI, Abdelhakim El Moene — Wed, 19 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Many universities and other higher education institutions in Morocco are realizing that distance learning is an advantageous alternative for traditional education. Online research supervision has also been found to play a critical role in the process of conducting research. Research suggests that online supervisory feedback improves the process of research more than that taking place in face-to-face settings. However, many Moroccan university graduate students have encountered numerous challenges in adapting to online learning platforms and successfully receiving feedback on their research theses. The present study aims at investigating the interrelationship between master students’ thesis supervisory feedback through online learning platforms and their achievement. Data were collected from 30 university graduates at the school of Arts and Human Sciences in Meknes. We employed a cross-sectional survey to explore students’ attitudes towards different characteristics of supervisory feedback. We also measured their research achievement by analyzing their research thesis scores. The findings suggest that there is a significant relationship between students’ thesis supervisory feedback through online learning platforms and their achievement. However, the results also revealed that online research supervision can be limited when no technical instructions and trainings are provided to both the supervisor and supervisee. Our findings suggest some implications for both university research supervisors and the institutions. Supervisors need to engage more in online research supervision as it has been found to play a significant role in enhancing the quality of research. Technical support should be provided for both research supervisors and students to facilitate their engagement in the supervision and research processes.

The Femme Fatale in Text and Image: Analyzing Gender, Power, and Representation in Rudyard Kipling’s “The Vampire” and Philip Burne-Jones’s Painting

Chiung-Ying Huang — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This paper examines the connection between Rudyard Kipling’s poem “The Vampire” (1897) and Philip Burne-Jones’s painting of the same title, focusing on their portrayal of femininity and the interaction between text and image. Kipling’s poem, often viewed as a response to Burne-Jones’s depiction of actress Mrs. Patrick Campbell, presents a warning about the destructive allure of female beauty, highlighting themes of male disillusionment and betrayal. Burne-Jones’s painting emphasizes the femme fatale figure, portraying a sexually dominant woman overpowering a helpless man. Both works suggest that beauty conceals danger, leading to male ruin. Using Foucauldian and feminist frameworks, the paper critiques the politics of representation, arguing that the portrayal of women often reflects patriarchal anxieties, reducing them to passive objects in male-dominated visual culture. Critics like Linda Nochlin and Griselda Pollock are cited to challenge these depictions. The paper concludes that the female vampire theme reflects cultural fantasies rather than truths about femininity, contributing to ongoing discussions on how art and literature shape gender perceptions.

University Students ‘Attitudes toward the Use of Moroccan Arabic and/or Standard Arabic as a Language of Instruction in the Moroccan Educational System Mohammed Rezzaki

Mohammed REZZAKI — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The language of instruction is a very debatable issue in Morocco. It is rooted in the Moroccan history since colonization period .It has been controversial during the arabization process which has promoted Standard Arabic (SA) as a language of instruction .In recent years, many voices have risen either to question this process in or to support it. Many attitudes have been raised owing to the historical and current factors that surround this issue. The majority of these attitudes are based on theoretical framework, which has become inadequate way of scientific study, especially in a topic like the langue of instruction. This paper tries to cast light on these attitudes and attempts to construct the grounds from empirical fieldwork trough the use of observation and a questionnaire. The informants are 80 university students of English studies and Islamic studies. The main findings lie in the gap between theoretical and empirical research, the necessity of SA use as a language of instruction in many fields, such as: Islamic studies, the possibility of using reduced Arabic in other domains.

An Exploration of Lexical Collocations Employed in EFL Students’ Essay Writing

Trang Nguyen — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This study investigates the use of different types of lexical collocations and common errors made related to these collocations in essay writing. The participants included EFL students who wrote an essay as a class writing test in 60 minutes. A 5-level Likert close-ended survey questionnaire was designed to collect quantitative data regarding students’ perceptions of the categories of lexical collocations they have used and the difficulties they have encountered in using these. To get qualitative data for the study, students’ essays were then analyzed to identify errors related to different categories of lexical collocations. The results revealed that adjective-noun collocations were the most frequently used by the participants while lexical collocations related to adverbs were used least frequently. Errors related to the morpheme -s such as the omission of morpheme -s in plural nouns and overuse of morpheme -s in singular or uncountable nouns were most commonly made by students, followed by the wrong choice of component words and non-existent lexical collocations. Pedagogical implications are then discussed to assist students in enhancing collocational use in essay writing.

Learning English Conversational skills with collaborative learning: A case in a Taiwanese University

Chunying Wang — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Taiwanese students begin learning English in primary school, but most of them are not able to fluently communicate in English. The present study employs a collaborative learning activity in an experiment to investigate its influence on 106 Taiwanese non-English major freshmen’s learning situation for English speaking and listening. Data were collected by observing students’ learning behaviours in both the experimental and control groups for a term, their pre-test and post-test scores, and a questionnaire survey. From these observations, the experimental group participants transitioned to have more active learning behaviours than the control group by the end of the term. The statistical results show that studying with collaborative learning can promote learners’ communicative competence. Furthermore, all participants gave positive feedback on the course arrangement, but the experimental group participants indicated a significantly stronger attitude towards the collaboration experience. Having more opportunities to practice speaking and listening to English, the participants received the language more favourably after learning it using collaborative learning.

Bridging the Intercultural Divide: Sensitivity and Competence in Moroccan EFL Classrooms

Mohammed Haddaoui, Mohammed El Messaoudi, Hicham Fatmi, Hicham Laabidi — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Globalisation has thrust English into the spotlight as a lingua franca and amplified ELT calls to prioritise intercultural communication. Still, there is a crucial gap when it comes to giving teachers the Intercultural Communication Sensitivity (ICS) they need to help their students develop Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC).This study examines the Intercultural Communication Sensitivity (ICS) of Moroccan English as Foreign Language (EFL) teachers. The research investigates the gap between language proficiency and Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC). The study surveyed 39 EFL teachers using the AISS. Key results reveal that they possess robust ICS, which enable them to engage respectfully and openly with people from different cultures. The study also explored potential factors influencing ICS, such as age, gender, and experience in English-speaking countries. More importantly, no significant correlation was found between Total Sensitivity and Socio-demographic Factors. The results send a clear message to stakeholders that the Moroccan context is conducive to developing Intercultural Competence Sensitivity.

Between the Harem and Feminism: The Translation and Circulation of Arab Women Novelists

Salaheddine BEKKAOUI — Sun, 03 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This article critically examines the translation and circulation of literary works authored by Arab women novelists in the 1990s, a period marked by an unprecedented surge in the translation of Arabic-gendered fiction. Through the critiques of Michel Hartman and Marilyn Booth, it aims to shed light on the intricate interplay between translation and gender. Moreover, it probes how the translation and distribution of Arab women's fiction are entwined with the complex politics of Orientalism and frequently shaped by the dynamics of white Western feminism. The study explores the opportunities and challenges encountered by Arab women writers to gain international recognition and the extent to which translation can serve as a medium for their voices to resonate across cultural and linguistic boundaries. Central to the analysis is an exploration of power dynamics inherent in the selection, translation, and promotion of Arabic women writers, taking into account the influence of Western literary markets and feminist discourses. By scrutinizing the contributions of translators and publishers, the research underscores how feminist principles shape the visibility and reception of Arabic-gendered literature on a global scale.

Teacher's Perception Towards Introducing English Language from First Grade

Wafa Althobaiti — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The importance of English language education as a foreign language (FL) is growing significantly in today's globalized technological world, preparing young children to achieve a high level of social integration and language proficiency. Since English has spread widely internationally, many countries teach English at the elementary level to remain competitive in a global economy and to advance individual and national development. This study examines teachers' perceptions of teaching English to first-grade students. It will be evaluating the opportunities, strengths, and weaknesses of the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) program for first-grade students in Saudi Arabian schools. It will also identify differences between teachers' perceptions of teaching needs. The study relies on the questionnaire as the primary quantitative instrument to gather the data. Results confirm that teachers were outstandingly supportive and agreed with teaching a foreign language in first grade. Regarding the second theme of opportunities, strengths, and weaknesses of the EFL program for first graders in Saudi Arabia, many teachers expected opportunities and improvement for the EFL students in the future. The participants showed an urgent need for either educational courses or the appointment of specialized teachers to teach first-grade

Analysis of Three Beauties Theory in Xu Yuanchong’s English Translation of Classical Chinese Love Poems

Ding Duczek — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This study explores Xu Yuanchong’s Three Beauties Theory and its manifestation in translating Classical Chinese love poems into English. The Three Beauties Theory emphasizes achieving beauty in meaning, sound, and form to preserve the original’s aesthetic and emotional depth. Using a qualitative approach, the study examines five of Xu’s translated poems selected to represent these three facets. Data were drawn from Xu’s published translations, and thematic analysis was applied to evaluate how well his work maintains the nuanced, poetic qualities of the source material. The results of the analysis reveal both the strengths and limitations of the Three Beauties Theory in capturing the original poems’ cultural resonance and artistic integrity. The findings of this study highlight Xu Yuanchong's Three Beauties theory as a significant method in cross-cultural literary communication and a valuable framework for future translators to bridge linguistic and cultural gaps while retaining the artistic integrity of classical poetry.

Intercultural Communicative Competence and the Moroccan Sense of Belonging: A Comparative Study

Amina Radouani, Abdennour Kharraki — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In any teaching context, two significant variables to examine are students’ intercultural communicative competence (ICC) and their sense of belonging (SOB). Despite the many research attempts that have tackled these two variables separately, they have rarely been combined in one single study, especially in the Moroccan context. Following this aim, the current study investigated the relationship between the two previous variables among the students of two master programs: Applied Language Studies (ALS) running at the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences in Meknes, and Religious Diplomacy (RD) at the faculty of Chariaa in Fez. To collect data, two different tests were adopted: the first test assessed the participants’ intercultural communicative competence, while the second measured their Moroccan sense of belonging. To compare the two groups of respondents, the scores obtained from the two tests were analyzed using, in addition to a mean comparison t-test, Pearson’s test of correlation. The results revealed an average level of ICC and SOB, along with a significant correlation between the two key variables for both the ALS and RD cohorts.

Enhancing Students' Trust in Peer Feedback: The Critical Role of the Preparation Phase

Abdelaziz AIT TALEB — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Feedback plays a pivotal role in language acquisition and writing skill development. Despite its effectiveness in some contexts, traditional teacher-to-student assessment faces considerable limitations, particularly in large higher education classrooms where personalized feedback is scarce. In such settings, peer feedback has emerged as a viable and promising alternative. However, student scepticism towards its effectiveness presents a significant obstacle to its broader adoption. Negative attitudes, often rooted in doubts about peers’ competence or the value of their comments, can undermine the potential benefits of peer review. This paper revisits the findings of a quasi-experimental study conducted among 60 first-year students at Ibn Zohr University in Agadir, Morocco, which examined the impact of peer reviewing on writing development. A follow-up survey was employed to assess participants’ levels of trust in the feedback provided by peers. Based on the findings of this survey and their implications within the context of the study, this paper aims to offer pedagogical recommendations for improving the adoption and success of peer feedback through initial peer review training. Effective trust-building strategies are discussed, focusing on two fundamental types: communication trust and competence trust.

Empowering Learner Autonomy: EFL Teachers' Perspectives and Classroom Dynamics

Tarik ElFalih, Latifa Lamrani-Hassani — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In the last thirty years, learner autonomy (LA) has become a pivotal notion in language teaching, profoundly transforming instructional methodologies (Benson, 2011). The shift from behaviourist techniques, such as audiolingualism, to communicative methods has emphasised the importance of students taking responsibility for their learning. The viewpoints of educators, especially in public education, remain little examined, despite extensive research highlighting the advantages of Learning Analytics for language acquisition and lifetime learning. This paper examines the learning strategies utilised by English as a Foreign Language (EFL) professors in Moroccan institutions to foster language acquisition and their viewpoints on the matter. This study utilises both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. The data were collected via semi-structured interviews and classroom observations done with a purposive sample of Moroccan EFL instructors. The interviews examined the obstacles instructors encounter in fostering autonomy, the importance they attribute to learner autonomy, and their understanding of learner autonomy. Classroom observations clarified the practical application of LA techniques, enabling a study that links teachers' views with their teaching methods. The study aims to provide enhancements for pedagogical methods and to elucidate how classroom dynamics influence the advancement of LA. The findings enhance the understanding of teachers' responsibilities in promoting autonomy, therefore addressing a gap in the research about teacher perspectives in language education.

Enhancing Writing Accuracy and Complexity through AI-Assisted Tools among Moroccan EFL University Learners

Abdessatar Azennoud — Sun, 17 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The present study investigates the effectiveness of the use of AI-powered tools, such as ChatGPT and Grammarly, in improving writing accuracy and complexity among Moroccan University English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. Since education in the 21st century has undergone radical and rapid changing landscape due to the advancement and integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI), there is a pressing need in examining its potential impact on language learning, particularly in enhancing the complexity and accuracy of the writing skill. Numerous studies were carried out on the impact of AI-powered tools on writing in general, but a few of them were conducted on the impact of these tools on particular writing subskills, like accuracy and complexity; hence this piece of research attempts to fill this gap. The study employs a quantitative design, administering a Likert-scale questionnaire to Moroccan University EFL learners to assess how their use of AI-powered tools influences writing accuracy and complexity. The findings revealed a positive impact on writing accuracy and complexity among Moroccan EFL learners, resulting in the production of complex syntactic structures and error-free constructions. This improvement primarily stems from the AI-powered tools' ability to provide personalized feedback and foster self-directed learning. Interestingly, the study also showed a strong positive correlation between accuracy and complexity, indicating that improvement in one aspect leads to improvement in the other. Such results serve as a trigger for decision-makers, including curriculum designers, to properly integrate AI in education for reinforcing writing instruction and support EFL learners in their language learning development.

Teaching Legal Translation from Intercultural Communication Perspectives: Challenges and Proposed Recommendations

Thanh-Huong Nhac — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In the international integration era, intercultural communication has become an integral part fostering the globalization process. As a means of communication intermediary within different parts of the world, translation should not only communicate the original message but also support the understanding among partners. Teaching translation from intercultural communication perspectives, therefore, has attracted the attention of educators. This current study endeavors to ascertain the challenges of teaching translation in a context of a Vietnamese law school from the perspective of intercultural communication. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven lecturers of translation to clarify their views on teaching translation during the second semester of the academic year 2023-2024. Interestingly, the result acknowledges the obstacles concerning learners’ insufficient knowledge, their neglect of culture and interculture importance, teaching materials and teaching methods. Based on such findings, several recommendations in terms of raising learners’ awareness, improving teaching content and materials as well as teaching methods were made with the hope of enhancing the teaching and learning translation process in the context of global intercultural communication.