Research Journal in Translation, Literature, Linguistics, and Education
The Research Journal in Translation, Literature, Linguistics, and Education (RJTLLE) is an international, peer-reviewed, open-access journal published by Scientific-Board LLC. The journal is committed to advancing high-quality, interdisciplinary research across the humanities and education. RJTLLE provides a global platform for scholars, educators, researchers, and policymakers to share innovative work that bridges translation, language, literature, and education within multilingual, multicultural, and digital contexts. The journal places strong emphasis on methodological rigor, theoretical contribution, and practical impact, ensuring that published research remains relevant to both academic and professional communities. Aims & Scope RJTLLE publishes original research at the intersection of translation studies, linguistics, literary studies, and education, with a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation. Interdisciplinary Focus The journal promotes research that connects: Language and education Translation and technology Literature and cultural studies Linguistics and pedagogy Methodological Scope RJTLLE welcomes diverse research approaches, including: Qualitative research Quantitative research Mixed-methods studies Experimental and empirical research Theoretical and conceptual papers Systematic reviews and meta-analyses Focus Areas Translation Studies Literary Studies Linguistics Education and Applied Pedagogy Digital Humanities Language Technologies Article Types RJTLLE publishes: Original Research Articles Review Articles Case Studies Short Communications Theoretical and Conceptual Papers Peer Review Process RJTLLE follows a rigorous double-blind peer review process to ensure academic integrity and quality. Review Process: Initial editorial screening Assignment to expert reviewers Double-blind peer review Editorial decision and revisions Average review time: 4–6 weeks Average publication time: 6–8 weeks Ethics & Publication Standards RJTLLE adheres to international publishing standards and follows the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) including authorship criteria, conflict of interest disclosures, and policies to detect and prevent plagiarism. Plagiarism screening tools i.e. iThenticate, TurnitIn Conflict of interest disclosure Ethical authorship criteria AI-use transparency Open Access & Licensing RJTLLE is a fully open-access journal. All articles are freely available immediately upon publication without subscription or registration barriers. Authors retain copyright and publish under: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ This license allows: Sharing and redistribution Adaptation and reuse (including commercial use) Maximum global dissemination with proper attribution Indexing and Abstracting RJTLLE is indexed and/or discoverable in: Google Scholar Crossref BASE PKP Index LOCKSS / CLOCKSS JournalTOCs Applications in Progress DOAJ OpenAIRE Scopus Web of Science (ESCI) Archiving & Preservation RJTLLE ensures long-term digital preservation through LOCKSS and CLOCKSS archival systems to ensure the long-term preservation and accessibility of its content. All articles are assigned Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) via Crossref to ensure permanent accessibility and citation. Metadata & Discoverability All articles include machine-readable metadata compliant with OAI-PMH and Dublin Core standards, enabling indexing in global scholarly databases and repositories. RJTLLE is committed to promoting inclusive, diverse, and globally representative scholarship. The journal encourages submissions from underrepresented regions and supports equitable participation in academic publishing. Article Metrics & Impact RJTLLE provides article-level metrics, including citation counts and online engagement statistics, enabling authors to track the impact and reach of their work. The journal’s commitment to accessibility and visibility ensures that research published in RJTLLE reaches a global audience. Transparency & Privacy Statement RJTLLE values the privacy of its contributors, readers, and reviewers. The personal information provided during submission or communication is safeguarded and used solely for academic purposes in accordance with strict confidentiality policies. History & Mission Under Scientific-Board LLC, The Research Journal in Translation, Literature, Linguistics, and Education (RJTLLE) has established itself as a trusted forum for scholarly communication and an advocate for interdisciplinary dialogue in the humanities. Its mission is to bridge gaps between disciplines and to contribute to the advancement of knowledge, critical thinking, and practical applications in translation, literature, linguistics, and education. Years of Establishment: 2025 Frequency: Four Issues per year (Quarterly) Online ISSN: 3067-6290 Print ISSN: 3068-8450 Why Publish with RJTLLE Global visibility and discoverability Immediate open access Rigorous peer review Fast publication (Online First) DOI assignment via Crossref No Article Processing Charges (APCs currently waived) Call for Papers We welcome high-quality, original research that promotes innovation, critical thinking, and academic excellence across disciplines for our upcoming issues and special themes. Authors are invited to submit their work through our convenient online submission portal or via email at editor@scientific-board.com Subject Classification RJTLLE aligns with the Scopus All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) system in the following areas: Language and Linguistics (1203) Literature and Literary Theory (1202) Education (3304) Cultural Studies (1208) Artificial Intelligence (1702) Information Systems (3310) The Research Journal in Translation, Literature, Linguistics, and Education (RJTLLE) continues to empower scholars, inspire innovation, and promote equitable access to knowledge. Through rigorous peer review and strong ethical standards, the journal remains committed to excellence in academic publishing. For submissions, queries, and further information, authors can contact the editorial office via email at editor@scientific-board.com or visit the journal's website at www.scientific-board.com/rjtlle
Copyright © {year} The Author(s). This article is published in the Research Journal in Translation, Literature, Linguistics, and Education (RJTLLE) and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and the source are properly credited, a link to the license is provided, and any changes made are indicated. License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Students’ dependence on machine translation and their manual translation competence in translating descriptive texts
This study is based on the increasing use of Machine Translation, particularly Google Translate and DeepL, in translation activities among EFL students. The ease and speed offered by these tools encourage students to use them frequently, which may affect their manual translation competence development. This study aimed to investigate students’ dependence on Machine Translation, their manual translation competence in translating a descriptive text, and the relationship between these two aspects. The participants of this study were 15 third-semester students from the English Education Study Program at Universitas HKBP Nommensen Pematangsiantar. Data were collected through a questionnaire on students’ dependence on Machine Translation and a manual translation test. In the translation test, students were asked to translate a descriptive text entitled “Universitas HKBP Nommensen Pematangsiantar.” Manual translations were assessed based on accuracy, vocabulary, and clarity. The data were descriptively analyzed using tables, percentages, and graphs. The findings show that students have a relatively high level of dependence on MT. Meanwhile, students’ manual translation competence was at a moderate level, with an average score of 59.1%, in which clarity was the strongest aspect and accuracy the weakest. In comparison, translations produced using Machine Translation achieved higher results, with an average score of 81.7%. However, the Machine Translation results were used only as supporting data for comparison. These findings indicate that Machine Translation can assist the translation process, but excessive dependence may hinder the development of students’ manual translation competence.
machine translation, Google Translate, DeepL, translation competence, EFL students
Copyright (c) 2026 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Enhancing elementary students' science learning outcomes through audiovisual instructional media: A pre-experimental investigation
The integration of instructional media has become increasingly important in promoting meaningful learning experiences and improving students' academic achievement, particularly in elementary science education. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of audiovisual instructional media in enhancing fifth-grade students' science learning outcomes. A quantitative approach employing a pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design was adopted. The participants consisted of 26 fifth-grade students from SD Negeri 122381 Bane Pematangsiantar, Indonesia. Prior to the main study, the research instrument underwent validity, reliability, item difficulty, and discrimination analyses to ensure its quality. The findings indicated that 20 of the 25 multiple-choice items met the validity criteria, while the reliability coefficient (Cronbach's Alpha = 0.978) demonstrated excellent internal consistency. Students' learning achievement was measured through pretest and posttest assessments administered before and after the implementation of audiovisual instructional media. The descriptive analysis revealed that the mean pretest score increased from 53.8 to 85.2 in the posttest. Furthermore, inferential statistical analysis using SPSS showed a statistically significant difference between students' pretest and posttest scores (Sig. (2-tailed) = 0.000 < 0.05), indicating that the instructional intervention significantly improved students' science learning outcomes. These findings suggest that audiovisual instructional media provide meaningful visual and auditory learning experiences that enhance students' engagement, conceptual understanding, and overall academic achievement in elementary science classrooms. Therefore, integrating audiovisual media into science instruction is recommended as an effective pedagogical strategy for improving learning quality and promoting active classroom participation.
audiovisual instructional media; science learning; elementary education; learning outcomes
Artificial intelligence and multilingual pedagogy: Transforming language education in higher learning
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the most significant developments in 21st century language teaching in higher education. The rsearch reviews the use of AI tools such as natural language processing (NLP), machine translation, conversational agents and adaptive learning systems in multilingual university pedagogy in the context of global universities and colleges. The paper analyzes and synthesizes empirical studies, theoretical approaches, and institutional case analyses of the last 17 years (2008-2024) regarding the use of AI technologies in the field of second and foreign language (L2/FL) learning and their potential for cross-linguistic transfer and equity issues in multilingual learning settings. The research highlights three key themes: (1) the proven efficacy of AI feedback loops in enhancing language acquisition speed; (2) the possibility of AI supporting culturally responsive and inclusive teaching and learning; and (3) the continued ethical and structural challenges, such as algorithmic bias, digital divide, and data privacy, in the implementation of AI in equitable ways. This paper integrates and summarizes the results from 25 sources to present an AI-Pedagogy Integration Framework (APIF) for higher education language programs, and provides evidence-based recommendations for language program practitioners and policy-makers. The paper argues that although AI offers promise for multilingual education, the potential impact of AI is only realized in intentional, human-centered pedagogical designs.
Language Technologies & Artificial Intelligence
LSP translation challenges: The case of disruptive technologies discourse
Against a backdrop of shortage of studies on the discourse of disruptive technologies (including artificial intelligence, data science, and blockchain), especially from an English-French contrastive perspective, this paper seeks to explore the main characteristics of such a specialized language and examine some of the many translation challenges it hauls. The database for our study is a bilingual comparable corpus made up of original texts by domain specialists, consisting of some five million words, and built following principles of creating corpora for terminology and translation purposes (Gamallo, 2019; Sharoff et al., 2013). Our findings show that the disruptive technologies discourse is characterized by features such as the prevalence of lexical economy and synonymy, as well as the use of metaphor and metonymy in terms formation. Moreover, this study addresses some of the many translation challenges of the domain while suggesting tips for outstanding others.
specialized language, disruptive technologies, translation challenges, terminology
Subaltern counter-narrative pedagogy: A cross-cultural discourse framework for transformative ELT
The representation of marginalized voices in literary traditions offers valuable possibilities for language pedagogy. Epic and dramatic texts frequently privilege dominant perspectives, while alternative voices remain suppressed or framed negatively. This study proposes a Subaltern Counter-Narrative Pedagogy as a cross-cultural discourse framework for English Language Teaching. The research examines Valmiki's Ramayana, Anand Neelakantan's Asura: Tale of the Vanquished, Aeschylus' Prometheus Bound, and Percy Bysshe Shelley's Prometheus Unbound through qualitative comparative discourse analysis. The analysis identifies patterns of authority, resistance, and narrative inversion across Eastern and Western traditions. The findings indicate that subaltern discourse challenges hegemonic structures and reconstructs moral hierarchies. Based on this analysis, the study develops a pedagogical framework that integrates counter-narratives into ELT classrooms. The proposed model encourages critical literacy, intercultural awareness, and reflective engagement with language. The framework demonstrates that cross-cultural subaltern narratives can function as effective tools for transformative language learning. This study contributes an original pedagogical model that combines discourse analysis, comparative literature, and critical pedagogy for ELT practice.
subaltern discourse, ELT pedagogy, cross-cultural learning, counter-narratives, critical literacy
Posthumanist urbanism: Nonhuman perspectives in Jane Smiley’s Perestroika in Paris (2020)
Urban literature has traditionally reinforced species hierarchies by portraying cities as exclusively human spaces and animals as either symbolic figures or marginal presences. Jane Smiley’s Perestroika in Paris (2020) disrupts this anthropocentric structure by placing sentient nonhuman characters at the centre of the narrative. Through the escaped racehorse Perestroika, the raven Frida, and the dog Paras, the novel explores how nonhuman beings actively navigate, inhabit, and ethically reshape the modern city. This paper examines how Smiley unsettles species hierarchies by granting animals narrative perspective, agency, and relational subjectivity. Taking a reference of Cary Wolfe’s critique of humanist subjectivity, Peter Singer’s principle of equal consideration of interests, Kari Weil’s emphasis on animal vulnerability, and Donna Haraway’s concept of companion species, the analysis demonstrates that the novel moves beyond mere representation to perform a posthumanist intervention. In Smiley’s re-imagined Paris, the city is no longer a bounded human domain but a multi-species contact zone where boundaries between human and nonhuman, nature and culture, and reason and instinct are actively contested. By foregrounding nonhuman sensory experience and interspecies alliances without falling into reductive anthropomorphism, Smiley reveals the ethical limitations of anthropocentric urban planning and social organisation. The mare’s quiet claim to urban freedom and her tentative bonds with other animals and humans gesture toward an alternative ethics of coexistence grounded in shared vulnerability and mutual recognition. Ultimately, the novel challenges readers to reconsider the moral and political implications of species hierarchies in contemporary urban life and to imagine more inclusive forms of belonging that extend ethical consideration across species lines.
Dark cities and toxic growth: Environmental politics in The White Tiger
Exhaustion and unthinkable destruction of the natural world resulted from the misuse and contamination of natural resources, which were fuelled by exponential industrial growth and a materialistic attitude toward global dominance. Ecological devastation, biodiversity loss, and climate change as a result of increased industrialization are no longer hypothetical issues in the current global environment (Beck 2008). Whether understood through the frameworks of the Anthropocene or the Capitalocene, there are various planetary threats affecting not only a particular geographical region, but the whole world, endangering both human and non-human lives. In addition, it has been critically observed that human day-to-day life activities toward the environment have a direct and extensive negative impact on the health of the planet, which depends on the lustiness of its surrounding ecosystems and the various species that inhabit them. Here comes a dire need to protect our environment through sustainable development, which certainly refers to a better path of establishing a fruitful and symbiotic relationship amongst living, non-living and the natural world. Ecological disasters are manmade disasters such as different nuclear wars, air pollution, water pollution, population explosion, as well as depletion of valuable natural resources. Writers like Aravind Adiga has performed a significant role in arousing environmental and ecocritical concerns through his literary creation. The human association with the green nature is the central aspect of ecocriticism; however, the political aspects towards ecocriticism should be addressed with critical analysis through which the role of government and political perspective will be explored. This research paper will explore the political ecocritical perspective of The White Tiger.
ecocriticism, environment, ecological disaster, politics, political ecocriticism
VoxLit: A computational tool with literary data for active and passive voice mastery at Eastern University, Sri Lanka
Proficiency in active and passive voice is a fundamental requirement of English language education for first-year language students at Eastern University, Sri Lanka (EUSL), particularly in their core subjects “Advanced Grammar” and “Literature in English”. Mastery of these structures is essential for academic precision and the analytical comprehension of literary texts. However, traditional pedagogical methods like rote memorization and manual exercises often lack the immediate feedback and engagement necessary for deep learning, revealing a gap in the integration of computational technology for grammatical instruction. This study investigates the efficacy of computational tools in comparison with conventional approaches in teaching and testing grammatical voice. To reinforce language competence and literary familiarity, the research incorporates sentences from prescribed grammar texts and literary works, including short stories, poems, and novels. Adopting a mixed-methods approach that integrates quantitative performance data with qualitative error analysis and learner observation, the study sampled 20 first-year students from the Department of Languages at EUSL. Participants underwent a traditional pre-test to establish baseline proficiency before interacting with “VoxLit”, a researcher-developed computational tool designed to analyze and evaluate the grammatical voice structures within literary contexts. A post-test conducted using the tool revealed markedly higher accuracy rates, indicating improved retention, superior error correction, and stronger application skills compared to pre-test results. These findings underscore the effectiveness of technology-enhanced grammar instruction and advocate for the integration of computational tools into language curricula. Such innovation aligns with contemporary educational paradigms and offers significant potential for adoption at EUSL and similar higher education institutions.
EUSL, active and passive voice, grammatical proficiency, literary data, traditional methods, computational tools
Reimagining speaking skill development through digital edutainment: A mixed-method study
The rapid expansion of digital technologies has significantly transformed language pedagogy, particularly in the development of speaking skills among learners at the tertiary level. Traditional teacher-centered methods often fail to address learners’ anxiety, lack of engagement, and limited real-life communicative exposure. In this context, edutainment, an integration of education and entertainment, emerges as a promising pedagogical approach that blends meaningful learning with interactive activities. This study reimagines speaking skill development through carefully designed edutainment activities supported by digital tools and AI-enabled applications. Drawing upon classroom-based practices and recent trends in technology-assisted language learning, the paper explores how gamified tasks, role-play simulations, storytelling applications, and AI-driven feedback systems can foster fluency, confidence, and communicative competence. The study argues that digital edutainment not only enhances motivation but also creates low-anxiety environments in which learners can experiment with language more freely. By situating speaking instruction within engaging and technology-rich contexts, educators can bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and authentic communication. The findings highlight the transformative potential of integrating digital edutainment into speaking pedagogy, particularly for contemporary learners navigating hybrid and online learning spaces.
speaking skills, learners, edutainment, digital learning activities, artificial intelligence, language pedagogy, technology-enhanced language learning
Developing smartphone-based learning application to support students’ autonomous learning for junior high school level
In today’s digital era, the integration of mobile technology into English learning has become an essential learning medium for EFL students. Therefore, the study is intended to develop a smartphone-based learning application to support students’ autonomous learning for junior high school level. The study employs research & development (R & D) with the steps: need analysis and problem identification, designing and implementing products, and product evaluation. The data was collected through interviews for need analysis, expert validation, and questionnaires from 3 English lecturers and 28 seventh-grade students for field testing. Data were gathered following the ADDIE Model steps. The research findings showed that the implementation of a smartphone-based learning application proved effective and valid. The average ratings for the feasibility assessment by media and material specialists were 4.73 and 4.77, respectively, and were both classified as very feasible. The average practicality score was 4.10. This suggests that the application is viable. Students' answers also demonstrate that the activities help them understand descriptive passages, the content is presented effectively, and the application is visually appealing. Therefore, the developed application is effective as a learning tool for supporting autonomous learning of descriptive text material and is practicable in terms of content, media, and practicality. The English teachers are recommended to use this app in the learning process to support the students’ autonomous learning in the classroom.
The translation of culture-specific items in children’s literature from English into Sepedi
Translation of children’s literature is challenging especially when it comes to culture specific items. So far little is known about what role culture-specific items play in the translation of English into Sepedi when it comes to children’s literature. Such knowledge is critical in preserving the original meaning of a text that is to be translated. This study aimed to explore the translation strategies that are applied by Sepedi translators when translating culture-specific items found in children’s literature from English into Sepedi. The study followed a qualitative research approach, where a case study research design was adopted. The study selected 10 cultural items from the story book, Charlie, and the chocolate factory,through a purpose sampling strategy. Data was collected through two methods; semi-structured interviews and document analysis. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The study used the Skopos Theory to frame the analysis and interpretation of the data. The study found that the translators were faced with the difficulty of finding translation equivalents or using the correct strategy, in order to preserve the meaning of the text. Additionally, the results showed that Baker’s (2018) translation by cultural substitution and translation using a loan word or loan word plus explanation are used by the translators. Again, the study found that translation challenges encountered with culture-specific items inclined that there is a great need for a wider knowledge of the source language culture. The study concludes by advising translators to apply effective translation strategies when translating culture-specific items.
children’s literature, culture-specific items, Sepedi, translation strategies, translators
A journey of life: Navigating cultural differences between Indonesian and American contexts
In this Autoethnography, the researcher investigates a complex interaction between two cultures, Indonesian and American, with the aim of delving deeper into the researcher's personal experience of the cultural diversity of both cultures and exploring the complexities and diverse cultural landscapes and how these differences can be overcome. This autoethnography represents the way discovery of how I navigate the cultural clash between Indonesians and Americans contexts as the result of my experience working with American NGO for the first time. This autoethnography study narrates the story of how communication skills and cultural sensitivity hold prior aspects to navigate the differences by reflecting on the experience.
Myth, magic and metaphysical alterity in Ayanna Lloyd Banwo’s When We Were Birds
Contemporary Caribbean literature frequently revisits ancestral memory, folklore, and indigenous spiritual traditions as means of interrogating the enduring effects of colonialism and cultural displacement. Ayanna Lloyd Banwo’s novel When We Were Birds (2022) exemplifies this literary tendency through its engagement with Afro-Caribbean cosmology, oral storytelling, and beliefs surrounding death and the afterlife. This paper examines how Banwo employs myth, magic, and metaphysical alterity to challenge colonial forms of othering and to recover marginalized cultural epistemologies. Drawing on postcolonial perspectives on cultural memory, hybridity, and resistance, the study undertakes a close textual analysis of the novel’s major characters, Yejide and Emmanuel, alongside its representations of ancestral spirits, oral traditions, and sacred landscapes. The analysis demonstrates that Banwo reimagines death not as a finality but as a continuum connecting the living and the dead, while simultaneously validating Afro-Caribbean spiritual practices such as Orisha and Obeah traditions. The novel further reveals how storytelling, memory, and inherited beliefs function as mechanisms of cultural survival and resistance against colonial erasure. The study concludes that When We Were Birds transforms myth and folklore into powerful modes of reclaiming identity, preserving collective memory, and affirming alternative ways of knowing within contemporary Caribbean literature.
Ayanna Lloyd Banwo, Caribbean literature, Afro-Caribbean cosmology, myth, oral tradition, cultural memory, postcolonial resistance, metaphysical alterity
Digital literature: Hypertext, interactive narratives, and the future of storytelling
The rapid advancement of digital technologies has profoundly reshaped literary production, circulation, and reception, giving rise to what is now widely termed digital literature. Unlike print-based or merely digitized texts, digital literature is often born digital, relying on computational processes, hyperlinks, multimedia elements, and reader interaction for its meaning making. This research paper examines digital literature with particular emphasis on hypertext fiction and interactive narratives, exploring how these forms challenge linear storytelling, destabilize traditional notions of authorship, and reposition the reader as an active participant in narrative construction. Drawing upon poststructuralist theory, reader-response criticism, and media studies, the paper analyzes the formal characteristics of digital narratives, including non-linearity, multimodality, and reader agency. It further investigates the pedagogical implications of digital literature in contemporary education, arguing that digital storytelling fosters critical thinking, digital literacy, and collaborative learning. While acknowledging criticisms related to narrative fragmentation, accessibility, and technological obsolescence, the study contends that digital literature represents a legitimate and evolving literary form. Ultimately, the paper argues that hypertext and interactive narratives are not marginal experiments but central to understanding the future of storytelling in an increasingly networked and participatory culture.
Enhancing employability through business communication and translation skills in higher education
In the current globalized and competitive job market, higher education institutions are increasingly expected to equip students with employability-oriented skills. Among these, business communication and translation skills play an important role in enhancing graduates’ professional competence and workplace readiness. This paper examines the significance of business communication and translation skills in higher education and their impact on student’s employability. It examines how effective communication supports professional interactions, while translation skills facilitate cross-cultural understanding and international business operations. Using a descriptive research approach, the study draws on both primary data collected from students and faculty and secondary data such as academic and curriculum documents. The findings reveal that the combination of business communication and translation training in higher education curriculum improves students’ confidence, adaptability, and employment prospects. This study concludes that incorporating these skills into academic programs can bridge the gap between education and industry expectations and contribute significantly to graduate employability. It follows a descriptive design with a sample of 240 respondents.
business communication, cross-cultural communication, globalized job market, higher education, employability, translation skills, curriculum, professional confidence
Bridging the hermeneutic gap: A qualitative and socio-linguistic analysis of maritime law translation for artisanal fishing communities in coastal Bangladesh
The paper examines the linguistic and structural barriers of the artisanal Bangladesh coastal fishing people and their knowledge of maritime laws that are Bangladesh Maritime Zones Act (BMZA) 2019 and Marine Fisheries Act (MFA) 2020. We employed interpretive qualitative research design in order to investigate these barriers. In-Depth Interviews (IDIs) of 15 respondents (community fishers and community elders) and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) of 5 strategic respondents (fisheries officials and NGO workers) were simulated. The study has been conducted in the district of Moheshkhali Upazila that is highly dependent in fishing where Chattogram dialect is predominantly spoken. We have correlated low functional literacy and dialectal variance with syntactic complexity of formal legal Bangla with the help of thematic analysis. In the analysis of documents, we used the deconstruction method to identify the measures of complexity of statutory texts. Findings suggest that the law has a hermeneutic gap, which cannot be crossed, where the Sanskitarized, high-register Bangali enables the law to be functionally opaque to local fishers. This is an under-understanding in order to enable the local elites to weaponize the legal gray area and fine subsistence fishers disproportionately up to 35 crore Taki punishing them both effectively ending their means of living and causing migration due to poverty. The study concludes with the observation that good maritime governance is premised upon the shift to more multi-modal and vernacular modes of communication encompassing visual legal signals as well as a legislative audit of the punitive paradigm to render real cognitive access to justice.
maritime law translation, legal accessibility, sociolinguistics, legal language, artisanal fisheries, Bangladesh
Spiritual crisis, cultural fragmentation, and modernity: Reinterpreting The Waste Land in the twenty-first century
This paper examines the disillusionment, despair, cynicism, and anxiety of the present age, which have led to a disregard for established moral, religious, social, and ethical values. Religion, once a source of authority, no longer exerts significant influence on public life. Instead, the rise of the scientific spirit has fostered scepticism and agnosticism, contributing to the collapse of faith in traditional institutions. As a result, contemporary life unfolds in an atmosphere of restlessness and spiritual unease, presenting a bleak and troubling picture. Human existence appears to have lost its deeper meaning, while increasing material preoccupations place the very fabric of life at risk. Through close interpretative reading of T. S. Eliot’s The Waste Land and related works, this paper highlights Eliot’s exposure of the moral and spiritual deficiencies of modern civilisation, particularly the erosion of faith and the absence of spiritual accountability in the present generation. The emergence of the “hollow men” reflects a state in which life is reduced to material and performative existence, transforming the world into a metaphorical waste land. The paper argues that the breakdown of cultural and religious values, as represented in Eliot’s poetry, has not only persisted but has intensified in the twenty-first century. Eliot’s vision thus remains profoundly relevant for understanding the moral and existential crises of modernity.
Using poetry translation in language and literature education: Insights from Agolli’s translation of burns’ A Red, Red Rose
This study analyses the challenges of translating poetry, focusing on the Albanian translation of Robert Burns’ “A Red, Red Rose” by Dritëro Agolli. By employing Systemic Functional Grammar and Relevance Theory, this study examines linguistic, cultural, and poetic challenges encountered in the translation process. It evaluates strategies to preserve the poem’s form, meaning, and emotional resonance in the target language and culture. Through a detailed analysis of Agolli’s translation, this research highlights the difficulties of poetry translation, and the creative strategies translators employ to bridge linguistic and cultural gaps. The analysis reveals that Agolli’s translation successfully maintains the original poem’s central metaphor and emotional depth. However, certain linguistic and cultural nuances are inevitably lost. This highlights the inherent limitations of translation, particularly in poetry, where form and meaning are deeply intertwined. Ultimately, these findings contribute to the field of translation studies by providing a deeper understanding of the art and science of poetry translation, emphasising the importance of making cultural adaptations to make literary works accessible across languages.
poetic translation, Robert Burns, Dritëro Agolli, challenges, Systemic Functional Grammar, Relevance Theory
Copyright (c) 2025 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Rule, representation and computation: Tracing the cross-disciplinary contributions of Pāṇini’s and Chomsky’s grammatical traditions
Pāṇini’s circa 4th-century BCE Sanskrit grammar, the Aṣṭādhyāyī (Eight Chapters), is arguably the most sophisticated and complete descriptive grammar ever written. Composed of approximately 4,000 aphoristic rules (Sūtras), it provides a generative system for deriving grammatically correct Sanskrit forms from their underlying semantic and phonological representations. The structure, precision, and logical consistency of the Aṣṭādhyāyī offer profound insights that remain highly relevant to contemporary debates in linguistics, cognitive science, and computation. This seminal work offers a unique, generative model of language that predates modern formal linguistics by over two millennia. In linguistics, it provides an unparalleled example of a complete, non-circular, and context-sensitive descriptive framework, challenging modern syntactic theories (like Minimalism) on issues of economy, elegance, and the strict modularity of grammar. It’s handling of the interface between semantics (meaning) and syntax (structure), particularly through the concept of Kāraka (semantic roles), offers an alternative to the purely structural approaches of Chomskyan linguistics. In cognitive science, the Aṣtādhyāyī’s highly structured and recursive rule system naturally aligns with the computational theory of mind. The ordered application of Sūtras and meta-rules (Paribhāṣās) suggests a model for how a language system might be stored, processed, and accessed by the brain, providing a historical anchor for the idea of linguistic competence as a computational capacity. Finally, the computational relevance of Pāṇini is perhaps the most direct. The Aṣṭādhyāyī is inherently an algorithm—a formally precise set of instructions for input-output mapping. Its techniques, such as the use of metalanguage (Anubandhas), precedence rules (Vipratiṣedha), and zero-morphemes (Lopa), have directly influenced the development of programming languages (e.g., Backus-Naur Form, which defines programming language syntax) and remain a benchmark for the development of robust, wide-coverage, and ambiguity-resolving Natural Language Processing (NLP) systems and Machine Translation (MT). The fundamental works discussed here include Panini’s Aṣṭādhyāyī, a seminal work on Sanskrit grammar, and Noam Chomsky’s generative linguistics, a modern framework that revolutionized linguistic theory. While both frameworks show striking structural similarities, they also embody conceptual differences reflective of their unique historical, cultural, and philosophical contexts. This paper attempts to discuss in detail the similarities and differences between the two and explores their contributions to the field of linguistics.
Content analysis of the Indian CBSE class 9 civics textbook in the context of 21st century learning skills
In an era defined by rapid technological, social, and civic transformations, the development of 21st century learning skills: Critical Thinking, Creativity, Communication, and Collaboration (4Cs), which have become a global educational priority. International frameworks such as the OECD Learning Compass (2019), UNESCO’s Rethinking Education (2015), and the World Economic Forum (2020) emphasize that learners must be equipped to think critically, innovate creatively, communicate effectively, and work collaboratively to thrive in complex societies. In India, the CBSE 21st Century Skills Handbook (2020) and National Education Policy (NEP 2020) have reinforced these competencies as foundational to holistic and competency-based education. The present study analyzes the Class 9 CBSE Civics textbook (Democratic Politics–I) to evaluate its integration of the 4Cs. Using a mixed-method content analysis, the corpus of analysis consisted of all the five chapters and 102 learning activities, coded using an analytical rubric derived from the CBSE 21st Century Skills Handbook (2020) and the P21 Framework for 21st Century Learning (2019). The coding achieved strong reliability, with Cohen’s Kappa = 0.84, confirming consistency across raters. The study found strong representation of Critical Thinking (86%) and Communication (83%), while Creativity (50%) and Collaboration (45%) were less frequent. Visual and quantitative analyses reveal that although the textbook effectively fosters reasoning and dialogue, it underrepresents open-ended innovation and cooperative learning.
21st century skills, CBSE, Civics education, textbook analysis, Democratic Politics
Theatrical storytelling and ESL learners’ oral communicative competence: A quasi-experimental intervention
The study aimed to test the efficacy of Theatrical Storytelling ESL instruction on learners’ oral communicative competence while moderating for speaking anxiety. Adopting a quasi-experimental research design, the study determined the effects of a six-week treatment procedure on 31 SS II ESL learners in two purposively selected senior secondary schools in Ibadan metropolis, Nigeria. The result of the ANCOVA conducted at p<0.05 revealed that the main effect of treatment on ESL learners’ oral communicative competence was not statistically significant (F (1; 31) = .033; p=.857>0.05), although the ESL learners taught using theatrical storytelling had a slightly higher oral communicative competence. Similarly, the main effect of speaking anxiety was not significant (F (2; 31) = 2.98; p=.069>0.05), although the ESL learners with low anxiety level had the highest oral communicative competence. However, the two-way interaction effect of treatment and speaking anxiety was statistically significant (F (1; 31) = 5.710; p=.025<0.05) in favour of learners with low speaking anxiety in the Theatrical Storytelling ESL classroom. Therefore, with a prolonged period of theatrical storytelling in ESL instruction, learners’ oral communicative competence could improve. Therefore, ESL teachers in Nigeria should adopt the strategy.
Scale development for assessing awareness, attitudes, and practices of Indian knowledge systems
Purpose: The Indian Knowledge System (IKS) houses knowledge assets in health, education, philosophy and sustainability right from the immemorial times. However, in spite that it was becoming increasingly significant there has been scant research on an overall survey of people’s awareness, attitude and practice (AAP) towards IKS. The purpose of this study is to develop and validate a psychometric scale that can capture AAP towards Indian Knowledge systems (as such) on the ground realistically and reliably so as to provide an easily usable tool for research, policy making, educational/learning systematization. Methodology: The authors used a simultaneous approach design, in the first phase, items were generated from a review of the literature, expert opinion and focus groups. Content validity of the expert review and pilot study followed by a large survey on respondents from different parts of India. EFA determined latent structure and measurement model was tested by CFA. An internal reliability and convergent/discriminant validity analyzes were performed. Results: The final scale included three main factors that have been named as Awareness, Attitudes and Practices. The four factors showed high reliability, acceptable fit with the measurement model and strong evidence for convergent and discriminant validities. Each item on the scale was read and discussed to confirm that it was clear, culturally acceptable as a function of content analysis, and had good psychometric properties. Implications: The research offers a valid approach to assessing AAP toward IKS. The tool can be employed by researchers, educators and policy makers for measuring perceptions and learning about IKS in curricula/programmes, dissemination of methods for promoting culture conservation and sustainable development.
Political discourse and public sentiment in Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election: An aspect-based analysis of campaign speeches and social media reactions
The study examines political discourse and public sentiments during Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election with particular attention to how campaign rhetoric and citizen reactions are linguistically constructed and evaluated. Language is a powerful tool in political discourse, shaping public opinion and reinforcing authority. This study analyzes sentiment in six presidential campaign speeches from the All Progressives Congress (APC), People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and Labour Party (LP), alongside sixty social media comments sourced from Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) predominantly considered to have amplified this influence, serves as key spaces for campaign messaging and citizen response also analysis on public reactions using aspect-level sentiment analysis based on Bing Liu’s model. The findings reveal linguistic strategies, opinion types, and emotional polarities embedded in both political rhetoric and public responses in Nigeria’s electoral context. By focusing sentiment analysis within Nigerian electoral discourse and political communication, the study contributes to discourse-oriented sentiment research, political sentiment analysis in emerging democratic settings and offers insights for linguists, communication scholars, and political analysts.
aspect-based sentiment analysis, Nigerian presidential election, political discourse, public sentiment, social media
The impact of shadowing practice on improving speaking skills
English-speaking skills are definitely crucial for learners in the context of global integration and the development of digital technology. Teaching speaking skills – one of the productive skills to students, however, has always been a challenging task for all teachers. This study examined the impact of shadowing practice on enhancing English speaking skills among English-major students at Nha Trang University. The study’s primary objective is to assess the effects of the shadowing practice approach on language learners’ pronunciation, intonation, fluency, vocabulary, and confidence. 100 second-year English-major students participated in the study. The research methodology follows a quasi-experimental research approach, incorporating both a pre-test and a post-test, as well as interviews. The findings showed significant improvements in several elements of speaking performance. These results showed that this method not only improved English-speaking skills but also developed a base of positive psychological aspects, which can be considered an essential boost for effective communication. The study offers practical pedagogical implications for language instructors to enhance students’ communication skills and for language learners.
language instructors, language learners, shadowing practice, speaking skills
Educational leadership and technology-driven reforms; Engaging linguistics lecturers on policy translation into classroom practices in EFL curricula
This paper focused on how educational leadership, reforms based on technology and policy affect the way linguistics lecturers teach EFL in universities from Arabic-speaking countries. The paper looked at the roles of school leadership and technology preparedness in improving new programs in the curriculum. As part of the research process, 139 linguistics lecturers were surveyed online and data from each context were grouped for analysis. Analyses such as Pearson correlation and multiple regression were carried out, after thoroughly checking for normality, linearity and multicollinearity of our data. It can be seen that being an effective leader and accepting new technological tools help a reform to be successful, since lecturers think digital tools are useful, but they are not as ready to use them due to limitations in their autonomy and some problems in the institution. Despite a solid grasp of policy intentions (M = 3.88), lecturers reported limited alignment between institutional reforms and the everyday demands of EFL classrooms (M = 3.23). The perceived disconnect between policy and practice (M = 4.12) is particularly striking and reinforces prior empirical findings that underscore systemic fragmentation. The researchers argued that for educational technology to succeed in EFL, both leaders and reform proposals should be inclusive and value culture. The recommended that teachers lead by involving others, that support be given for faculty growth and that systems are created where plenty of feedback can impact education in each region.
Educational Leadership, Technology-Driven Reform, EFL Curriculum Implementation, Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Transformational Leadership Theory
Developing pragmatic competence using digital tools: Exploring performance-based approach to teaching speech acts and politeness in foreign language learning
One primary task often overlooked in language teaching is helping learners know when and how to use speech acts and politeness strategies in a foreign language. This study was structured to test if a technologically supported way of teaching helps foreign language learners develop their pragmatic skills. A mixed-methods quasi-experimental study was implemented and 144 university students at intermediate-to-advanced levels of English formed the experimental and control groups. Learners in the experimental group did activities online through Zoom role-plays, used VR-based simulations and responded to Flipgrid assignments, but those in the control group used traditional textbooks and exercises. Quantitative data from learners was gathered using two types of tasks (Discourse Completion Tasks and Pragmatic Judgement Tests), speech production tasks and a survey that asked about their attitudes. ANCOVA was conducted to adjust for initial differences, MANOVA was used to see changes in appropriateness, politeness and fluency and multivariate regression helped explore whether digital engagement and previous proficiency could predict results. Consistent and accurate results were seen with a Cronbach’s Alpha (≥ .86) and a Cohen’s Kappa of .81. Students in the experimental group made more progress on the post-test (F = 28.09, p < .001) since the differences were large (Cohen’s d = 0.87 for total scores) and digital engagement was the biggest factor linked to better pragmatics. Using NVivo, semi-structured interview data from 20 participants were organised under key themes like strategies learners use, differences in cultural awareness and digital difficulties. Participants in the study unveiled that they began to pay more attention to how what they do fits with society’s expectations. Together, the results provided evidence that tasks designed for performance in digital environments can greatly enhance a person’s pragmatic skills by offering authentic, personal and cultural opportunities to use language appropriately in context.
Pragmatic competence Digital language learning Speech acts, Politeness strategies, Virtual reality (VR), Mixed-methods research, Technology-enhanced language teaching
Formulaic language in high-stake research writing: Investigating the semantic implications of collocations and fixed expressions in postgraduate dissertation
The use of formulaic sequences and consistent combinations of words proves valuable in enhancing the sophistication, organisation, and connection to a specific field of academic writing. The goal of this study was to look into the semantic value, distribution, and ways of understanding formulaic sequences in postgraduate dissertations in Linguistics and Education by blending document analysis with the results of a questionnaire survey. Our approach included studying 113 postgraduate dissertations to find, classify, and examine formulaic patterns in different dissertation sections, as well as surveying 113 post graduate (PD) students to know their level of awareness, frequency, perceived challenges, and interpretations, which were then analysed using varying statistical and testing approaches. There were many instances of formulaic sequences found in the literature review (30.5%) and discussion (19.3%) sections, as well as a lot of vague and improper use of these formulaic structures, mostly in parts of the text that are meant to be argumentative or evaluative. This result was supported in the survey, where participants reported having a moderate understanding (M = 3.08) and facing difficulties when choosing the right order of actions (71.7%) and making precise language choices (68.1%) in the use of formulaic sequence. Additional analysis showed that students in Master’s programmes were more aware than those in Doctoral programmes, while there were also major variations in how the fixed expressions were used, depending on the discipline (p < 0.05). By examining these data sets together, it was clear that researchers’ awareness of pragmatic uses of language lagged behind their actual practises, requiring attention in language classes to specific formulaic language uses. The study concluded by suggesting that targeted phraseological practise, scaffolded guidance, and genre-targeted academic writing support should be part of postgraduate education. Furthermore, the paper recommended more in-depth research to learn more about the processes involved in using formulaic language in academic writing.
Formulaic sequences, words proves, sophistication, organisation, academic writing
A linguistic analysis of threat tone as a strategy of pressure in president Trump's negotiations
Threatening tone can be used as a strategic tool to apply pressure and sway results in political negotiations, where language is a powerful tool. With an emphasis on how threat serves as a purposeful rhetorical device, this study conducts a qualitative linguistic and pragmatic analysis of President Donald Trump's negotiation style. Four main themes emerge from the research, which is based on discourse analysis of a few chosen negotiation speeches and statements: explicit performative threats that assert authority and force action; conditional framing that balances accountability and coercion to prevent face-threatening acts; emotional appeals combined with hyperbolic intensification intended to heighten psychological pressure and evoke fear; and strategic ambiguity combined with audience-specific adaptation that maximizes rhetorical effectiveness across various interlocutors. The results show how these related language techniques work together to influence negotiation dynamics, maintaining power imbalances while regulating interpersonal interactions. This research adds to the general knowledge of political communication and negotiating strategies by clarifying the intricate function of threat tone as a multidimensional instrument in diplomatic situations with significant stakes.
Threat tone, political negotiation, pragmatic analysis, discourse analysis, performative speech acts, rhetorical strategies
Project-based learning and digital literacy integration: Investigating task design and student collaboration in developing academic writing and thesis skills in EFL classrooms
With the increased emphasis on teaching advanced writing skills to foreign learners of English, this study looked at how project-based learning, university students’ collaboration in writing and digital knowledge can assist in developing academic writing proficiency. The main purpose was to analyse how using a PBL method, with digital support, influences writing for EFL students and what role digital tools play in the process. An experimental pre-test/post-test design was applied in the study. A total of 94 undergraduate students participated in the study, segmented into two groups: the experimental group (EG) and the control group (CG). Evaluation of data was performed using standardised writing exams, a DLCQ and a CLPS which showed good validity via CFA and reliable results (Cronbach’s α greater than .85). With ANCOVA, we found the EG achieved significantly higher post-test writing scores F(1,91) = 21.394, p < .001, η² = 0.190). MANOVA also confirmed that there were significant interactions between the instructional group and digital literacy on each writing subskill. It was shown through Structural Equation Modelling that digital tools played a major role (β = 0.37, p < .001) by boosting the impact of PBL on academic writing skills. These results are in line with constructivist and TAM theories, pointing out that writing is both a social and technology-related practice. It is concluded that achieving advanced writing in EFL settings needs combining genuine project design, teamwork and digital methods and three main actions are put forward by the study for this purpose: systemic curriculum reform, boosting teachers’ competence and more suitable digital tools.
Implementing Read Along as a digital reading media for Grade VII students of SMP IT Cendekia Pematangsiantar
This community service program was carried out at SMP IT Cendekia Pematangsiantar, aiming to improve Grade VII students’ reading skills through the use of an interactive digital media called Read Along. The media was chosen for its features, including real-time pronunciation feedback, illustrated stories, a virtual assistant named Diya, and mini quizzes that support students’ comprehension of English texts. The method used in this activity involved hands-on learning, demonstration, and discussion. The program was conducted independently by the implementer through an educational and interactive approach. The results indicated that students were highly interested in the media and were motivated to continue using it outside the classroom. One challenge encountered was the noisy classroom environment, which made it difficult for the app to accurately detect students’ voices. This activity is expected to serve as a reference for teachers in developing media-based learning and enhancing students’ reading literacy in line with 21st-century competencies.
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