scholarly journals On how Happy Polish Advanced EFL Learners Are With HappY-Tensing

2015 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-50
Author(s):  
Adam Oleander ◽  
Jolanta Sypiańska
Keyword(s):  
Spectral Properties ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Regular Feature ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Native Speakers Of English

This paper aims at investigating the production of happY vowel by advanced Polish learners of English. Although happY tensing has become a regular feature of mainstream RP, it is not explicitly taught at English philologies in Poland. There are few studies that deal with the analysis of the phonetic quality of happY by native speakers of English (Fabricius, 2002; Harrington, 2006), and we know of no published studies aimed at EFL learners. The study presented in this paper included 34 Polish students of English philology. Spectral and durational data on FLEECE, KIT and happY in three contexts (prevocalic, preconsonatal and prepausal) were obtained. The results showed that Polish advanced EFL learners produced happY that is spectrally similar to FLEECE in the prevocalic and prepausal contexts but not in the preconsonantal one. Moreover, the participants did not use duration to make up for the spectral properties of happY. Preconsonantal and prevocalic happY were shorter than FLEECE, whereas prepausal happY was longer than FLEECE due to phrase-final lengthening effects.

scholarly journals Communication Strategies Used by Iranian EFL Learners and English Native Speakers: Gender in Focus

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Layla Hajiesmaeli ◽  
Laya Heidari Darani
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Communication Strategies ◽  
Numerical Data ◽  
Communication Strategy ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Native Speakers Of English ◽  
The Difference

<p>This article was intended to explore the frequency and order of communication strategies used by Iranian male and female EFL earners as well as English native speakers while facing communication breakdowns. Furthermore, it was aimed to investigate the difference between native speakers and non-native speakers of English in their use of communication strategies. In addition, it was probed whether gender had any effects on the use of these strategies among native and non-native speakers. To this end, the data were collected through the communication strategy questionnaire distributed among 30 male and female Iranian intermediate EFL learners and 15 English native speakers. The design of this study was a quantitative one in which the questionnaire and thus numerical data were applied. To analyze the data, Cronbach alpha and independent-samples t-tests were used. The results indicated that non-verbal and social affective strategies were the most frequent strategies used by non-native speakers and native speakers of English, respectively. Furthermore, there was no significant difference between male and female Iranian EFL learners, but a significant difference between male and female English native speakers were seen. It can be concluded that language proficiency can contribute to the type and frequency of communications strategies which are used non-native speakers; likewise, it can play a significant role in gender differences in language use.<em></em></p>

Linking or delinking of ideas?

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Noelia Navarro Gil ◽  
Helena Roquet Pugès
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Initial Position ◽  
American University ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Learner Corpus ◽  
Native Speakers Of English ◽  
Argumentative Texts ◽  
Linguistic Backgrounds

Abstract This paper explores the use of adversative Linking Adverbials (LAs) in the academic writing of advanced English Foreign Language (EFL) learners with different linguistic backgrounds. The learner corpus used in this study consists of 50 argumentative texts, which are contrasted with a native corpus: the American university students’ corpus (LOCNESS). Liu’s (2008) comprehensive list of adversative LAs has been used for the analysis. Findings reveal that both non-native (NNS) and native speakers of English (NS) use similar types of adversative LAs, but NNS place them regularly in sentence- and sometimes in paragraph- initial position, which often results in punctuation issues and misuse. A total of 9 LAs were found to be overused (e.g., nevertheless) and underused (e.g., actually) by NNS. The analysis performed according to L1 has yielded unexpected results in terms of preference, frequency, and placement of adversative LAs. The so-called ‘teaching effect’ is considered one of the main factors influencing the learners’ choices.

scholarly journals Exploring Metadiscourse Use in Thesis Abstracts: A Cross-Cultural Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ardi Nugroho
Keyword(s):  
Academic Writing ◽  
English Language ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Writing Studies ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Language And Culture ◽  
American Students ◽  
Integral Role ◽  
Native Speakers Of English

<p>The use of metadiscourse in academic writing has become a topic of interest in recent years. It can be defined as the words and phrases that writers use in their writing to express their ideas and thoughts to make it easier for readers to process the information presented. It is especially crucial in academic writing since writers are expected to present their arguments in an appropriate and acceptable manner. It has also been said that culture plays a role influencing how arguments and ideas are expressed, especially in academic writing. Although metadiscourse plays an integral role in academic writing, studies have shown how EFL learners often make mistakes in employing this linguistic device. From this, the writer would like to explore the metadiscourse produced by Indonesian EFL learners and compare it with how native speakers of English employ metadiscourse in their writing. In other words, this study is basically an attempt to find out whether the metadiscourse produced by the two groups with different cultural backgrounds are different or similar. The source of data for the current study is the metadiscourse markers from the thesis abstracts of students of the English Language and Culture Department at Bunda Mulia University and American students from a university in the U.S. In order to analyze the metadiscourse markers found in the thesis abstracts of the Indonesian and American students, the writer will make use of the AntConc software version 3.5.6 by Anthony (2018). The result of the study reveals that there are some differences and similarities in the way both group of students employed these markers.<strong></strong></p><strong>Keywords: </strong>metadiscourse, thesis abstracts, Indonesian and American students

scholarly journals Promoting English Speaking Confidence through Online Expanding Circle Communication

2021 ◽  
Vol 102 ◽  
pp. 01010
Author(s):  
Arifumi Saito ◽  
Younghyon Heo
Keyword(s):  
Intercultural Communication ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
International Language ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Expanding Circle ◽  
Native Speakers Of English ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Speaking Confidence ◽  
Reading Activities

This study explores how expanding circle communication (i.e., intercultural communication between “non-native” speakers of English) boosts the confidence of Japanese EFL learners by developing a positive attitude toward their own English. Japanese, Chinese and Vietnamese university students participated in four sessions of online discussion. Since the idea of “English as an International Language” (EIL) is considered as a key to promote the learners’ positive mindset for what had been considered “non-native” English varieties and boost the confidence in their own English, it was introduced in the reading activities in each session. After the completion of four intercultural communication sessions, reflective writings on two questions asking 1) their self-confidence in speaking English and 2) their attitude about EIL were collected. The result shows that the expanding circle communication brought the Japanese participants to raise their confidence in speaking English in relatively high percentage (73%) of all cases. Regarding the attitude on EIL, on the other hand, students were divided into two groups with the negative (43%) and positive (57%) attitude. In this study, therefore, the gap in the percentage between the participants’ confidence in speaking English and attitude on EIL was examined and discussed.

scholarly journals ANALYZING COMPLAINTS BY INDONESIAN EFL SPEAKERS

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 63
Author(s):  
Anna Marietta Da Silva
Keyword(s):  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Initial Period ◽  
Pragmatic Competence ◽  
Language Competence ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Grammatical Competence ◽  
Pragmatic Transfer ◽  
Native Speakers Of English

The English language competence of an EFL learner can be reflectedin his pragmatic competence. Yet, for language learners and teachers a mastery of the pragmatic competence may unconsciously be neglected. In other words, it may not be taught in line with the grammatical competence since the initial period of learning. The article centers on two problems: (1) the similarities and differences of speech act of complaints among Indonesian EFL learners, Indonesian EFL teachers and American native speakers, and (2) the evidence of any pragmatic transfer in the complaint performance. DCT was used to gather the data, which was then analyzed using Rinnert, Nogami and Iwai?s aspects of complaining (2006). It was found that there were both differences and similarities of complaints performed by both the native and non-native speakers of English when power and social status were involved. Some evidence on pragmatic transfer was also tangible; mainly it was due to cultural differences

scholarly journals Technical and biological causes of periapical surgery: Retrospective analysis of 301 apical surgical cases

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-45
Author(s):  
Ömer Ekici
Keyword(s):  
Retrospective Analysis ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Apical Periodontitis ◽  
Endodontic Treatment ◽  
Root Canals ◽  
Anterior Teeth ◽  
Native Speakers Of English ◽  
Technical Factors ◽  
Radiographic Data

Aim: Endodontic surgery is a treatment for persistent peri-radicular pathological conditions that do not improve after endodontic treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of endodontic treatment, technical error types seen in root canals and the periapical condition of the teeth in patients undergoing periapical surgery, and thus to analyze the reasons leading to periapical surgery. Methodology: Clinical and radiographic data of 301 periapical surgery cases were retrospectively evaluated in this study. The causes of periapical surgery were classified into technical and biological reasons. Results: In this study, 51.8 % of periapical surgery cases were related to biological factors and 48.2 % were related to technical factors. Maxillary anterior teeth were the most common teeth undergoing apical surgery with a rate of 66,8 %.  The most common technical reasons were non-homogeneous filling (15,6 %), underfilling (12,0 %) and overfilling (9,6 %). The most common biological reasons were cysts (30,2 %), traumas (16,6 %) and apical abscess (5,0 %).  37.5% of cases undergoing periapical surgery, the diameter of the cystic lesion was 10mm or more. Conclusion: The number of cases of apical periodontitis is increasing in the community due to insufficiently filled root canals. Increasing the quality of root canal treatments applied by dentists will reduce the need for periapical surgery by reducing the incidence of apical periodontitis.   How to cite this article: Ekici Ö. Technical and biological causes of periapical surgery: Retrospective analysis of 301 apical surgical cases. Int Dent Res 2021;11(1):38-45.  https://doi.org/10.5577/intdentres.2021.vol11.no1.7   Linguistic Revision: The English in this manuscript has been checked by at least two professional editors, both native speakers of English.  

Requests by Chinese EFL learners and native speakers of English

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing Meng ◽  
Beatrice Szczepek Reed
Keyword(s):  
Study Abroad ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Native Speaker ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Interactional Competence ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Native Speakers Of English ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Study Abroad Students ◽  
At Home

Language learners' requesting behaviour has been the focus of pragmatic research for some time, including that of Chinese EFL learners, who constitute a large proportion of English speakers globally. The present study replicates elements of Wang (2011), focusing on the use of formulaic expressions and exploring the differences between advanced Chinese EFL learners and native speakers of English with regard to the use of request formulae. The study also investigates whether significant exposure to the target language in country is connected to a more native-like use of request formulae. Wang's Discourse Completion Task was adopted to elicit request utterances from three groups of participants: advanced Chinese EFL learners studying in China (at home students) and in the UK (study abroad students), respectively, and native speakers of British English. The findings show that, although in some respects study abroad students in the UK employed request formulae in a more native-like manner compared to at home students in China, neither group showed close approximation to the request behaviour of the native speaker group. The findings are discussed in the context of current debates, including interlanguage variations, interactional competence, and native speaker norms and intelligibility.

Bangladeshi EFL Learners’ English Connectors: Overused or Underused?

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (7) ◽  
pp. 1357 ◽  
Author(s):  
Syed Md Golam Faruk ◽  
Pulak Barua
Keyword(s):  
Native Speakers ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
The Other ◽  
Final Exam ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
English Writing ◽  
English Only ◽  
Native Speakers Of English ◽  
Similarities And Differences ◽  
The One

The paper investigates the answer scripts of an “English Writing” exam of 72 students in a Bangladeshi university in order to find out the nature and extent of the use of connectors in their second semester-final exam. It also tries to find out similarities and differences between the connector use of Bangladeshi non-native speakers (BNNS) and that of French, Japanese, Swedish, and Chinese non-native speakers on the one hand and between the connector use of BNNS and that of the native speakers of English (only British and American) on the other. To this end, the secondary data for other non-native and native speakers (NS) of almost the same age and level were collected from some published articles. The paper finds that in comparison to NS, BNNS, like most other non-native speakers, underuse most of the connectors.

scholarly journals Intelligibility: The Goal of Language Learning and Teaching

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Sayyed Rashid Shah ◽  
Abdullah Al-Bargi
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Native Speakers Of English ◽  
The Impact

<p>This action research study investigates the intelligibility of Saudi EFL learners’ speeches in relation to the Lingua Franca Core (LFC). This study is carried out in an EFL class of 15 Saudi learners. One native and four non-native speakers of English performed the role of evaluators. A mixed-method approach was adopted to collect and analyze quantitative and qualitative data. The learners’ scores in their pre and post-intervention speeches led to the understanding of the impact of LFC on leaders’ speeches. The scores were awarded by five evaluators responding to a five-point Likert scale questionnaire while judging learners’ intelligibility. The results showed moderate improvement in the learners’ post-intervention speeches in terms of intelligibility. This procedure was followed by semi-structured interviews conducted with individual evaluators/listeners who rated post-intervention speeches as well-organized, lengthier and planned, delivered fluently and confidently in spite of insignificant improvement in the production of LFC features. Based on the findings, it can be recommended that LFC can have little or no impact on the learners’ pronunciation, thus intelligibility should be the goal of language teaching and learning in EFL settings.</p>

scholarly journals The Value of Interactive Polling and Intrinsic Motivation When Using English as a Medium of Instruction

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 1332
Author(s):  
Yeuseung Kim
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Intrinsic Motivation ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Self Determination Theory ◽  
Interactive Technology ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Medium Of Instruction ◽  
Native Speakers Of English ◽  
Motivation To Participate

Understanding how technology is used to foster active learning and why it is effective is important in advancing educational practices. The purpose of this study was to test adopting in-class interactive polling to engage college students’ learning in their non-native language. After adopting interactive polling activities for six weeks, non-native speakers of English enrolled in a content-based class taught in English were invited to participate in a survey measuring the outcomes of the intervention. The results showed that students found it more comfortable responding to polls using their smartphones rather than verbally responding to questions in the classroom. Guided by self-determination theory, the results demonstrate that students who report high intrinsic motivation to participate in in-class polling exercises exhibit a more favorable attitude, find the class more engaging, feel they perform better on tests because of the polling exercise, and show higher level of perceived learning than those who reported low intrinsic motivation. The importance of facilitating sustainable student learning by using interactive technology to improve the quality of content-based learning and minimize the potential downside of using English as a medium of instruction is discussed.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document