Stance-taking: reporting verbs in citations in EFL undergraduate theses

ABSTRACT L2 writers tend to have difficulties in using reporting verbs (Bloch, 2010) because the choosing of reporting verb needs some considerations: the stance of the author whose claims are being reported, the stance of the writer, and the interpretation of the writer (Thompson and Ye, 1991). This article explores stance-taking in reporting verbs in the context of citations in undergraduate theses written by Mexican students in English as a Foreign Language. The corpus consists of thirty undergraduate theses written by non-native speakers of English in the field of English Language Teaching. I use corpus linguistics tools, i.e., concordances for the analysis of stance-taking which makes the expressions observable in their context. The findings show that undergraduates use reporting verbs to express their stance in their theses and that this varies depending on the chapter. This paper suggests a category of reporting verbs that is commonly used in EFL academic writing within the ELT discipline. I propose some educational implications, stressing the need to make students and their instructors aware that the choice of reporting verbs is not just a matter of stylistic choice, but it can be an expression of authorial identity.

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Race and native speakers in ELT: parents' perspectives in Hong Kong

English Today ◽

10.1017/s0266078411000344 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 27 (3) ◽

pp. 25-29 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Chit Cheung Matthew Sung

Keyword(s):

Hong Kong ◽

Foreign Language ◽

Intercultural Communication ◽

English Language ◽

Native Speakers ◽

English Language Teaching ◽

Global Context ◽

The World ◽

Important Means ◽

Native Speakers Of English

English is used as an important means of international and intercultural communication around the world more than ever. Because of its widespread use in the global context, non-native speakers of English around the world outnumber native speakers by far (Crystal, 1997). According to Kachru and Nelson (1996: 79), ‘accepting even cautious estimates, there must be at least three nonnative users of English for every old-country native user’. A similar phenomenon is also observable in the English Language Teaching (ELT) profession, with the vast majority of teachers of English as a second and foreign language in the world being non-native speakers.

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English as a Lingua Franca Approach: Implications and Limitations in Saudi English as a Foreign Language Classrooms

Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal ◽

10.14738/assrj.812.11355 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (12) ◽

pp. 96-104

Author(s):

Samar Alharbi

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

English Language ◽

Native Speakers ◽

Lingua Franca ◽

English As Foreign Language ◽

The World ◽

Language Classrooms ◽

Native Speakers Of English ◽

Foreign Language Classrooms ◽

Global Language

English language considers a global language spoken by a majority of people around the world. It is a language used mainly for communication, trades and study purposes. This widespread of English language being wildly spoken lead to different varieties of English as a lingua franca (ELF) means that non native speakers of English still be able to communicate with each other. Using ELF as a legitimate variety of English in language classrooms is questioned by some researchers. This paper will provide an overview of the concept of ELF. It will also present implications and limitations of using ELF in Saudi English as foreign language classrooms.

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Teaching English in India —The Use of Technologically Enhanced Realia in the Classroom

Studies in English Language Teaching ◽

10.22158/selt.v2n2p149 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

pp. 149

Author(s):

Priya K. Nair

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

English Language ◽

Native Speakers ◽

Mother Tongue ◽

Teaching English ◽

Job Market ◽

Native Speakers Of English ◽

Listening And Speaking ◽

Speaking Skills

In India acquisition of English language is imperative if one wants to sell oneself in the increasingly competitive job market. With a booming population the nation is filled with educated, technologically literate youth. English is not merely a foreign language in India. As India is separated by a plethora of languages knowledge of English is imperative. As the teachers in India are not native speakers of English the language they teach is not free from errors. The articulation is quite problematic as the mother tongue influence is quite pronounced. Technology helps to reduce these errors. Movies as a tool can enhance the listening and speaking skills of our students. It is quite boring to work with disembodied voices and the recorded conversations available in language labs do not sustain the learner’s interest. However learners are often forced to listen to recorded conversations of people they never see, the conversation is often stilted and contemporary idiom is hardly used. However, a completely new dimension to aural practice can be added in the classroom by using movies.

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An Interlanguage Study of Request Perspective: Evidence from German, Greek, Polish and Russian Learners of English

Contrastive Pragmatics ◽

10.1163/26660393-bja10003 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

pp. 180-209

Author(s):

Eva Ogiermann ◽

Spyridoula Bella

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

English Language ◽

Alternative Explanation ◽

Native Speakers ◽

Language Teaching ◽

English Language Teaching ◽

Strong Preference ◽

Advanced Learners ◽

Pragmatic Transfer ◽

Language Groups

Abstract The present study examines request perspective, the least researched form of mitigation in requesting, while focusing on a type of request characterized by a strong preference for speaker perspective in English and for hearer perspective in most other languages researched to date. It examines requests produced by 900 speakers from nine different (inter)language groups: five groups of native speakers (English, German, Greek, Polish and Russian) and four groups of advanced learners of English as a foreign language (German, Greek, Polish and Russian L1s). While our learners used more conventionally indirect forms than did the native speakers of the respective L1s, showing awareness of this English pragmatic norm, they retained a preference for the hearer perspective. These results suggest reliance on pragmatic universals as an alternative explanation to pragmatic transfer, also illustrating the need to address less salient pragmatic features in English language teaching.

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Linking or delinking of ideas?

Revista Española de Lingüística Aplicada/Spanish Journal of Applied Linguistics ◽

10.1075/resla.18020.nav ◽

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.

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Linguistic Markers and Stylistic Attributes of Hedging in English Academic Papers Written by Native and Non-Native Speakers of English

MANUSYA ◽

10.1163/26659077-01801001 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

pp. 1-22

Author(s):

Amara Prasithrathsint

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

Academic Writing ◽

Language Use ◽

Native Speakers ◽

Linguistic Features ◽

Linguistic Markers ◽

Native Speakers Of English ◽

English Academic Writing ◽

The Impact

Hedging means mitigating words so as to lessen the impact of an utterance. It may cause uncertainty in language but is regarded as an important feature in English academic writing. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the style of academic writing in English with particular reference to the significant role of hedging and the linguistic features that mark it. The data was taken from academic articles in the humanities written by native speakers of English, Filipino speakers of English, and Thai speakers of English. It is hypothesized that speakers of English as a foreign language use fewer and different hedging devices than native speakers of English. The result of the analysis shows that the prominent linguistic markers of hedging are the auxiliaries may, might, could, the verbs suggest, appear, seem, and the adverbs perhaps and often. They are divided into three groups according to their stylistic attributes of hedging; namely, probability, indetermination, and approximation. The use of hedging found in the data confirms what Hyman (1994) says; i.e., that hedging allows writers to express their uncertainty about the truth of their statements. It is also found that English native speakers use hedges most frequently. The Filipino speakers of English are the second, and the Thai speakers of English use hedges the least frequency. This implies that hedging is likely to be related to the level of competence in English including knowledge of stylistic variation, and that it needs to be formally taught to those who speak English as a second or foreign language.

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The language of quoting in academic writing

Dutch Journal of Applied Linguistics ◽

10.1075/dujal.4.1.10ver ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 101-121 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Lieke Verheijen

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

Academic Writing ◽

Native Speakers ◽

Fundamental Aspect ◽

Corpus Study ◽

Linguistic Differences ◽

Academic Texts ◽

Efl Students ◽

Native Speakers Of English ◽

Lexical Items

Because quotation is a fundamental aspect of academic texts, this corpus study examines the language of quoting in (L2) academic writing. To find out whether there are subtle linguistic differences in the use of quotation by learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) and professional academics who are native speakers of English (NSE), I compare two corpora of scholarly writings: one by upper intermediate and advanced EFL students and one by NSE experts. 1201 Quotes were extracted from the writings and examined for a broad range of lexico-grammatical features relevant to using quotes, including introductions to quotes, lexical items in introducing quotes, ‘special’ quotes, and punctuation surrounding quotes. The findings make clear that EFL students and NSE experts differ significantly on various points in their language of quoting. Making students aware of these differences could make their academic writing more professional, native-like, and sophisticated.

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

Journal of English Language and Culture ◽

10.30813/jelc.v9i2.1689 ◽

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

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.Keywords: metadiscourse, thesis abstracts, Indonesian and American students

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Problems with Pronunciation Among Students of English Language and Literature-Seeu

SEEU Review ◽

10.2478/seeur-2020-0020 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 15 (2) ◽

pp. 113-125

Author(s):

Arta Toçi

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

Primary Schools ◽

English Language ◽

Native Speakers ◽

Experienced Teacher ◽

Self Confidence ◽

Language And Literature ◽

Native Speakers Of English ◽

Complex Forms ◽

English Students

Abstract Everybody who has learned English as a second or foreign language knows that for reaching intermediate levels, English is an easy language regarding grammar and vocabulary; however, when reaching advanced levels, the learners are faced with complex forms of morphology, syntax, and most obviously, they are faced with the difficulties that pronunciation presents. These are mainly the problems that occur with the English students whose native language is other than English. An experienced teacher of non-native speakers of English can easily recognize the causes of mispronunciation, which in most cases are lack of vocabulary, lack of practice, bad teaching experiences, lack of direct contact with the language, and lack of self-confidence. There are quite a lot of words in English, which are often mispronounced. Those who have just started to learn English as a foreign language, students at primary schools, adults using English as a means of communication and as a working tool, such as businessmen, politicians, administrators, doctors, accountants, and those studying English for teaching purposes, even the teachers of English are faced with the problems of proper pronunciation of words in English. The aim of this research is to identify the problems that the students in the Department of English Language and Literature in the Faculty of Languages, Cultures and Communication face with when they deal with pronunciation of lexical words.

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A Corpus-based Study on the Use of Three-word Lexical Bundles in the Academic Writing by Native English and Turkish Non-native Writers

English Language Teaching ◽

10.5539/elt.v10n12p28 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 10 (12) ◽

pp. 28 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Serpil Ucar

Keyword(s):

Quantitative Analysis ◽

Academic Writing ◽

English Language ◽

Native Speakers ◽

Lexical Bundles ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Native Speakers Of English ◽

Lexical Bundle ◽

Structure And Functions ◽

Recurrent Word

The utilization of English recurrent word combinations –lexical bundles- play a fundamental role in academic prose (Karabacak & Qin, 2013). There has been highly limited research about comparing Turkish non-native and native English writers’ use of lexical bundles in academic prose in terms of frequency, structure and functions of lexical bundles (Bal, 2010; Karabacak & Qin, 2013, Öztürk, 2014). Therefore, this current research was conducted in order to investigate the most frequently used lexical bundles in the academically published articles of Turkish non-native and native speakers of English and to investigate whether there was a significant difference between native and non-native scholars with respect to the frequency, structures and functions of English language lexical bundles. The data were collected from two corpora; 15 scientific articles of native speakers and 15 scientific articles of Turkish advanced writers. The investigation included a quantitative analysis of the use of three-word lexical bundles and a qualitative analysis of the functions and structures they serve. To be more conservative, three-word lexical bundles which occur 40 times per million words and appear in 5 different texts were described a lexical bundle in this current research. The findings revealed that Turkish non-native writers showed underuse and less variation in the use of lexical bundles in their academic prose compared to native speakers.

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