scholarly journals Linguistic creativity and discourse profiles of English language children’s novels

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 147-164
Author(s):  
Maria I. Kiose

Contemporary discourse studies face the necessity to develop the methods of contrastive sub-discourse analysis which apply numeric and comparable data to diversify and describe sub-discourse types. The aim of the research is to propose a method of discourse profiling serving the purpose, and to further test the method in the contrastive study of linguistic creativity in different types of English language childrens novels. The category of linguistic creativity being the leading form of language poesis receives parametric description on all language representation levels (in written form) and provides the discourse values for contrastive analysis. These values are explored in the fragments of non-autobiographic and autobiographic adventure novel sub-discourse types authored by J.C. George, F. Gibson, J.D. Ullman, and G. Durrell (a total amount of 120.000 signs) annotated manually for 52 linguistic creativity parameters on phonological, morphological, word-formation, lexical, syntactic, and graphic levels. The working hypothesis is that the linguistic creativity parametric activity distributions represent the sub-discourse profiles and may serve to contrast sub-discourse types by means of their vectors contingency values. The analysis in individual parameter activity and in parameter groups activity demonstrated significant variance in sub-discourse construal, with autobiographic sub-discourse of G. Durrell manifesting several higher activity values in word-formation (occasional compounding), lexical use (the use of professional language, lexical tropes, allusive names, higher register style) and syntactic use (the use of parallel structures and syntactic intensifiers). In terms of morphological activity, the parameter values tend to be lower (morphological category shifts), the same stands true of some syntactic (the use of elliptical structures) and lexical parameters (the use of lower register types and proper names). The sub-discourse profiles demonstrate several common features, evidently typical of the discourse type itself, and the features differentiating non-autobiographic and autobiographic discourse subtypes. Vector correlation analysis revealed lower correlation values for autobiographic sub-discourse, which proves its specificity and testifies to the discourse profiling method applicability.

Author(s):  
Maria I. Kiose ◽  
◽  

The article explores the specificity of linguistic creativity in the discourse of children's English-language adventure fiction of the 1950s. The aim of the research is to develop the parametrization and vector-space method of discourse and text linguistic creativity assessment to evaluate the linguistic creativity potential of individual texts displaying similar discourse features. To serve as the research data three discourse fragments were selected, which represent three basic narrative types, Orientation, Complicating Actions, Evaluation and Resolution. To achieve the aim, the author applies the procedure of parametrization analysis followed by general and analytic statistics analysis and vector-space modelling. With the system of 52 parameters featuring linguistic creativity in phonology, word-formation, morphology, lexicology and phraseology, syntax, and graphics, the author manually annotates and processes the discourse fragments of similar size exemplifying three narrative types of adventure fiction literature, with the total sample size of 55,000 characters. General statistics analysis allowed revealing the absolute and relative parameter values in three discourse fragments and defining the relative parametric activity of single parameters and parameter levels. Analysis of variance helped define the correlation indices of parameter paired combinations, which resulted in detecting significant binary parameter groups . Individual parameter values and their binary groups served to construe the vector-space models of discourse and text linguistic creativity for the discourse narrative types under consideration. Thus, the author obtained an efficient instrument for discourse linguistic creativity evaluation and, furthermore, for assessing the potential of each individual text in terms of displaying stronger or weaker correlation with the vector coordinates of the discourse linguistic creativity vector-space model. With the frequency and variance analysis, the author disclosed two types of discourse linguistic creativity performance techniques, that is the individual parameter activation and the parameter synchronization. Both must be considered when the decision on linguistic creativity assessment in a concrete text is made. The resulting model shows that the parameter values of linguistic creativity in individual texts can manifest themselves in appearing both higher and lower than the reference parameter values of discourse creativity, which can contribute to disclosing new directions in creativity processing and understanding.


Author(s):  
Anealka Aziz Hussin ◽  
Tuan Sarifah Aini Syed Ahmad

Engaging students in language activities can sometimes be challenging for language educators. One of the ways to engage students in language activities is through language games. Language games can motivate students to communicate, strengthens their ability to comprehend the language and enhance their problem-solving and cognitive skills. Language games also have a vast potential to increase engagement of the students, thus lead to the creation of the Conquer & Score: The Derivational Island. It is a word formation enrichment game catering to students learning lexicology and linguistics. The topic was chosen based on the result of an online quiz on the types of morphemes. The game focuses on the derivational morphemes used to form the English language words. The game requires knowledge of morphology as well as basic lexical analysis skills. The game provides educators a fun and engaging reinforcement activity for the students. Gamification elements used in the game such as rewards, flexible learning path and progress indicator offer a safe environment for competition, which can motivate students to outdo each other to win the game. This paper also highlights some important aspects of games in learning.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (01) ◽  
pp. 39-49
Author(s):  
Nani Babu Ghimire

Nepalese English is a new version of Standard English which is developed due to the effect of the Worlds Englishes. When the English language is expanded, the consequence has been seen in the use of English according to the socio-cultural context of the countries. The use of English either in spoken or written form is also seen differently from the Standard English in Nepal. To uncover this change in the use of English in Nepal, I studied two fictions (novels) written by two Nepalese literary figures in English based on qualitative analysis of the authors’ practice in the use of Nepalese English in writing fiction and found that there is the influence of Nepalese socio-cultural, socio-political, social norms and values in English literature. The finding also illustrated that Nepalese words (characters, location, kinship and taboos terms) are making their entries, complete sentences in Nepali are written, English suffixes are being attached to Nepalese words and vice versa, the word order of English is changed in Nepalese English (Nenglish), the literal translation of Nepalese proverbs are being introduced in English literature. The practice of writing English literature using Nepalese English is being extended to create its own features in English language which leads to develop Nepalese English as a separate variety in the field of language study.


2020 ◽  
pp. 39-71

This article describes the derivational potential of root word combinations belonging to the noun, adjective and verb groups in the English and Uzbek languages and their grammatical functional features on the basis of comparative-typological, comparative and distributive methods at the lexical and syntactic levels of the language. Structural models of derivation of verbs, nouns and adjectives in the English and Uzbek languages and their features are considered based on component analysis, as well as morphological factors that ensure the completeness of derivation, their distinctive and similar features in both languages, the role and importance in the formation of verbal compounds is analyzed in detail. The article also identifies the factors that ensure the transposition of root verbs, nouns and adjectives in English and Uzbek, and describes their structural-functional and contextual-semantic analysis at the required level. Until today’s period of development of linguistics, many problematic processes related to the language system have been studied and researched. This situation can be observed both in the context of world linguistics and in the context of Uzbek linguistics. Linguistics, like all sciences, is constantly evolving. Due to this, it is natural that there are still problematic processes in this sphere today. The fact that the phenomenon of derivation less researched in the context of root words can be related to such problems, because in both English and Uzbek linguistics the problem of derivation of root words is not studied at the required level. Any new word that exists in a language takes its initial form from speech, and thus the speech dependence of the word formed ends, because the next life of a derived word goes on in a language. That is, the derived word takes its place in the paradigm of its own analogical forms after being tested in social speech activity for a certain period of time. Only derivatives that have fully passed such tests will receive the status of a language unit and, like their other paradigms, will begin to function as a means of enriching the language with new constructions. It is well known that the derivational sequence of linguistic units cannot be fully understood only on the basis of grammatical research, because word formation in its extralinguistic basis is a product of speech activity. Since related words are considered not as a finished product of the language, but as a product of speech, since they are artificial words, in speech they are activated only in the form in which they are adapted for communication. In some places, depending on the need for speech, we can also observe cases where two or more related words are involved in the process of communication or in context. In this article, the works of English and Uzbek writers are selected as a source, as well as the degree of influence of the speech situation of both languages on the choice of words is studied and scientifically substantiated on the examples taken for analysis. As a result of syntactic-semantic analysis of root word combinations in the English language, on the basis of a detailed analysis, it was shown that root words can be combined with other words in speech, forming various models.


2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 63-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Zanina

Although a plethora of papers have proved a seminal role of move-based genre analysis in cross-linguistic research of academic communication and EAP/ESP teaching and learning, there is a lack of respective linguistic or pedagogically motivated studies of research articles (RAs) and their parts aimed at comparing English and Russian. Using Hyland’s (2000) 5-move model, the current research seeks to determine the most obvious cross-linguistic differences in the move structure of abstracts of research articles on management for these languages. Based on a move analysis of the English- and Russian-language corpora each comprising 20 unstructured RA abstracts, the research revealed conformity of most English-language abstracts to Hyland’s model, while the Russian abstracts principally displayed a three-move structure containing ‘purpose’, ‘method’ and ‘product’, and included the ‘introduction’ and ‘conclusion’ moves only occasionally. Other significant discrepancies comprised the English-language authors’ tendency to provide precise or detailed indication of research methods and results, in contrast to their brief indication or over-generalized mentioning by Russian writers, as well as greater length of the English-language abstracts and their stricter concordance to standard move sequence than those of the Russian abstracts. Though the research was conducted on relatively small corpora and was descriptive in nature, its findings might be of interest to genre analysts as well as to L2 theorists and practitioners.


Edulib ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Doddy Rusmono ◽  
Susanti Agustina

Abstrak. Proses transfer ide dalam bentuk tulisan yang dilakukan oleh mahasiswa jurusan ilmu perpustakaan dan informasi sebagai mahasiswa jurusan non Bahasa Inggris (SNED) yang mempelajari Bahasa Inggris sebagai bahasa asing (EFL) perlu diinvestigasi. Ketidakmampuan untuk menjembatani kesenjangan antara ide dalam bahasa ibu (Bahasa Inggris) dengan ide dalam bahasa pembaca (Bahasa Inggris) menghambat pemahaman pembaca, khususnya pembaca yang merupakan penutur asli Bahasa Inggris. Paragraf yang ditulis oleh mahasiswa SNED sebagai pembelajar Bahasa Inggris tidak dapat dipahami karena hambatan linguistik dan budaya. Sejumlah kecil mahasiswa yang membuat tulisan Bahasa Inggris dalam ujian tengah semester memperlihatkan gambaran ketidaktepatan dalam hal menyusun kalimat sehingga Bahasa Inggris mereka pada tingkatan tertentu terdengar seperti Bahasa Indonesia. Dalam hal ini kemampuan mereka untuk menggunakan Bahasa Inggris seperti layaknya bahasa Indonesia terbukti sangat rendah sehingga seorang penutur asli Bahasa Inggris yang mencoba untuk memahami ide mereka bisa salah memahaminya. Seorang pembelajar Bahasa Inggris harus memiliki kosakata yang cukup banyak dan setidaknya mengetahui aturan gramatikal seperti formulasi 9BP+3CC (Cd,Cx,Cdx) dan PoS misalnya, untuk melengkapi pemahaman sebelum benar-benar dapat mengekspresikan ide dalam tulisan Bahasa Inggris yang dapat dipahami. Selain itu, pengetahuan mahasiswa tentang budaya penutur Bahasa Inggris memainkan peranan yang sangat penting untuk menghasilkan tulisan yang bagus, sebagaimana yang diungkapkan oleh seorang ahli bahasa bahwa seringkali seorang pembelajar bahasa mengetahui aturan tata bahasa tetapi tidak memiliki pengetahuan yang cukup tentang budaya penutur asli. Mahasiswa mengalami kesulitan dalam mengkomunikasikan idenya dikarenakan ekspresi suatu ide terikat oleh budaya yang merupakan entitas independen. Budaya penutur asli mempengaruhi dan membentuk perasaan, sikap, dan respons terhadap pengalaman dan interaksi seorang pembelajar bahasa dengan yang lain. Oleh karena itu, upaya fasilitator untuk memperbaiki kemampuan menulis mahasiswa mungkin untuk dilakukan.Kata kunci: Penulisan paragraf, Bahasa, Kultur , Constraint, Betterment,  SNED. Abstract. Ideas transferred in the written form by Library and Information Science students as SNED (Students of Non-English Department)learning English in the environments of EFL (English as a Foreign Language) need investigating. Inability of bridging the gap between the ideas in their native language (Indonesian language) and the audience language (English language)hampers understanding on the readers' part, as especially a native speaker of English language. Paragraphs written by the SNED as English Language Learners (ELLs) are incomprehensible due to linguistic and cultural constraints. Quite a small number of students  willing to write in English in their Mid-term Examination give some picture of inappropriateness in terms of sentence structuring resulting in their English being “Indonesian” to some extent. Their “at-homeness”, in this case, proves to be so low that a native speaker of English trying to understand their ideas put into a paragraph will be more than likely misled. ELLs should have vocabularies in a sufficient number and know grammatical rules such as the one formulated as 9BP+3CC (Cd,Cx,Cdx) and the PoS at least, for instance, to equip themselves with before actually expressing their ideas in comprehensible English writing mode. Other than that, ELLs' knowledge of target culture (English, that is) plays a great role in producing a good writing as coined by a linguist: Most frequently confronted that students to a great extent know the rules of language, but are not knowledgeable enough about the target culture. In communicating their ideas, students found it difficult to do due to a culture-bound independent entity of idea expressions. The target culture influences and shape the ELLs' feelings, attitudes, and responses to the ELLs' experiences and interactions with others. It is indicated that any facilitator's efforts towards betterments in terms of writing better paragraphs by the ELLs should be a possibility.Key words: paragraph writing, linguistic, cultural, constraint, betterment, SNED.


2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 43
Author(s):  
Laila Othman Baram ◽  
Aram Kamil Noori

This research studies the widening range of forming and using blend (portmanteau) words in English language. It sheds light on the fact that most blend words are exocentric not only for second language learners but also to natives too, since they have not been listed in English dictionaries. Even if listed; still the continuous process of forming blend words will leave no room to catch up with listing all of them. English nowadays has become the most dominant language and at the same time it has been influenced by some factors as much as it has been influential. In terms of word formation processes especially blending, one can realize how rapidly and unexpectedly new words are coined for new purposes in accordance with daily life needs. In this era of speed; English native speakers, as their nature, do like to economize in their word choice especially in their word formation processes such as blending, acronyms, clipping and all types of abbreviations. In fact, the inevitability of life change as the result of daily life’s needs inventions influences English language in many ways. In addition, the policy of economizing and being selective reflects well on letter choice and word forming processes. In relation to this, the consequences of life change can be noted in studying blend forms in English. Some simple examples are: blunch, chexting, spork, feminar, brinner, brunch, fanzin, hubot, smog, etc. In a nut shell, the research states the inevitable and intriguing change of English words in the process of blending in which two or more words are cut and mixed together to form a new form, called a blend word. One basic point here is that a blend word is not simply one word; brinner as an example is formed from three other words (breakfast + lunch + dinner) to describe a situation in which you just have one meal instead of the three. Most of blend words have not so far been listed in English dictionaries. So this continuous process of forming new words does a great change to English vocabularies now and in the upcoming years.


2011 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-79
Author(s):  
Iliana Genew-Puhalewa

This study attempts to characterize terminology unification in the European Union legislation, regarding both content and form. It analyzes terms related to the thematic field of environmental law in four official EU languages: two Slavic (Bulgarian and Polish) and two non-Slavic (Modern Greek and English). Different types of relations between the languages under comparison suggest possible directions for further comparative study. The comparison aims to identify differences and similarities in the componential structure, formal-grammatical structure, word formation structure, form variantivity, origin and formal status. The study may also testify to the presence of linguistic convergence processes in the multilingual European Union.


2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (1-2 (17)) ◽  
pp. 19-28
Author(s):  
Sirarpi Karapetyan

The syndetic or conjunctional analytical word-formation structures with noun component are very productive in the Armenian and English languages from the point of view of forming new words. The paper is devoted to the comparison and contrast of the structural, grammatical and semantic peculiarities of the syndetic (conjunctional) analytical word-formation structures in Armenian and English. In Armenian they are mainly formed with the help of the conjunction “ու”, rarely with the conjunction “և”. In English these units are generally formed with the help of the conjunction “and” and belong to the type of the so-called phrase compounds. Besides the conjunctional compounds, phrasal compounds also include the so called syntactic compounds which resemble segments of speech corresponding to the syntactic and word order rules of the English language, e.g. Jack-of-all-trades “a person who can do many different kinds of work”, lily-of the-valley “a European plant of the lily family”; this type does not have its typological equivalent in Armenian. The examples of syndetic analytical structures provided in this paper are mainly taken from English and Armenian dictionaries.


2014 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 431-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
RÉKA BENCZES

In English morphological literature, the term ‘tautological compound’ has been typically used to refer to two distinct – but closely related – phenomena: (1) compounds composed of a hyponym and a superordinate term (such as oak tree); and/or (2) compounds based upon two synonymous units (such as subject matter). Such combinations are one of the quirkiest – and least researched – phenomena of English compounding. Their oddity can be attributed to two main factors. First, as their name, ‘tautological compound’ implies, at face value such combinations can be considered as prime examples of the redundancy of language. Second, they do not follow normal compound-forming rules in the sense that both constituents can function as the semantic head (as opposed to ‘normal’ English compounds, which follow the Right-Hand Head Rule).Perhaps it is the quirkiness of tautological compounds that accounts for the fact that not much has been said about them in traditional accounts of compounding, which typically relegate them to a marginal area of the English language. However, there is more to tautological compounds than meets the eye. What the present study wishes to demonstrate is that the term ‘tautological compound’ is a misnomer, as such combinations are far from being tautological or redundant in their meaning. Accordingly, the article first clarifies the notion of tautological compound, and then aims to give an account of the various roles that such combinations play in language, thereby demonstrating their non-tautological and non-redundant nature – in order to assign this much-neglected category to its proper, well-deserved place within English word formation.


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