Russian Language in Kazakhstan: Specific Learning and Functioning in the Context of Interlingual Interaction

The diversity and specificity of cultures and languages of ethnic groups, living on the territory of Kazakhstan, create a special socio-cultural context of the Eurasian space, demonstrating the model of modern interethnic linguistic and socio-cultural interaction. Uniqueness of social and communicative space of the country, characterized by the dominance of the state Kazakh and Russian languages - languages of two large ethnic groups - against a background of great linguistic diversity, determines the significance of the study of their interaction and mutual influence in the context of a multicultural society. This paper analyzes the issues of language interaction in polyethnic state, forms and methods of foreign language influence on Russian language. The issues of learning and functioning of the Russian language are considered as a native and as a second languauge. Active processes due to features of the interaction of the Kazakh and Russian languages are analyzed as 1) speech activity of ethnic Russians; 2) Russian speech of other ethnic groups; 3) learning and using Russian language by repatriates-Kazakhs and foreign citizens.

Evaluation des Effets des Accords Euro-Mediterraneens sur les Echanges Commerciaux Marocains: Enseignements d’un Modele de Gravite

Cet article s’intéresse à l’étude de l’impact du processus d’intégration du Maroc dans l’espace euro-méditerranéen en particulier en termes d’échanges commerciaux, en examinant les effets de la politique libreéchangiste adoptée par le Maroc dans l’espace euro-méditerranéen et son intérêt dans la promotion du potentiel commercial du pays. A travers une modélisation économétrique basée sur l’approche gravitationnelle qui semble être d’une grande utilité, l’étude a permis de distinguer entre les effets des accords de libre-échange conclus par le Maroc avec les pays arabes méditerranéens et la Turquie d’une part, et avec l’UE d’autre part. De même, ce modèle a permis d’apprécier l’intérêt de la variable gravitationnelle à savoir, la distance et ses effets explicatifs du commerce marocain intrarégional. Il est à noter d’après cette étude économétrique que les accords de libre-échange ont certainement contribué à la croissance des échanges du Maroc avec ses partenaires méditerranéens, alors que d’autres facteurs, à savoir la distance, le taux de change et l’existence d’une langue commune influencent positivement mais d’une manière négligeable les échanges commerciaux du Maroc dans l’espace euro-méditerranéen. Ainsi, et afin de consolider les effets positifs de ces accords de libre-échange, le pays doit adopter stratégies internes de promotion des secteurs économiques à fort potentiel d’exportation dans la perspective de stimuler ses exportations vers ses partenaires euro-méditerranéens. This article focuses on studying the impact of Morocco's integration process in the Euro-Mediterranean area, particularly in terms of trade, by examining the effects of the free trade policy adopted by Morocco in the EuroMediterranean area and its implication in promoting the country's commercial potential. Through an econometric model based on the gravitational approach which seems to be of great use, the study made it possible to distinguish between the effects of the free trade agreements concluded by Morocco with the Mediterranean Arab countries and Turkey on the one hand and with the EU on the other hand. Moreover, this model helped to appreciate the interest of the gravitational variable namely the distance and its explanatory effects of intra-regional Moroccan trade. We note from this econometric study that free trade agreements have certainly contributed to the growth of Morocco's trade with its Mediterranean partners, while other factors, which are the distance, the exchange rate and the existence of a common language, influence in a negligible positive way the commercial exchanges of Morocco in the EuroMediterranean area. In order to consolidate the positive effects of these free trade agreements, Morocco must adopt internal strategies that aim to promote economic sectors with high export potential which can lead to stimulating its exports toward its Euro-Mediterranean partners.

An Analysis of Lexical Collocation Errors in Students’ Writing

Mastering lexical collocation uses in learning English as a foreign language is absolutely essential to develop students’ communicative skills and linguistic abilities. Most students, however, have problems with putting words together in a characteristic of “natural” English native speaker-like manner during writing. Students tend to use strange lexical collocation expressions therefore students’ language production does not sound natural and carries imprecise meaning. With regard to this underlying issue, the main emphasis of the current study was lying on the investigation of the types and the causes of lexical collocation error committed by EFL students in their argumentative writing. Through a qualitative research approach applying a descriptive-analytic method, sixteen university students were chosen purposively. The data were collected from two principal sources i.e., students’ writing samples and semi-structured interviews. In terms of data analysis technique, this study employed an error analysis technique developed by Ellis (1994) to analyze the obtained lexical collocation errors and applied a content analysis technique provided by Kumar (2011) to analyze the interview results. The study revealed 54 erroneousness of lexical collocation production consisting of verb + noun/pronoun (PP), adjective + noun, adverb + adjective, noun + noun, and verb + adverb combination. These errors were caused by a lack of collocation competence, native language influence, the use of synonym, overgeneralization, and approximation.

Children’s experiences of their learning environment: Psychometric properties of a questionnaire evaluating classroom environment, activities and interactions

The present study reports on the development of a questionnaire that evaluates children's experiences of their physical classroom environment, activities and interactions. It also explores the psychometric properties of the questionnaire and how acoustical characteristics of the classroom, class size and student characteristics (age, sex and Swedish as a second language) influence the self-reported outcomes. After development, the questionnaire name should read Activities and Interactions in the Classroom were administered to 101 students (7.9–10.7 years old). Demographic information about the students was collected from parents. The psychometric properties including test–retest reliability are good but can be improved by reducing the number of items. Acoustical characteristics of the classrooms and student characteristics did not predict questionnaire outcomes. As the acoustical conditions in students’ classrooms were close to optimal, communication fostering support should be in focus. The present questionnaire can be used to assess young students’ experiences of their classroom environment and learning situations.

Transubstantiating Miserere: James MacMillan’s Compositional Theology

The Scottish composer Sir James MacMillan (b. 1959) is a vocal proponent of contemporary sacred music, yet little scholarly analysis looks beyond the surface to explore how theological themes and language influence his work. This article offers a fresh perspective on the relationship between theology and music via an analysis of MacMillan’s characterization of his compositional process as ‘transubstantiation’. Far from being merely an evocative description, transubstantiation is a conceptual metaphor that signifies a distinctively eucharistic logic and practice in music. I trace these implications through MacMillan’s Miserere (2009), which reinscribes past music and rituals as part of refashioning the contemporary imagining of religion.

Phonological Analysis of Errors in the Consonant Cluster System Encountered by Saudi EFL Learners

This study investigates the pronunciation difficulty of selected English consonant clusters (CCs) encountered by Saudi EFL learners. The sample consisted of 134 female Saudi EFL students in their freshman year in the English Department at Najran University. Two instruments were used: a pronunciation test that assessed participants’ CC pronunciations in the onset and coda positions and a questionnaire that explored participants’ attitudes towards their CC pronunciations. This study provides detailed data on the participants’ pronunciation difficulties using Optimality Theory (OT). The results showed that the participants encountered CC pronunciation difficulties in both the onset and coda positions. However, most errors occurred in the coda position, especially for the four-consonant pattern (-CCCC). Participants used different strategies to simplify their CC pronunciations: epenthesis, deletion, substitution, or some combination thereof. Questionnaire data indicated that the participants attributed their pronunciation difficulties to inadequate knowledge of the pronunciation rules, insufficient language instruction, and native-language influence. The participants proffered some remedies to their difficulties, which included doing more pronunciation drills and offering a new course focused primarily on correct pronunciation. OT analysis revealed that onset clusters were mainly influenced by L1 ranking constraints whereas coda clusters were more influenced by universal Markedness constraints. OT indicated that the tendency to satisfy Markedness constraints over the Faithfulness constraints led the participants to use the above-mentioned simplification strategies.

КОГНИТИВНИЯТ ФАКТОР ЗА ГРАМАТИЧЕСКИТЕ ИЗМЕНЕНИЯ / THE COGNITIVE FACTOR IN GRAMMATICAL CHANGE

Changes in the conceptualization of objects, phenomena, and processes are a major cognitive factor in grammatical change. Grammatical categorization, which has to do with changes in conceptualization, triggers semantic and formal changes in grammatical classes and categories. Changes can be enhanced by the influence of an external factor – foreign language influence and bilingualism, or an internal factor – insufficient fixation of the grammatical norm, formality of the norm or artificiality of the norm. Changes can also be spontaneous as they follow the logic of intralingual evolution. Keywords: grammatical change, conceptualization, categorization, exceptions to norms, errors in usage, Bulgarian language

Individual Differences in Young Children’s Spatial Ability: A Systematic Review

Individual differences in children’s spatial ability, both intrinsic and extrinsic, emerge in early childhood, with preschool- and school-age children showing a great deal of variability on spatial tasks that continue throughout life. These individual differences are predictive of children’s mathematics ability and achievement, children’s science ability and achievement, and later entry and success in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Thus, the identification of factors that affect individual differences in and development of children’s spatial ability is not only important for the advancement of theory but may also help us to identify barriers to successful STEM achievement. There is extensive literature suggesting that child characteristics such as motor skill, working memory and executive function, spatial anxiety, spatial play, teacher characteristics such as spatial anxiety and spatial competence, and parent characteristics including their own spatial ability and production of spatial language influence children’s spatial ability. This systematic review aims to outline mechanisms that explain the development of individual differences in children’s intrinsic and extrinsic spatial ability. As part of this systematic review of current literature, we introduce a framework for how individual differences in children’s spatial thinking develops. Lastly, we will discuss limitations of the existing literature and suggest directions for future research.

Fear Language in a Warning Is Beneficial to Risk Perception in Lower-Risk Situations

Objective The goal was to examine the effectiveness of fear language in the protective action recommendation of an emergency warning, which instructs people how to prepare and stay safe. Background Past work is limited because it has focused on describing the severity of the weather crisis, not improving the recommendation. Likewise, other research has examined fear appeals that overemphasize death, which leads to poor risk perceptions. Method In Experiment 1, the presence of fear language and second-person personal pronouns (i.e., “you”) in a recommendation was manipulated. Experiment 2 examined how fear language and a hurricane changing in intensity influenced risk perceptions across three decision points. Results Experiment 1 suggested that fear language was more influential than a pronoun on risk perceptions. Experiment 2 suggested that fear language in a protective action recommendation was most impactful in the case of a hurricane decreasing in intensity. Conclusion Protective action recommendations with fear language influence risk perceptions and behaviors. The magnitude of this influence is dependent on how people have categorized the hurricane (i.e., low vs. high risk). Application These results demonstrate that fear appeals in hurricane warnings can be useful, especially in cases when a low to medium risk event is still extremely dangerous. Likewise, these results demonstrate a need for caution, as fear appeals are not a “one size-fits-all” approach to increasing risk perceptions and should be used thoughtfully. Recommendations of when to use fear appeals in protective action recommendations are provided based on the present data.