Evaluating the Vocabulary Coverage of EFL Textbooks and Teachers’ Generated Materials in an Indonesian Islamic Universities:A Corpus-Informed Materials Evaluation

The importance of vocabulary in the learning of EFL has been an indisputable matter in ELT. The inclusion of vocabulary in ELT materials is often accompanied with questions such as what type of vocabulary and how many words to be taught for students in diverse ELT contexts. Hence, evaluating the kinds of vocabulary in ELT materials is similarly important. This study demonstrates a considerably unconventional corpus -informed materials evaluation to assess the suitability of the vocabulary content of ELT course books taught at the State Islamic Institute in Manado with its ESP context. Four ELT course books taught at the four schools of the State Islamic Institute were analysed using the corpus-based methods. A special software designed for corpus linguistics studies called e Antwordprofiler was used to count the coverage/frequency of occurrence of three types of Nation’ vocabulary classification. The results showed that the examined course books contain sufficient coverage of English high frequency words as required by theory that they contain a total coverage of 84.14 % of high frequency English word enlisted in the General Service List (GSL). However, in terms of the coverage of academic and technical vocabulary, these course books content were still considered under the theoretically acceptable coverage of at least 12,4 % and 5 % respectively. It is recommended that for ELT course books that are used in ESP teaching such as in a field-specific Islamic studies programs, the course books should fulfil the minimum coverage threshold of high frequency, academic and technical vocabulary.

Noise is Not Volume Alone – Ambiences and Drony Experiments in Music and Sound Art

Noise is a complex category that has been used to describe instances of disturbance and disruption in technical vocabulary and in many artistic languages. In music, and more precisely, in sound art, noise has been imbued with specific significations that operate as aesthetical signifiers that convey meaning even beyond its intensity of volume. In this article, the theoretical aspects of noise are articulated through the analysis of concerning discourse around the transformations of the concept of sound, which ultimately resulted in the designation of a genre in itself – noise. Furthermore, it is through the enhancement of a ‘sonic turn’ that the notion of listening as a generative aesthetic practice has referred to the body as the main instance of meaning construction in relation to both time and space.

The vocabulary of aviation radiotelephony communication in simulator emergencies and the contradictions in air traffic controller beliefs about language use

<p>This thesis encompasses a mixed methods enquiry into the language used in air traffic control in simulated emergency situations in the United Arab Emirates. The workplaces studied employ pilots and controllers from a diverse range of language backgrounds. This research sets out to answer three questions: 1. What is the technical vocabulary of aviation radiotelephony in emergency training in the simulator? 2. To what extent is technical vocabulary used in radiotelephony in emergency training in the simulator? 3. What factors influence the use of technical vocabulary in speaking? The first part of the study investigates the nature of technical language in aviation radiotelephony. Two spoken corpora were created from recordings of three air traffic controllers from two different workplaces (Ghaf and Sandy aerodromes), undergoing emergency simulator training. Mandated standard phraseology formed a written corpus. Standard phraseology is an international language defined by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and adopted by governments for use in radiotelephony communication. Quantitative analysis showed that the technical vocabulary in aviation radiotelephony consists of proper nouns, numbers, aviation alphabet, acronyms, technical word types and multiword units. The technical word types included purely technical words e.g. taxiway and cryptotechnical vocabulary (high, medium and low frequency words with a technical meaning (Fraser, 2009)) e.g. approach. Multiword units included ICAO standard phraseology e.g. hold short or subsidiary and local phraseology in the spoken corpora e.g. Do you have any question (subsidiary) and engine start approved (local). The second part of the study examines sources of difference in language use by controllers. Technical vocabulary coverage differed between the spoken corpora at 70.52% for Ghaf Aerodrome and 51.61% for Sandy Aerodrome. Two explanations for this were: differences in the purpose of emergency training in each aerodrome; and differences in linguistic style by the Sandy controller which was established through keyword analysis. Interviews with nine controllers established further factors which are likely to affect the use of technical vocabulary in radiotelephony communication including: communication styles of native English speakers (NES) and non-native English speakers (NNES). Further examination of interview data also revealed contradictory beliefs underlying language use by controllers. Their beliefs diverge around the role of standard phraseology, its use (or not) in emergencies and the value of language training for emergencies. This divergence reflects the contradictions in definitions of standard phraseology and plain language in the literature. Differences in language use can lead to frequent miscommunication and the need for clarification of meaning in these UAE workplaces. The present study makes two contributions to the significant body of research on aviation radiotelephony. The first is an Aviation Radiotelephony Word and Number List. It is used to clarify the role of technical vocabulary and plain language in radiotelephony and to show how the technical vocabulary coverage of radiotelephony communication, in an extract from the simulator emergency training and another extract from an ICAO document, is high compared to other professions. Second, a Model of Controller Beliefs and Outcomes is presented and suggests a way to interpret divergent language outcomes in radiotelephony. The model summarises two contradictory sets of controller beliefs about standard phraseology, language in emergencies, and training. Further, the language and training outcomes reflect those beliefs. The investigation concludes with implications for training and testing in aviation for ab initio and experienced controllers. The corpora, word and number list and model all provide useful tools for the training and testing needs in these UAE workplaces. The chapter concludes with limitations of the study and future research directions.</p>

The vocabulary of aviation radiotelephony communication in simulator emergencies and the contradictions in air traffic controller beliefs about language use

<p>This thesis encompasses a mixed methods enquiry into the language used in air traffic control in simulated emergency situations in the United Arab Emirates. The workplaces studied employ pilots and controllers from a diverse range of language backgrounds. This research sets out to answer three questions: 1. What is the technical vocabulary of aviation radiotelephony in emergency training in the simulator? 2. To what extent is technical vocabulary used in radiotelephony in emergency training in the simulator? 3. What factors influence the use of technical vocabulary in speaking? The first part of the study investigates the nature of technical language in aviation radiotelephony. Two spoken corpora were created from recordings of three air traffic controllers from two different workplaces (Ghaf and Sandy aerodromes), undergoing emergency simulator training. Mandated standard phraseology formed a written corpus. Standard phraseology is an international language defined by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and adopted by governments for use in radiotelephony communication. Quantitative analysis showed that the technical vocabulary in aviation radiotelephony consists of proper nouns, numbers, aviation alphabet, acronyms, technical word types and multiword units. The technical word types included purely technical words e.g. taxiway and cryptotechnical vocabulary (high, medium and low frequency words with a technical meaning (Fraser, 2009)) e.g. approach. Multiword units included ICAO standard phraseology e.g. hold short or subsidiary and local phraseology in the spoken corpora e.g. Do you have any question (subsidiary) and engine start approved (local). The second part of the study examines sources of difference in language use by controllers. Technical vocabulary coverage differed between the spoken corpora at 70.52% for Ghaf Aerodrome and 51.61% for Sandy Aerodrome. Two explanations for this were: differences in the purpose of emergency training in each aerodrome; and differences in linguistic style by the Sandy controller which was established through keyword analysis. Interviews with nine controllers established further factors which are likely to affect the use of technical vocabulary in radiotelephony communication including: communication styles of native English speakers (NES) and non-native English speakers (NNES). Further examination of interview data also revealed contradictory beliefs underlying language use by controllers. Their beliefs diverge around the role of standard phraseology, its use (or not) in emergencies and the value of language training for emergencies. This divergence reflects the contradictions in definitions of standard phraseology and plain language in the literature. Differences in language use can lead to frequent miscommunication and the need for clarification of meaning in these UAE workplaces. The present study makes two contributions to the significant body of research on aviation radiotelephony. The first is an Aviation Radiotelephony Word and Number List. It is used to clarify the role of technical vocabulary and plain language in radiotelephony and to show how the technical vocabulary coverage of radiotelephony communication, in an extract from the simulator emergency training and another extract from an ICAO document, is high compared to other professions. Second, a Model of Controller Beliefs and Outcomes is presented and suggests a way to interpret divergent language outcomes in radiotelephony. The model summarises two contradictory sets of controller beliefs about standard phraseology, language in emergencies, and training. Further, the language and training outcomes reflect those beliefs. The investigation concludes with implications for training and testing in aviation for ab initio and experienced controllers. The corpora, word and number list and model all provide useful tools for the training and testing needs in these UAE workplaces. The chapter concludes with limitations of the study and future research directions.</p>

Dot the pill down: Investigating the linguistic needs of foreign rugby players and lexicon of spoken rugby discourse

<p>Traditionally a sport which is played predominantly in English speaking countries such as New Zealand, England, and Australia, rugby is gaining in popularity in other countries such as Japan. International rugby competitions, such as the World Cup and Super Rugby, and increased migration of players and coaches in the sport contribute to this growth. In rugby, spoken communication with community members such as players, coaches, managers, and the referee, is a fundamental aspect of the sport. This communication presents a challenge for second language (L2) learners wanting to immerse themselves in a foreign rugby setting, in the case of Japanese players coming to New Zealand or New Zealand players going to Japan. It also presents a challenge for English for Specific Purposes (ESP) teachers who might be faced with developing courses and materials to help second language speakers learn what they need to know to play rugby in another language, and in another country. To date, no research has focused on the linguistic and communicative needs of these players. A feature of this communication is technical language, for example ruck, maul, and lineout, but no previous research has focused on the specialised vocabulary of this game. This thesis explores two aspects in the rugby domain: vocabulary, especially technical vocabulary, and the linguistic needs of foreign players and coaches in New Zealand and Japan. The study consists of two phases which were conducted to address these gaps in the research. To find out more about the nature of vocabulary in spoken rugby, phase one contained two parts. The first part was a corpus-based analysis of television commentary and team-based rugby speech. This analysis included conducting a lexical profile and vocabulary load analysis. The findings were compared to a written corpus, containing the Laws of Rugby. The results of the vocabulary profile analysis showed that high frequency vocabulary make up the majority words in each corpora. Additionally, other lexical items such as marginal words (e.g. fillers and swear words), as well as proper nouns, are important for comprehension, depending on the type of discourse. The vocabulary load analysis found 4,000 word families plus four supplementary lists and a rugby-specific list were needed for 98% comprehension in spoken rugby discourse. Part two of the first phase investigated the nature of technical vocabulary in rugby discourse. Four single-word and multi-word unit word lists using the spoken and written corpora were developed for use in the language classroom. A total of 293 spoken and 250 written word types were selected from the corpora following frequency and semantic meaning principles to create the technical single-word lists, for example lineout, tighties, and loosies. The technical words provided 12.04% and 35.41% coverage of the corpora from which they were developed. Next, lists of technical multi-word unit lists with 223 spoken and 417 written units, such as over the ball and lineout players, were created to be used in conjunction with the technical single-word lists. Phase two of the study utilised the results from phase one to conduct a linguistic needs analysis in New Zealand and Japan. Drawing on online surveys and semi-structured interviews, the results showed language difficulties occur throughout the rugby domain, especially when playing and practising the sport. Furthermore, general and rugby vocabulary are the two main language aspects affecting communication for both players and coaches. These findings indicate explicit instruction in spoken language is needed for L2 learners. This thesis has methodological implications for research into spoken technical vocabulary, as well as pedagogical implications for ESP. For example, the word lists can be used to help L2 rugby players and coaches learn the vocabulary that they will encounter and be expected to use fluently in games and at practice. This means they can receive specialised support for their language needs and ultimately be able to perform at their highest level in the foreign rugby community.</p>

Dot the pill down: Investigating the linguistic needs of foreign rugby players and lexicon of spoken rugby discourse

<p>Traditionally a sport which is played predominantly in English speaking countries such as New Zealand, England, and Australia, rugby is gaining in popularity in other countries such as Japan. International rugby competitions, such as the World Cup and Super Rugby, and increased migration of players and coaches in the sport contribute to this growth. In rugby, spoken communication with community members such as players, coaches, managers, and the referee, is a fundamental aspect of the sport. This communication presents a challenge for second language (L2) learners wanting to immerse themselves in a foreign rugby setting, in the case of Japanese players coming to New Zealand or New Zealand players going to Japan. It also presents a challenge for English for Specific Purposes (ESP) teachers who might be faced with developing courses and materials to help second language speakers learn what they need to know to play rugby in another language, and in another country. To date, no research has focused on the linguistic and communicative needs of these players. A feature of this communication is technical language, for example ruck, maul, and lineout, but no previous research has focused on the specialised vocabulary of this game. This thesis explores two aspects in the rugby domain: vocabulary, especially technical vocabulary, and the linguistic needs of foreign players and coaches in New Zealand and Japan. The study consists of two phases which were conducted to address these gaps in the research. To find out more about the nature of vocabulary in spoken rugby, phase one contained two parts. The first part was a corpus-based analysis of television commentary and team-based rugby speech. This analysis included conducting a lexical profile and vocabulary load analysis. The findings were compared to a written corpus, containing the Laws of Rugby. The results of the vocabulary profile analysis showed that high frequency vocabulary make up the majority words in each corpora. Additionally, other lexical items such as marginal words (e.g. fillers and swear words), as well as proper nouns, are important for comprehension, depending on the type of discourse. The vocabulary load analysis found 4,000 word families plus four supplementary lists and a rugby-specific list were needed for 98% comprehension in spoken rugby discourse. Part two of the first phase investigated the nature of technical vocabulary in rugby discourse. Four single-word and multi-word unit word lists using the spoken and written corpora were developed for use in the language classroom. A total of 293 spoken and 250 written word types were selected from the corpora following frequency and semantic meaning principles to create the technical single-word lists, for example lineout, tighties, and loosies. The technical words provided 12.04% and 35.41% coverage of the corpora from which they were developed. Next, lists of technical multi-word unit lists with 223 spoken and 417 written units, such as over the ball and lineout players, were created to be used in conjunction with the technical single-word lists. Phase two of the study utilised the results from phase one to conduct a linguistic needs analysis in New Zealand and Japan. Drawing on online surveys and semi-structured interviews, the results showed language difficulties occur throughout the rugby domain, especially when playing and practising the sport. Furthermore, general and rugby vocabulary are the two main language aspects affecting communication for both players and coaches. These findings indicate explicit instruction in spoken language is needed for L2 learners. This thesis has methodological implications for research into spoken technical vocabulary, as well as pedagogical implications for ESP. For example, the word lists can be used to help L2 rugby players and coaches learn the vocabulary that they will encounter and be expected to use fluently in games and at practice. This means they can receive specialised support for their language needs and ultimately be able to perform at their highest level in the foreign rugby community.</p>

Investigating knowledge and use of technical vocabulary in Traditional Chinese Medicine

<p>This research investigates the nature of vocabulary, especially technical vocabulary, in the specialized discipline of Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which is an important area of higher education. It consists of three linked studies in correspondence to three research aims using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. Study 1 addressed the questions of what kinds of words constitute TCM lexis given its origin, and what is the vocabulary load of English-medium texts in this discipline. To answer these questions, a series of lexical analyses was conducted on three corpora: theory-based and practice-based textbook corpora and a journal article corpus, which reflect the main areas of reading for TCM students. The results showed that while high, mid and low-frequency vocabulary make up a fairly large proportion of these texts, other lexical items such as abbreviations, loan words, medical words, proper nouns, and compounds also feature in them, but in differing proportions depending on the text types. Further, this study found that a large vocabulary of 13,000 word families plus four supplementary lists and two TCM-specific lists is needed. This is the point which most TCM learners can read TCM textbooks and journal articles without vocabulary being a handicap. Study 2 looked more closely at the technical vocabulary in TCM. The nature of technical vocabulary was explored and TCM technical word lists of both single and multiword units were developed for learners and teachers in this discipline. A total of 2,778 word types were selected for the TCM technical word list based on the criteria of relative keyness in the TCM Corpora compared to a general written English corpus, meaningfulness, and frequency. The list provided 36.65% coverage of the corpora from which it was developed. In addition, a TCM technical lexical bundle list with 898 bundles was developed to supplement the technical word list. The findings suggested that lexical bundles play an essential role in creating meaning and structure of TCM discourse. Thus, they should be regarded as a basic linguistic construct since some technical vocabulary needs to be seen in bundles rather than in single words. The last study bridged the gap between corpus-based word lists and the actual ESP vocabulary learning context by way of investigating learners’ understanding of the technical words from the technical word list generated from the second study. Results suggested that learners faced different challenges in technical vocabulary learning depending on their linguistic backgrounds. Specifically, Chinese learners had great difficulty with technical words from the lower-frequency bands of BNC/COCA word lists, while Western learners encountered challenges with loan words borrowed from Chinese. As a result, a certain divergence between the Western and Chinese TCM learners’ understanding of technical words was manifested. These findings indicate that a pedagogically useful word list should be adaptable to learners from different linguistic backgrounds. Drawing on these findings, this thesis also provides methodological, theoretical, and pedagogical implications so that the TCM learners can gain better support in their specialized English vocabulary learning. They can also enable the teachers and course designers to better scaffold their students’ vocabulary development.</p>

Investigating knowledge and use of technical vocabulary in Traditional Chinese Medicine

<p>This research investigates the nature of vocabulary, especially technical vocabulary, in the specialized discipline of Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which is an important area of higher education. It consists of three linked studies in correspondence to three research aims using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. Study 1 addressed the questions of what kinds of words constitute TCM lexis given its origin, and what is the vocabulary load of English-medium texts in this discipline. To answer these questions, a series of lexical analyses was conducted on three corpora: theory-based and practice-based textbook corpora and a journal article corpus, which reflect the main areas of reading for TCM students. The results showed that while high, mid and low-frequency vocabulary make up a fairly large proportion of these texts, other lexical items such as abbreviations, loan words, medical words, proper nouns, and compounds also feature in them, but in differing proportions depending on the text types. Further, this study found that a large vocabulary of 13,000 word families plus four supplementary lists and two TCM-specific lists is needed. This is the point which most TCM learners can read TCM textbooks and journal articles without vocabulary being a handicap. Study 2 looked more closely at the technical vocabulary in TCM. The nature of technical vocabulary was explored and TCM technical word lists of both single and multiword units were developed for learners and teachers in this discipline. A total of 2,778 word types were selected for the TCM technical word list based on the criteria of relative keyness in the TCM Corpora compared to a general written English corpus, meaningfulness, and frequency. The list provided 36.65% coverage of the corpora from which it was developed. In addition, a TCM technical lexical bundle list with 898 bundles was developed to supplement the technical word list. The findings suggested that lexical bundles play an essential role in creating meaning and structure of TCM discourse. Thus, they should be regarded as a basic linguistic construct since some technical vocabulary needs to be seen in bundles rather than in single words. The last study bridged the gap between corpus-based word lists and the actual ESP vocabulary learning context by way of investigating learners’ understanding of the technical words from the technical word list generated from the second study. Results suggested that learners faced different challenges in technical vocabulary learning depending on their linguistic backgrounds. Specifically, Chinese learners had great difficulty with technical words from the lower-frequency bands of BNC/COCA word lists, while Western learners encountered challenges with loan words borrowed from Chinese. As a result, a certain divergence between the Western and Chinese TCM learners’ understanding of technical words was manifested. These findings indicate that a pedagogically useful word list should be adaptable to learners from different linguistic backgrounds. Drawing on these findings, this thesis also provides methodological, theoretical, and pedagogical implications so that the TCM learners can gain better support in their specialized English vocabulary learning. They can also enable the teachers and course designers to better scaffold their students’ vocabulary development.</p>

The Accuracy of Business English Curriculum to Students’ Communication Performance: The EFL Students’ Perception

Measuring the accuracy of a private university in Batam Business English course curriculum to the present needs of workplaces in Batam from students’ perception is essential. Because 85% of the university students are working, it is compulsory to maintain the gap low between what students learned in class and what is implemented in the working field. A questionnaire consists of three dimensions (curriculum, communication performance, and motivation) distributed randomly to 60 students from a population (N=328) of the third-semester students programmed Business English course at a private university in Batam. The result suggested that the curriculum needs to add more practices, peer work, and case studies to improve students’ communication performance. Students’ perspectives in the Business English course reflected a new technical vocabulary that needed to practice in a correlated context. The curriculum content’s relevance to the workplace’s contextual needs is moderately related because not all working students used the English language in their workplace. Additional focus on internal and external motivation through group work and peer work is needed to improve students’ communication performance and confidence. Finally, the existing Business English curriculum is reasonably accurate, supporting students’ communication performance, both written and oral, at their workplace.

Materia Medica Tocharo-Hvatanica

The two languages once spoken in the oases in the North of the Tarim basin, Tocharian A and B, have preserved many Iranian loanwords. These belong to different chronological layers and are of different dialectal origins. Whereas the oldest layers are now most likely seen as belonging to an unattested Old Iranian dialect, more recent layers have not yet been studied in detail. In this respect, the vocabulary of medical texts represents an important field of enquiry. Most terms come from Middle Indian, but a significant number are of Middle Iranian origin. This component, mostly ingredients and technical vocabulary, seems to be largely of Khotanese origin. The article introduces the material and examines possible scenarios for historical transmission and contact between the North and the South of the Tarim Basin.