Journal of Applications of Language Studies
Volume:2 Issue: 2, Oct 2024

This study examines three functional morphemes which can be realized as clitics, in the sports newspapers headlines. Clitics are bound morphemes which are divided into simple and special clitics each of which has several characteristics. The aim of this study is to examine simple Persian clitics and their frequency in the sports newspapers headlines. To do so, the headlines of seven sports newspapers (namely, Abrar-e Varzeshi, Piruzi, Esteghlal-e Javan, Khabar-e Varzeshi, Goal newspaper, Navad 90, and Iran-e Varzeshi) were collected over a two-month period (May and June 2014) and their simple clitics were analyzed based on Shaghaghi's (1995) classification. The results showed, in spite of our expectation, that simple clitics were rarely used in the prose of sports newspapers headlines and the frequency of their full form, that is, functional morphemes of ''ra, va, and ham'', were significantly higher than the frequency of their corresponding clitic forms. This was probably due to the higher fluency and ease of comprehension of the headlines by the readers of the sports newspapers.

The present mixed-method study aimed at investigating the presence of Differential Item Functioning (DIF) and Differential Skill Functioning (DSF) in a high-stakes language proficiency test in Iran, the English Proficiency Test (EPT) with different academic backgrounds (i.e., Humanities vs. Sciences & Engineering) using Item Response Theory (IRT) and Mantel-Haenszel (MH) approaches. It also aimed at detecting if there is any correlation between IRT and MH methods and also detecting which DIF items are biased. The English subtest consisted of a total of 100 items. The participants (N = 642) were selected by convenience sampling from universities in Tehran. The results displayed DIF between Sciences and Humanities students, but they did not show DSF in favor of a particular academic discipline group. Hence, on the basis of the findings, it was concluded that the EPT scores are not free of construct-irrelevant variance but because 14 DIF detected items out of 100 items were too small, the overall fairness of the test was confirmed. In addition, it was found that some of DIF detected items were bias and some of them functioned differently, simply because the two groups differed in their abilities. The positive correlation between IRT and MH methods was also proved.

The present study made an attempt to see if there was any statistically significant relationship between Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' critical thinking and their inferential ability in reading comprehension. Moreover, it attempted to see if there was any statistically significant difference between Iranian EFL learners' critical thinking and their inferential ability in reading comprehension. The participants were 127 English Literature, English Language Teaching and English Translation students at University of Isfahan, Islamic Azad University (Khorasgan Branch), Sheikh Bahaie University, Payame Noor University, and Islamic Azad University (Najafabad Branch). A quick placement test, a critical research questionnaire, and an inferential reading comprehension test were administered to the participants. The results revealed that there was a positive significant correlation between the critical thinking and inferential ability in reading comprehension. Also, the observed Z score showed that there was no statistically significant difference between the two correlation coefficients regarding gender. The findings of this study emphasize the importance of the relationship between critical thinking, and inferential ability in reading comprehension regarding gender and language proficiency in language learning and teaching.

This study is an attempt to investigate the impact of Baby College Phonics system on Iranian children EFL learners’ phonological awareness, spelling, and willingness to communicate (WTC). To this end, 80 EFL learners within the age range of 8 to 12 were selected, and homogenized. The participants were then assigned to an experimental group (i.e., Baby College Phonics) and a control group. Having selected the participants and assigning them to the groups, the researchers administered a phonological awareness test, a spelling test, and a WTC questionnaire. Next, the experimental group was exposed to Baby College Phonics system, whereas the control group was instructed based on a non-phonics approach. After 15 sessions, the phonological awareness test, spelling test, and WTC questionnaire were administered again. The findings revealed that Baby College Phonics system had a significant impact on Iranian children EFL learners’ phonological awareness, spelling, and WTC. The findings have some fruitful pedagogical implications for Iranian policy makers, course book writers, and material developers.

This paper provides a comprehensive review of literature on the significance of intercultural competence in language learners, emphasizing its crucial role in an increasingly globalized world. Various factors that impact the development of intercultural competence, including attitudes, prior knowledge, pedagogical methods, and Byram's competence model are examined in detail. To lay the groundwork for a deeper understanding of this concept, Swain and Bachman's models of language competence are initially presented. Furthermore, the paper briefly explores some well-known perspectives and key stages in the development of intercultural competence. It is suggested that effective language programs should incorporate intercultural competence development through a multifaceted approach, while also being mindful of potential drawbacks such as the reinforcement of stereotypes or power imbalances. Additional research is warranted to investigate the influence of pedagogical strategies and other factors on the enhancement of intercultural competence. It also underscores the importance of fostering intercultural competence in language learning and underscores the necessity for educators and policymakers to prioritize this aspect when designing curricula and navigating an increasingly diverse global landscape.

The study of motivation is concerned with what makes people interested in learning a second language and what keeps them motivated to do so. In addition to factors which increase students' motivation, there are factors which reduce their motivation, that is, demotivation factors. The present study aimed at identifying the ideas of Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers and learners about demotivating factors affecting the learners’ oral performance. 60 EFL teachers and 100 EFL learners from high schools in Sari, Iran were selected by convenience sampling. A demotivation questionnaire was used including 20 items in a Likert-scale format ranging from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5). The results indicate that according to the language teachers’ and learners’ opinions, ' teachers’ not being equipped with the required skills for teaching”, “students’ lack of mental health and good memory”, “students’ not receiving sufficient timely incentives”, “teachers’ lack of sufficient knowledge about the subject”, and “students’ lack of enough self-confidence” are the most important demotivating factors among the others.

Effective vocabulary acquisition is crucial for English for Specific Purposes (ESP) students to grasp technical terminology and excel in their fields. This study investigates the potential of Mobile Learning Applications (MLAs) to address this need by examining their impact on vocabulary learning, motivation, and engagement. To this end, Sixty Iranian physical training students were randomly assigned to either an experimental group utilizing the Quizlet mobile application or a control group employing traditional methods for vocabulary learning. The participants completed a vocabulary test, a motivation questionnaire, and an engagement questionnaire before and after an eight-week intervention. The experimental group used Quizlet for 30 minutes daily to review the physical training vocabulary. The participants in the control group did not use Quizlet, but instead continued with their regular study routine. The experimental group exhibited significantly higher scores on the vocabulary posttest compared to the control group, demonstrating the efficacy of MLAs in enhancing vocabulary acquisition. Additionally, the experimental group displayed a notable increase in both motivation and engagement compared to the control group, suggesting that MLAs can foster positive learning dispositions and active participation in vocabulary learning activities. This study contributes to the body of knowledge concerning the potential of MLAs to improve vocabulary learning, motivation, and engagement among Iranian physical training students. The findings imply that MLAs can be used as valuable pedagogical tools for educators in specific contexts.

Comparing human and machine abilities for translating English literary texts into Persian and paying attention to the differences in the readability levels of the items to be translated into Persian by machine and human translators were the main impetus to conduct this study. Accordingly, the present study aimed to examine the legibility of two versions of Persian translation of the book “The Old Man and the Sea” (1951) by Google translate and human translator (namely, Azima, 2006). The comparison was done by Flesch Kincaid Grade, with different sub-criteria for evaluation. The findings suggest that both machine and human translations are very different based on Flesch Kincaid Grade criteria so that human translation may even be more readable. The results of this study can affect curriculum planning, especially in the field of translation. Another benefit of this study is that students could become familiar with their strengths and weaknesses in translation and hence it can be effective in evaluating translation students as would-be translators.

This research paper examines two translations of Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations by Yunesi and Akhavan, utilizing House’s model. House’s model of Translation Quality Assessment (TQA) provides a comprehensive framework for evaluating the quality of translations in terms of linguistic accuracy, cultural equivalence, and stylistic appropriateness. The selection of these two translations was based on their popularity and relevance to the study. Based on this model, overt or covert translation and the implication of cultural filters were determined. Moreover, the translation that effectively conveys the core meaning of the original text was also found. In this study, a comparative analysis of 50 pages of the translated texts compared to their original version was done. The main focus was on determining which translation was superior, more subtle, and more explicit. The study utilized House’s model as a framework for evaluation, allowing for a structured and systematic approach for comparing the two translations. The findings revealed that Yunesi’s translation was overt and superior because of fewer overt errors, and Akhavan’s translation was covert. Cultural filters were applied in Akhavan’s translated text in order to make proper translated texts for children’s and teenagers’ ages.

This paper aimed at investigating the similarities and differences between the news of the same event published in Persian and English languages. Persian was the source and English was the target language. By target language it may come to the mind that the English news agency websites are the translational versions of the same Persian news agencies, but this is not true in the case of the current paper. English news websites were considered as tools and channels for spreading the news regarding the Iranian Metropol building collapse, so foreigners would notice to events that happened in Iran. The aim of using the Skopos theory viewpoint in this study was to investigate the reason for the existing dissimilarities found between English and Persian news. Based on the Skopos theory, it was concluded that the dissimilar parts of each language in reporting and covering the Metropol building collapse news, resided in the guidelines which were dictated to news writers to write and publish on their news agency websites. The points covered in this paper can be an additional point of departure from a mere theoretical study of the Skopos theory.

In this study, the text of Amparo Dávila's short story called Tina Reyes was used for translation and annotation. The purpose of choosing and translating this literary text was to sway the Persian-speaking reader and bring attention to the societal abnormality of rape. According to Halliday's register classification, the field and the tenor of the text were literary narrative and formal, respectively. Based on Reiss' classification, the text type was determined to be hybrid as it has two functions: expressive and operative. Maximum domestication and minimum censorship were applied according to the translator's ideology for translation. The translation strategy and translation procedures were chosen using Skopos theory and Vinay and Darbelnet's classification. The translation strategy was chosen to be target text-oriented. Modulation, transposition, and explicitation were the most widely employed procedures in translating process. It was concluded that if the translator keeps in mind the purpose and strategy of the translation until the end, the procedures are applied almost automatically and there is no need to make obsessive choices in finding equivalences. Schiavi's fingerprint theory was likewise validated at the end of the process.

This study applies Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory of trauma to Katherine Mansfield’s (1922) work called 'the Fly'. It discusses the ways in which the protagonist of the story called the Boss attempts to deal with his traumatic memories. Freud in his Studies on Hysteria characterized the individual trauma as when a person is unable to react to a traumatic or affective memory in a way that successfully “discharges” those feelings, and therefore feels powerless in the situation. It is this feeling of powerlessness that leads to the trauma. This relationship between trauma and a lack of power manifests in the boss, which can be seen in his attempts to exert his hegemonic masculinity through the dominance and ownership at any given point of time. The idea of ownership is established throughout the story. The Boss wants to be able to feel traumatized at will or to have ownership on his own trauma so trauma becomes a part of the commodity economy in this particular narrative. It is concluded that although normally we associate trauma with loss and inability but trauma becomes the loss that has equitation of ownership.