Journal of Linguistics, Culture and Communication
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Connecting Phonology with Semantics: A Case Study of Polyphones and Homographs in the Written Essays of Some Obafemi Awolowo University English Students
Full text linkThe study considers the relationship between semantics and phonology. Hence, the need for the identification and categorization of samples of homographs (in semantics) and polyphones (in phonology), respectively. Data for the research are gathered from the written essays (academic writing) of some English students of Obafemi Awolowo University; Ile-Ife, Nigeria. The students’ essays are subject to purposive sampling in order to bring out representative samples of homographs and polyphones. Driven by insight from related research on homography and polyphony as well as Halliday's Systemic Functional Theory, findings reaffirm that both semantics and phonology are interrelated because the written discourse of the English language is systemic and, thus, thrives on meaning-related approaches. Findings further reveal that there is indeed a discrepancy between homography and polyphony. The discrepancy, as discovered from the gathered samples, appears rather cumbersome and challenging, especially for learners of English as a Second Language (ESL). The study concludes by recommending that in the teaching of homography and polyphony, students as well as learners of English as a Second Language (ESL) must be painstakingly put through the similarities, differences and distinct samples of homographs and polyphones. This, in linguistic inquiry, is needful for meaningful interpretation of homography and polyphony, respectively
Verbal Idioms and Linguistic Distortions in Selected Fela Anikulapo’s Afrobeat Lyrics
Full text linkScholars have studied the linguistic choices in Fela’s lyrics. However, the peculiar verbal idioms and linguistic distortions that the artiste deploys to (re)socialise his audience to African realities have not been sufficiently interrogated. This study, therefore, is a postcolonial reading of his selected lyrics viewed through the lens of anti-language. It examines the verbal idioms and linguistic distortions in the lyrics and relates them to his ideological orientations. The data comprise 5 purposively selected lyrics downloaded from the internet: ‘International thief thief I. T. T’, ‘Teacher don’t teach me nonsense’, ‘Shuffering and Shmiling’, ‘Beasts of no nation’, and ‘Army arrangement’. These songs cut across the themes of corruption, culture as a teacher, and people’s existential difficulties. These downloaded lyrics are printed and subjected to critical analysis to identify samples of verbal idioms in them. The data were analysed with insights from anti-language and postcolonial theories. Findings show that Fela Anikulapo’s lyrics comprise verbal idiom and linguistic distortions that can be classified as anti-language because of his ideological stance on colonialism. The artist deploys peculiar verbal idioms which are products of relexicalisation processes: orthographic reconfiguration, phonological, syntactic, and morphological distortions comprising borrowing and reduplications. It concludes that the linguistic distortions in the verbal idioms are in tune with his anti-establishment ideological stance of reclamation of African values and the creation of a new social order
Online Interactive Teacher Talks In ELT: A Sociocultural and Interactionist Analysis
Full text linkEducation plays a pivotal role in shaping individuals by fostering cognitive, affective, and psychomotor growth while instilling values like character and morality. In English language teaching (ELT), teacher-student interaction is essential for developing linguistic and communicative competence. Frameworks such as socio-cultural theory and Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) emphasize meaningful dialogue, scaffolding within the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), and authentic communication. An observed Online ELT classroom interaction highlighted scaffolding techniques, error correction, vocabulary clarification, and conversational repair mechanisms. Using conversation analysis principles, the study identified evidence of scaffolding and features like turn-taking and negotiation of meaning. The findings revealed how interactive teacher talk fosters learner progression toward independent language use, aligning with Vygotsky’s mediation theory and the interactionist perspective. Repair strategies and dynamic turn-taking enhanced communicative competence, while CLT’s focus on real-world communication prepares learners for practical language application. These elements illustrate how linguistic input, feedback, and contextualized communication converge in teacher-student interactions, creating a dynamic process that supports language acquisition and prepares learners for authentic communication in real-world contexts
“WHO am I?”: A Comparative Metadiscourse Analysis of Identity and Self-construction on LinkedIn Profiles and X Bios
Full text linkThis research presents a comparative metadiscourse analysis of LinkedIn profiles and X bios for Identity and Self-construction. The study identifies the various metadiscourse features employed in LinkedIn profiles and X bios, categorizes the features, and also discusses how the identified features are used to construct professional and personal identities on LinkedIn and X. The study unveils how individuals strategically construct identities for themselves and establish connections, through linguistic and rhetorical strategies. The research qualitatively analyzes 60 accounts each on LinkedIn and X. Hyland’s (2005) Metadiscourse theory is adopted as the framework for the study. The data findings reveal differences in language use, self-presentation strategies, and how users establish their personal or professional identity and presence on both online platforms. It also reveals that X bios emphasize creativity, humor, and personal interests. In contrast, LinkedIn profiles prioritize professionalism, accomplishments, and career-related information. The study concludes that a comparative metadiscourse analysis of LinkedIn profiles and X bios reveals a distinct use of metadiscourse markers for identity and self-construction, highlighting how individuals tailor their self-presentation toward the platform's conventions and purposes. This highlights the dynamic nature of self-presentation in the digital age
Analyzing Zuko’s Redemption Arc in Avatar: The Last Airbender Through Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Full text linkCharacter development in fiction often mirrors fundamental psychological struggles, making it a compelling area for analysis. Although previous studies have explored Avatar: The Last Airbender from literary and cultural viewpoints, there has been limited focus on Zuko’s redemption arc through the framework of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. This study aims to analyze Zuko’s transformation from conflict to redemption, exploring not only Maslow’s stages of physiological needs, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization but also the impact of sociocultural influences and family pressures on his development. Employing a descriptive qualitative approach, data were gathered from selected episodes of the series and analyzed through Maslow’s framework, supplemented by triangulation of theories to enhance the understanding of Zuko’s character. The findings indicate that Zuko’s journey through the hierarchy reflects both his internal conflicts and the evolving dynamics of his relationships, particularly with his father and Uncle Iroh, which play pivotal roles in his transformation. This study highlights how the fulfillment of human needs, alongside external sociocultural factors, shapes a character’s redemption arc, thereby fostering a deeper dialogue between psychology and narrative studies
Speaking Herbs: The Pragmatic Roles of Language in the Creation of Minak Pengalun in Karo Tradition
Full text linkThis study examines the pragmatic functions of language and its interplay with non-verbal acts in the formulation and implementation of Minak Pengalun, a traditional herbal medicinal technique originating from the Karo culture of Indonesia. The study uses qualitative research methods, such as ethnographic fieldwork, interviews, and participant observations, to reveal how verbal expressions, gestures, and symbolic rituals coalesce to safeguard cultural heritage, convey ecological knowledge, and facilitate holistic healing. Employing Speech Act Theory, the study delineates five pragmatic functions of language in Minak Pengalun: representative acts communicate ecological and procedural knowledge, directive acts direct preparation and ritual execution, commissive acts signify practitioners' dedication to cultural authenticity, expressive acts demonstrate spiritual and emotional connections, and declarative acts affirm and reinforce cultural norms. The interplay between verbal communication and non-verbal rituals, including ingredient preparation and ritual gestures, guarantees the procedural precision and cultural congruence of the activity. The findings underscore Minak Pengalun as a comprehensive tradition in which language serves as a medium for meaning-making, connecting the spiritual, cultural, and ecological aspects of Karo identity. This research underscores the significance of safeguarding both linguistic and ceremonial elements of ancient traditions amidst cultural evaluation while also promoting additional comparative studies and techniques for intergenerational transmission. The study highlights the dynamic relationship between language and action and emphasizes the importance of Minak Pengalun in preserving cultural and natural legacy
The Use of Verbs in Astrophysical Research Paper Abstracts: Sociolinguistic Implications
Full text linkThis study aims to explore the use of verbs in a corpus of research paper abstracts retrieved from four English-written top journals published in astrophysics during 2011-2021. From a diachronic point of view, we notice an overall decrease in the use of the passive voice and fluctuating patterns in the verbal parameters analysed, with no substantial statistically significant differences among them. By contrast, from a cross-journal standpoint, we observe some significant differences in the use of verbs between the journals studied. These discrepancies could be interpreted in terms of distinct sociolinguistic frameworks, as astrophysicists may employ verbal constructions in dissimilar ways depending on whether English is their mother tongue or not. In average, non-native English researchers are likely to create longer abstracts with more purpose and linking clauses, more verbs and variants and also more passive voices, more past and future tenses and fewer modal verbs per number of authors. Conversely, native English writers would use fewer auxiliary verbs and a more direct and assertive language. Further linguistic differences can also be noted within native English astrophysicists, depending on their US-based or British areas of influence as well as on the specific scope of each journal
Syntax and Lexicon in Agricultural Proverbs: A Comparative Study of English and Indonesian
Full text linkThe study aims to compare Indonesian and English proverbs with agricultural themes in terms of syntactic structures and lexical choices. The study employs a descriptive qualitative method with a comparative approach. The data consist of 20 agricultural English proverbs found on a website, meanwhile their Indonesian counterparts were obtained from various online sources. Although the dataset is limited in size, the selection process was carefully designed to reduce imbalance and potential bias. The selection and pairing of these proverbs were carried out by applying semantic justification to ensure that both languages reflect comparable meanings. The data were collected through documentation, organized into tables, and analyzed syntactically and lexically. The analysis reveals that both sets of proverbs employ simple, compound, and complex sentences, with complex sentences being the most dominant. The phenomenon indicates that agricultural proverbs in both languages tend to consist of layered wisdom and conditional reasoning, reflecting the complexity of human interaction with nature. Compound sentences, however, are the least frequently found. It suggests that proverbs seldom rely on coordination but rather emphasize subordination and cause-and-effect relations. Lexically, both languages share terms related to seasons, weather, agricultural tools, activities, animals, and plants; however, the specific choices differ due to the cultural and ecological contexts. English proverbs often include words such as "hay," "pig," and "hen" that reflect European farming practices and early industrial elements, which are not commonly found in Indonesian proverbs. Conversely, Indonesian proverbs employ traditional tools such as sumur (well), jala (net), and payung (umbrella), highlighting agrarian traditions and local livelihoods. The findings show how ecological realities and cultural practices shape linguistic representation in agricultural proverbs
Something Feels Different: Reimagination of Fairy Tales Characters in Once Upon a Crime
Full text linkThis study aims to analyze the markers of reimagination in fairy tales, especially through the characters. Reimagination is the process of recreating a story or re-imagining an old version of a story and wrapping it in a new perspective. Character reimagination is seen from the movie Once Upon a Crime (2023). The research data source from characters namely Cinderella (Shinderera), Little Red Riding Hood (Akazukin), Fairy Godmother (Witch Barbara and Witch Tekla), Step Sisters (Anne and Margot), Prince Charming (Prince Gilbert), and Gus Gus the Mouse (Porru). Researchers using methods from Spradley's approach, namely the qualitative descriptive method. This research using main theory from Purnomo, Adila, and Adzhani (2023) about reimagination markers; mutation markers and presentness as well as the reimagination function of both related namely stylistic function, ludic function, medial function, branding function, culture function are seen from this research. The results of this study found that reimagination markers, mutation markers and presentness in the change of iconic characters are dominated by stylistic and cultural functions, indicating that reimagination updates from in the movie Once Upon a Crime not only transformed traditional characters into more modern ones, through altered characterizations, classic stories can be kept alive in a modern cultural context
Derived Adjectives in English Sentences: A Morphosyntactic Study of Cecelia Ahern’s Novel The Time of My Life
Full text linkThis study investigates the intersection between morphology and syntax, known as morphosyntax, focusing on the formation and syntactic roles of derived adjectives in the novel The Time of My Life. The objectives of this research are to identify the morphological types of derived adjectives and to analyze their syntactic functions within sentence structures. The study employs the theories proposed by Quirk et al. (1985), Plag (2002), and Brown & Miller (1994) as the analytical framework. The data were collected through a library research method and analyzed qualitatively using both formal and informal descriptive techniques. The findings reveal that thirteen suffixes are used to form derived adjectives in the novel, namely –ful, –able, –ish, –ous, –al, –ic, –less, –y, –ive, –ly, –ing, –ed, and –ary. These suffixes contribute to the creation of adjectives that serve three main syntactic functions, such are predicative, attributive, and postpositive. The study highlights the dynamic relationship between morphological processes and syntactic distribution, illustrating how derivational morphology contributes to syntactic variation in English literary texts