Beyond Words (Journal)
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169 research outputs found
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Register in @WMNLyfe Instagram caption regarding women-centered content: A sociolinguistics study
Full text link@WMNLyfe Instagram account uses specific register to communicate with their followers where the targeted audience is Indonesian women from adolescence to adulthood. This study aims to analyze and describe the register used by @WMNLyfe Instagram account. The data for this study are the words and phrases taken from the caption on @WMNLyfe Instagram account discussing women’s empowerment in March 2024, as International Women’s Day is celebrated that month. The study is descriptive qualitative, applying a sociolinguistic approach in discussing language and gender. The data were collected and classified based on their form. Of the 64 instances of register found, it is written in Indonesian and English. The analysis found that there are variations in register in the form of monomorphemic, polymorphemic, abbreviations, and compound words from the classes of nouns, adjectives, and verbs. Each has its own meaning depending on the context of use. The function of the register was to greet and build a relationship with the followers, to discuss women’s topics, to follow the trends, to build an identity, to share information, to create an aesthetics and convenience language, as well as to express feeling
The presence of anthropomorphism and ecocentrism in children's literature
Full text linkThis study examined 200 English-language children’s story books as to two variables: (1) the presence or absence of anthropomorphism, i.e., nonhuman agents acting and speaking like humans; and (2) ecocentrism, i.e., giving value to all beings, or anthropocentrism, i.e., valuing humans much more than other species. Some scholars have speculated that the presence of anthropomorphized animals in children’s books might predispose children to develop more ecocentric outlooks. The fiction books were found at a Singapore public library and an internet library. They were categorized into five groups according to the intended age of the readers: (1) Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten, (2) Grade 1, (3) Grade 2, (4) Grade 3, and (5) Grade 4). The researchers found an expected, statistically significant trend toward more anthropomorphism in books for younger readers and more ecocentrism in books containing anthropomorphism
From crisis to competence: A narrative inquiry into need-driven English learning in technical contexts
Full text linkThis Narrative Inquiry examines how Nikolas, a 55-year-old Indonesian vocational high school graduate, attained English proficiency and technical skills through informal digital learning, overcoming age barriers in SLA. Struggling to repair his son’s malware-infected laptop, he faced linguistic gatekeeping in English technical resources. Machine translation proved insufficient, driving him to learn English via digital literacy practices, utilizing YouTube, language apps, and online forums. His instrumental motivation evolved into sustained commitment as he accessed advanced materials and enrolled in a computer science program at the University of the People.Using Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and Cognitive Apprenticeship Theory (CAT), the study analyzes the self-taught technologist’s crisis-driven learning, showing how digital tools provided contingent scaffolding, fostering autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The research identifies fractal competence, task-specific proficiency developed to bypass linguistic barriers, and a reciprocal learning dynamic with his son, enriching both experiences.The determined father’s journey challenges intrinsic-extrinsic motivation dichotomies, demonstrating how pragmatic goals become identity-constitutive, leading to career advancement. His story highlights the potential of urgent, interest-driven adult learning, proving age irrelevant when motivation aligns with digital literacy. The study calls for policies recognizing informal learning, advocating inclusive technical education that integrates digital resources, supports autonomy, and validates experiential pathways
Analysis of Deixis in AESPA’s Giselle Speech at the United Nation
Full text linkThis study analyzes the use of deixis in AESPA’s Giselle’s speech at the United Nations’ High-Level Political Forum for Sustainable Development Goals. Deixis, as a language feature, is examined through a qualitative approach to understand its forms and functions within the speech. The study found that Giselle primarily employed person (5 data), place (6 data), time (1 data), and discourse (2 data) deixis. From the analysis of deixis, it was also revealed that place deixis as the most dominant type which was found in AESPA’s Giselle speech at the United Nations. Place deixis is used frequently in Giselle's narrative, which emphasizes its importance and suggests that spatial references are intentionally emphasized to highlight important ideas or establish connections with the audience. This dominance invites more investigation into the rhetorical techniques used by AESPA, illuminating their communication goals and the complex interactions between linguistic components in their discourse. This research contributes to understanding the linguistic strategies employed by public speakers and provides insights for language learners and future research on deixis in various contexts
Dude, you got to say "Ma shaa Allah!" Compliment responses in English and Egyptian Arabic
Full text linkThis paper is an attempt to investigate Compliment Responses (CRs) produced by Egyptian EFL learners through the use of Discourse Completion Task (DCT) as a data collection method. The aim is to gain an insight into the politeness strategies employed by Egyptian Arabic native speakers by shedding light on how young Egyptian EFL learners react when receiving compliments in English and in Egyptian Arabic. Comprehension is a skill that requires higher EFL proficiency levels so that the students can understand the questions properly, demonstrate a certain level of pragmatic familiarity in the target language, and thus eliminate language barriers that can strongly influence the research results. Hence, to guarantee a certain level of familiarity with English, the sample selected for this small-scale study comprises 30 responses by 15 English-majored university students (11 females and 4 males). The DCT consisted of 6 different compliment situations related to appearance, possession and performance/ability, and participants were asked to respond to the compliments as they would in real life. Responses were categorised according to the following strategies: thanking, wishing, rejecting, doubting, topic shifting, explaining, encouraging, offering the complimented object or help, returning the compliment, joking, expressing gladness, agreeing, combining two or more strategies as well as combining strategies with non-verbal responses. The data reflected some social-cultural norms of the Egyptian society. Gender-based differences in CRs have also been highlighted, and classroom implications that could apply to EFL teaching in the Egyptian context are proposed
Metafunctional meanings in a UMS poster in Instagram: SFL analysis for international students
Full text linkThis research examines the metafunctional meanings employed in a UMS Instagram poster for international students. Using a qualitative analysis approach grounded in Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), the study delves into the interplay between graphic and written components to convey key messages. Specifically, it analyzes the ideational metafunction to understand how language and visuals represent the students' experiences and aspirations. The interpersonal metafunction is explored to illuminate how the poster establishes a connection between the university and its target audience. Finally, the textual metafunction is investigated to assess the organization and coherence of the poster's elements. By uncovering these metafunctional strategies, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of how educational institutions can effectively communicate with international students through social media platforms
Teaching pragmatics for workplace readiness: A case study of tourism students preparing for hotel internship
Full text linkThis study investigates the teaching of pragmatics for workplace readiness, focusing on politeness strategies among tourism students preparing for hotel internships. The purpose of the research is to examine how explicit instruction in pragmatics, supported by authentic multimedia, can enhance students’ communicative competence for hospitality contexts. A case study design was employed with 20 fifth-semester Hotel Management Department students from Surakarta Tourism Academy enrolled in the Professional English course. The instructional intervention used authentic Front Office duty videos from VECTOR (Virtual Education Creative Tutorial Room), developed by IPB International as a leading Indonesian tourism institution. The VECTOR materials are standardized and freely accessible, covering six essential front office tasks: handling reservations, bellboy services, telephone inquiries, guest check-in, guest check-out, and managing guest complaints. Data were collected through classroom observations, students’ reflective journals, and performance assessments during simulated hotel encounters. The findings revealed that students improved their ability to apply appropriate politeness strategies in workplace communication and gained greater confidence in handling cross-cultural challenges. This study demonstrates that integrating pragmatic instruction with authentic video models contributes significantly to students’ workplace readiness and supports the development of pragmatic competence in English for Specific Purposes education
Forensic linguistics in legal contexts: Examining plagiarism, legal documents, and defamation
Full text linkThe study of forensic linguistics is not a simple task since a linguist must have knowledge in other fields to support their expertise in linguistics to become an expert witness. Even though the testimony provided by a linguist is in the field of linguistics, in investigating or analysing a case, a linguist requires other skills such as computerisation, knowledge of a region's culture, and so on. With the development of forensic linguistics as a discipline, linguistic studies are very much needed. It means the growth of forensic linguistics creates a strong need for more specialized linguistic research so that the field can function effectively, especially in legal, criminal, and investigative contexts. This study attempts to discuss some examples of forensic linguistic cases. The research method used in this study is descriptive, as it focuses on the analysis of language in forensic linguistics. Both spoken and written forms are the two types of data that are the objects of this research. The results of this study show both spoken and written data related to language in legal processes, language in legal products, and language in legal evidence. The discussion of the aspects of the language analysis dimension that are typical in forensic linguistics, namely comparative and distinguishing dimensions, is expected to contribute insights for the development of forensic linguistic studies. It is also hoped that the results of the discussion in this study can enrich the material for linguistic expert testimony in legal cases.
Keywords: forensic linguistics, plagiarism analysis, defamation cases, legal document interpretatio
The implementation of project-based speaking to reduce students' speaking anxiety
Full text linkThis study investigates the implementation of Project-Based Learning (PBL) as a strategy for reducing speaking anxiety and improving students' oral performance. The research adopts a Classroom Action Research design conducted through two cycles, each focusing on distinct topics: Social Injustice (Cycle 1) and Artificial Intelligence (Cycle 2).
Findings indicate that students demonstrated significantly higher anxiety levels when addressing social injustice, attributable to its abstract nature and emotional complexity. Conversely, the AI topic in Cycle 2 resulted in marked improvements in fluency, confidence, and engagement. As digital natives, students exhibited greater familiarity with and interest in AI-related content, enabling them to structure arguments more effectively and speak with increased ease. Observational data revealed measurable progress in eye contact, verbal fluency, vocal volume, and body language between the two cycles. Notably, exposure to AI-generated responses in Cycle 1 appeared to exacerbate student anxiety, as participants reported feeling pressured to emulate the coherence and fluency of artificial intelligence outputs.
The study concludes with practical recommendations for educators to optimize topic selection and cultivate supportive learning environments that address speaking anxiety while fostering communicative competence
From letters to stories: Investigating acronym strategy in English storytelling at junior high school
Full text linkThis study explores the use of an acronym-based storytelling strategy in teaching English at the junior high school level. Using a qualitative case study approach, four students were purposively selected due to their active participation and higher oral English proficiency. The implementation consisted of four sessions focusing on how acronyms could assist learners in structuring, remembering, and performing English stories. Data were collected through classroom observation, students’ storytelling performances, and researcher notes. The findings indicate that the acronym-based strategy effectively supported students in organizing narrative ideas, enhancing fluency, and improving confidence during storytelling performances. The use of familiar and meaningful acronyms served as a mnemonic device that enabled students to recall story elements and construct coherent narratives. Moreover, the strategy increased learners’ engagement and creativity, making storytelling activities more enjoyable and purposeful. Overall, the acronym-based storytelling approach demonstrates significant potential as an innovative and practical method for enhancing students’ English storytelling competence in EFL classrooms