Linguistics Commons^™

Science Education Research On Student To Student Discourse: A Literature Review With An Applied Linguistics Lens, Abbee A. Mortensen

University Honors Theses

Science education researchers have increasingly been using discourse analysis to research small group discussion while doing course related activities. This literature review examined studies from that discourse community to see what analysis methods were used and if they connected to applied linguistics theories or methods. Two of the most common discourse analysis frameworks used were Toulmin's Argument Pattern and grounded coding schemes that looked at the design and specific contents of the discourse. Studies covered will also include education scholars using theories of conversation analysis and normative pragmatics to make a more explicit connection to applied linguistics. Orienting and drawing …

Common Ground, Cooperation, And Recipient Design In Human-Computer Interactions, Judit Dombi, Tetyana Sydorenko, Veronika Timpe-Laughlin

Applied Linguistics Faculty Publications and Presentations

In recent years, the number of human-machine interactions has increased considerably. Additionally, we have evidence of linguistic differences between human-machine interactions and human–human conversations (e.g., Timpe-Laughlin et al., 2022). Therefore, it is reasonable to revisit theoretical frameworks that conceptualize interactional language use and investigate to what extent they still apply to technology-mediated interactions. As a first attempt at exploring whether pragmatics theories apply to human-machine interaction, we examined how well Kecskés's (2013) socio-cognitive approach (SCA) focusing on asymmetric interactions (e.g., between interlocutors of different language backgrounds) applies to the asymmetry of human-machine interactions.

Using examples from experimental data, we present …

English Language Learner Labels: Institutions And Identity, Saylor B. Eames

University Honors Theses

In recent discussions of identity work, an underexplored issue has been how different labels impact the self-identity of multilingual students. Critics have argued for new labels and have shown how the ELL label supports a deficit view. However, they have not considered what labels are used by different institutions because they participate in different discourse communities. In my work, I explore what labels are used in the institutions of government, education, and linguistics in order to synthesize the potential identity impacts on multilingual students. I acknowledge that other researchers have contributed to our understanding of labels and identity. I will …

Yay…, ��, And #Sarcasm: Exploring How Sarcasm Is Marked In Text-Based Cmc, Brontë G. Gordon

University Honors Theses

Sarcasm is a complex phenomenon of indirect speech, when we intend a meaning different from that of the literal words we use. In face-to-face settings (FtF), facial expressions, body language, and prosodic cues can be helpful indicators of sarcasm. It becomes even harder to decipher when these physical cues are removed as in any written setting. This paper explores what text strategies are used to mark sarcasm in text-based English language communication online. Through a systematic literature review, the similarities and differences of irony and sarcasm were explored, as well as the issues these parallels and distinctions create in delineating …

Amplifying Arab American Heritage Language Students' Voices: A Multiple Case Study On Translanguaging Practices And Identity Negotiation In University Arabic Classrooms, Lina Gomaa

Dissertations and Theses

Little research has been conducted on Arab American students at universities and specifically, in the heritage language studies field. The experiences of Arab American heritage language (AAHL) students are significantly less examined than those of other heritage language students. Arabic language curricula and instructional practices in universities tend to privilege the teaching of Modern Standard Arabic over dialects, which marginalizes heritage learners' prior knowledge of the Arabic culture and its language, specifically Arabic dialects used in their home communities. These phenomena can create a non-affirming learning experience for these students. As such, in this study, I addressed these questions:

• To …

When Enthusiasm For Learning Isn’T Enough, 21cleo Research Team

21CLEO Research Project Blog Posts

21CLEO Research Blog Post No.26

The Little Things Add Up, 21cleo Research Team

21CLEO Research Project Blog Posts

21CLEO Research Blog Post No.25

Case Study In Activist Applied Linguistics: Working With The Oregon Judicial Department For The Accessibility Of Domestic Relations Information, Amandalyn R. Wayland, Jamal R. Ford, Abbee A. Mortensen

Student Research Symposium

How are students of applied linguistics able to contribute to community efforts in increasing access to justice? Activist applied linguistics (AAL) (Cowal & Leung, 2021) is defined as utilizing applied linguistics in coordination with community partners to address wicked problems (Rittel & Webber, 1973). AAL provides a framework for engaging university students with communities outside of their campus and has been utilized to further work in water justice (Haeffner & Cowal, 2019) and to increase the Oregon State Bar website’s comprehensibility (Anesa, Cowal, & Pulju, 2022). In this poster, we present an AAL case study in which students of applied …

21cleo Research Team Draws On Critical Race Theory For New Peer Reviewed Article, 21cleo Research Team

21CLEO Research Project Blog Posts

21CLEO Research Blog Post No.24

Making Use Of Prosodic Resources In A New Language: Self-Repetition In Wh-Questions In Talk-In-Interaction, Phoebe Cordova

PSU McNair Scholars Online Journal

There is a growing body of research being conducted on L2 prosodic acquisition, production, and variation. Studies have analyzed data from a variety of L1s and have primarily focused on the impact of age of acquisition and proficiency level on L2 prosody. Additionally, almost all of these studies have investigated this area from a phonological approach, using spoken language elicited in highly controlled experimental settings with weak ecological validity. In contrast, this study collected naturalistic language data of an L1 Mandarin speaker of English and incorporated both a phonological and interactional approach to gain a more complete understanding of L2 …

Ecosystem Of Workplace Education And Training: Where Do Learners Fit?, Kathy Harris, Jen Vanek, Jill Castek, Gloria E. Jacobs

21CLEO Presentations and Publications

Presentation Agenda

● Background on study design and theoretical approaches

● What’s a learning ecosystem?

● Who are the learners?

● Insights gleaned from critical analysis of learner interview data & discussion with key stakeholders (employers, WFD practitioners, educators)

● What’s next in our research

Chinese Word Order: A Look Into Svo And Sov Arguments, Shelley E. Tennison

University Honors Theses

In this paper, the issue of Chinese word order is weighed, and findings in the field are presented. First, looking into the historical background and offering a brief introduction to Greenberg's linguistic universals, I will break apart various arguments concerning the word order in Chinese. I will examine many sources, albeit the focus will rest heavily on Sandra Li and Charles Thomson's SOV argument and Timothy Gívon and Chaofen Sun's SVO argument. The two sides of this argument are considered regarding X-bar theory, constituent test, morphological limitations, and syntax.

Examining The Perspectives Of Adult Working Learners And Key Stakeholders Using Critical Race Theory, Gloria E. Jacobs, Jill Castek, Kathy Harris, Jen Vanek

Applied Linguistics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Purpose: This article reports on a critical race theory (CRT) analysis of the perspectives of providers of employer-supported educational opportunities and adult learners, who identified as Black, indigenous or as a person of color, and were employed in service industries. Design/methodology/approach: A review of the literature was used to shape an initial interview protocol. Data were collected from working learners in retail, hospitality, restaurants and healthcare industries. An “a priori” coding scheme that drew from CRT was applied to transcripts during analysis. Findings: Analysis revealed that working learners' skills, experiential knowledge, learning mindset, language flexibility and knowledge gained from previous …

Many Voices: Participants As Research Partners, 21cleo Research Team

21CLEO Research Project Blog Posts

No abstract provided.

Working Learners In An Workplace Learning Ecosystem, 21cleo Research Team

21CLEO Research Project Blog Posts

No abstract provided.

“My Background Is A Little Bit More Than What I Am Now", 21cleo Research Team

21CLEO Research Project Blog Posts

No abstract provided.

The Role Of The Direct Supervisor: Insights From Research Partners, 21cleo Research Team

21CLEO Research Project Blog Posts

Part of our research process has been to engage the voices of individuals involved in employer-supported education and training initiatives or otherwise impacted by the issues we have been investigating. To this end, we hosted a series of convenings to discuss our findings and invited a group of12 interested parties who represented a range of backgrounds and experience in the workforce development system to respond to our initial observations, to make sure that we are doing things that were relevant and useful, and to identify things that we had missed or that we didn't get right.

What Do We Mean By Learning?, 21cleo Research Team

21CLEO Research Project Blog Posts

There is no one way a working learner interacts in the workplace to learn. Nor is there just one set of initiatives in the field that promote learning. Learning is a set of interactions that depend on the context, the conditions, the learner, and the learner's goals.

Missing Persona: Insights From Research Partners, 21cleo Research Team

21CLEO Research Project Blog Posts

No abstract provided.

Complexifying Paid Learning, 21cleo Research Team

21CLEO Research Project Blog Posts

No abstract provided.

Learning And Job Advancement: Insights From A Follow-Up Questionnaire, 21cleo Research Team

21CLEO Research Project Blog Posts

Over the course of our research project, we were able to interview 27 working Learners employed in frontline service work in the US. Our plans to expand this data set and conduct in-person follow-up interviews was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to have some sense of what our participants' education, work, and lived experiences were like in the year after our interviews, we sent a follow-up questionnaire to all 27 in the summer of 2021 and received responses from 13 individuals. It was important for us to reconnect with these learners after more than a year of societal …

Limitations Of Our Working Learner Persona: Insights From Research Partners, 21cleo Research Team

21CLEO Research Project Blog Posts

No abstract provided.

Learning And Advancement: Insights From Research Partners, 21cleo Research Team

21CLEO Research Project Blog Posts

Part of our research process has been to engage the voices of individuals involved in employer-supported education and training initiatives or otherwise impacted by the issues we have been investigating. To this end, we hosted a series of convenings to discuss our findings and invited a group of 12 interested parties who represented a range of backgrounds and experience in the workforce development system to respond to our initial observations, to make sure that we are doing things that were relevant and useful, and to identify things that we had missed or that we didn't get right.

Participants in the …

Synthesizing And Disseminating Research Findings Digitally, 21cleo Research Team

21CLEO Research Project Blog Posts

No abstract provided.

Collaborative Digital Problem-Solving: Power, Relationships, And Participation, Gloria E. Jacobs, Jill Castek

Applied Linguistics Faculty Publications and Presentations

The study examines the collaborative nature of problem solving as dyads and triads of adults were grouped to solve digital problems using online resources. Digital problem solving involves the nimble use of skills, strategies, and mindsets to navigate online in everyday contexts using novel resources, tools, and interfaces, in efficient and flexible ways, to accomplish personal and professional goals. Findings address the nature of collaborative talk during digital problem solving through three interrelated categories of themes gleaned from discourse analysis: (a) power, (b) relationships, and (c) participation. These themes offer a nuanced understanding of collaborative interactions during digital problem solving. …

Considering Who Has Opportunities For Training And Advancement, 21cleo Research Team

21CLEO Research Project Blog Posts

The three working learners featured in this blog post represent contrasting experiences that help us to understand the level and quality of support from such mediators as has become evident in our research, and the resu Its on the careers of these learners. Al I names used are pseudonyms.

Japanese-English Code-Switching By Postwar Speakers In Contemporary America, Andre John Shepherd

Dissertations and Theses

In her examination of Japanese-English bilingualism in Toronto, Nishimura (1995b) demonstrated that second-generation Japanese-Canadians varied their speech dependent on the audience they were addressing. According to her, the Japanese-Canadians spoke primarily in English to fellow second-generation speakers, while maintaining conversations in Japanese with those who had spent their formative years in Japan. However, when addressing audiences composed of both groups, they switched back and forth evenly between the two languages.

Following research done by Woolard (1989) on the effects of societal influences on language, the state of the Japanese-Canadians can be related to the breakup of the ethnic enclaves in …

The Discourse/Pragmatic Functions Of Japanese Okkē, Peter Fodor

Dissertations and Theses

Okay is one of the most commonly used words in the English language. It is also one of the most commonly borrowed English-origin loanwords across all of the world's languages. Although there is a wealth of research on the communicative functions of English okay, there is comparatively little research on the many borrowings of the word in various other languages. In order to address this gap in the literature, this study explores the differences in discourse/pragmatic function between the English word okay, and the Japanese borrowing of the word, okkē.

Extensive research in discourse analysis, pragmatics, and …

Perceptual Mismatch Between Meso And Macro Policy At Tokyo International University, Brianna Ross, Kimberly Brown

McNair Symposium

Previous studies have aimed at looking at meso and micro policy levels of Japanese educational institutions and their English language teaching programs. Through conducting surveys and interviews, researchers gained knowledge of how, or if, institutions portray their standards to students and staff and how those goals are displayed through curriculum. This research shows a disconnect between the stated goals and in class instruction. While the researchers looked at overall disconnects, none looked at specific universities and their programs. My study aims to fill that gap, focusing on a university known for its English teaching and production skills. The intention is …

Computer Adaptive Testing For The Assessment Of Anomia Severity, Gerasimos Fergadiotis, Marianne Casilio, William D. Hula, Alexander Swiderski

Speech and Hearing Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Anomia assessment is a fundamental component of clinical practice and research inquiries involving individuals with aphasia, and confrontation naming tasks are among the most commonly used tools for quantifying anomia severity. While currently available confrontation naming tests possess many ideal properties, they are ultimately limited by the overarching psychometric framework they were developed within. Here, we discuss the challenges inherent to confrontation naming tests and present a modern alternative to test development called item response theory (IRT). Key concepts of IRT approaches are reviewed in relation to their relevance to aphasiology, highlighting the ability of IRT to create flexible and …