Linguistics Commons^™

Item Development And Scoring For Japanese Oral Proficiency Testing, Deryle W. Lonsdale, Hitokazu Matsushita

Faculty Publications

This study introduces and evaluates a computerized approach to measuring Japanese L2 oral proficiency. We present a testing and scoring method that uses a type of structured speech called elicited imitation (EI) to evaluate accuracy of speech productions. Several types of language resources and toolkits are required to develop, administer, and score responses to this test. First, we present a corpus-based test item creation method to produce EI items with targeted linguistic features in a principled and efficient manner. Second, we sketch how we are able to bootstrap a small learner speech corpus to generate a significantly large corpus of …

Bilingualism And Social Cognitive Development: The Effect Of Dual-Language Acquisition On Nonverbal Communication, Melanie Elizabeth Ordinario Weil

Senior Independent Study Theses

No abstract provided.

Incorporating Effective Grammar Instruction Into The Classroom, Erin Mary Harrity

Honors Program Theses

The debate about the effectiveness of traditional grammar instruction has been ongoing for many decades now. Traditional grammar instruction involves memorization of grammatical rules and practice exercise drills. As early as 1936, the Curriculum Commission of the National Council of Teachers of English stated that “‘all teaching of grammar separate from the manipulation of sentences [should] be discontinued…since every scientific attempt to prove that knowledge of grammar is useful has failed’” (Weaver, Teaching 9). So why is grammar still being taught in the same way-through traditional direct instruction-in many schools? It is because some parents, administrators, politicians, researchers, and teachers …

Cross-Culture Communication: Linguistic And Nonverbal Accommodation Within An English As A Second Language Classroom, Patrick Snyder

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Immigration to the United States presents difficulties to culturally diverse communities because of various customs, beliefs and languages. Daily social interaction and differing behavioral norms in these communities harbor positive and negative interethnic interactions. English as a second language (ESL) classrooms are common places in which people of numerous nationalities meet and work. The goal of this ethnography study is to observe the students’ and teachers’ interactions within an ESL classroom aided by Howard Giles’s communication accommodation theory (CAT) as a lens through which to view these issues. The communication interaction patterns and themes are divided into groups based on …

Review Of Understanding Morphological Rules, By Stela Manova, Jeffery R. Parker

Faculty Publications

In this monograph Stela Manova dicusses word-formation processes ("techniques" in her terminology) based on data from several Slavic languages: Bulgarian, Russian, and Serbian/Croatian. Manova presents theoretical support and a wealth of data to argue that conversion and subtraction operate similarly to other morphological techniques; that is to say, they operate in both derivation and inflection, have prototypical and non-prototypical instances, can be applied to different bases (words, stems, and roots) and compete with other, more iconic, morphological processes. While some of her examples could be disputed, she presents ample data and discussion to support her claims. This work will be …

Conference Interpreting As Extreme Language Use, Loraine Obler

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Extracting Information From French Obituaries, Deryle W. Lonsdale, David W. Embley, Stephen W. Liddle, Joseph Park

Faculty Publications

This paper discusses ongoing efforts to develop a system for extracting information from French obituaries. The approach is based on prior work on ontology-based English obituary extraction, which we first summarize. Then we mention sources for, and characteristics of, typical French obituaries. We sketch ongoing knowledge source development and the relevant tools, as well as an evaluation procedure we intend to follow for quantifying performance of the French system. Throughout we mention some lessons learned in the process.

Japanese Language Proficiency, Social Networking, And Language Use During Study Abroad: Learners' Perspectives, Dan Dewey, Jennifer Brown, Dennis Eggett

Faculty Publications

This study examines the self-perceived speaking proficiency development of 204 learners of Japanese who studied abroad in Japan and analyzes connections between self-reported social network development, language use, and speaking development. Learners perceived that they gained the most in areas associated with the intermediate and advanced levels of the ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) Speaking Proficiency Guidelines and the least in novice and superior-level abilities, largely because of a ceiling effect – learners were highly capable of novice-level tasks before study abroad and therefore had little to gain. Regression analysis indicated that self-reported pre-departure proficiency level, …

Relationship Between Reported Out-Of-Class English Use And Proficiency Gains In English, Wendy Baker-Smemoe, Denisa K. Cundick, Norman Evans, Lynn Henrichsen, Dan Dewey

Faculty Publications

This study investigated the relationship between out-of-class L2 use and proficiency gains in learners of English as a second language (ESL) in an intensive English language program. In contrast to previous studies on this topic, which have found weak, non-existent or even inverse relationships between outof- class language experience and L2 proficiency gains, this study took place over a longer period of time (31 weeks), involved a larger number of participants (61 ESL learners from 12 different language backgrounds at four proficiency levels), and found a statistically significant connection between out-ofclass language use and proficiency gains. Participants took a proficiency …

La Palabra Y El Mundo: Entrevista Con B. Kumaravadivelu = The Word And The World: Interview With B. Kumaravadivelu, B Kumaravadivelu

Faculty Publications

B. KUMARAVADIVELU es catedrático en el Departamento de Lingüística y de Desarrollo del Lenguaje de la San José State University, en California, Estados Unidos. Es autor de numerosos artículos y de algunas obras significativas en el campo de la metodología de lenguas: Beyond Methods: Macrostrategies for Language Teaching (2003), Understanding Language Teaching: From Method to Postmethod (2006), Cultural Globalization and Language Education (2008) y la más reciente Language Teacher Education for a Global Society (2012). El cuestionario que conforma esta entrevista ha sido elaborado por José Manuel Foncubierta y ha contado con la participación y/o asesoramiento de Ernesto Martín …

Semantic Feature Distinctiveness And Frequency, Katherine Marie Lamb

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Lexical access is the process in which basic components of meaning in language, the lexical entries (words) are activated. This activation is based on the organization and representational structure of the lexical entries. Semantic features of words, which are the prominent semantic characteristics of a word concept, provide important information because they mediate semantic access to words. An experiment was conducted to examine the importance of semantic feature distinctiveness and feature frequency in accessing the lexical representations of young and older adults in an off-line task using features of animals. The McRae, Cree, Seidenberg, and McNorgan (2005) feature norm corpus …

Kisah-Kisah Dan Kepercayaan Rakyat Di Seputar Kepurbakalaan, Agus Aris Munandar

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

Some archeological sites in Java, Bali, and Sumatra do not have historical data. This is because during the research, there has not been found any documents relating to the existence of the artifacts. The reconstruction of the relation between the sites and their history were made through analyzing the folk stories and local beliefs about the artifacts. Some of the artifacts are in the forms of temples, gates, water springs (source of holy water during the Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms in Java), stairs, caves for meditation, and layers of stones, such as found in Candi Bima (the Bima temple), Goa Jaran (the …

Existentialism By Soren Aabye Kierke Gaard: Indiana In Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade As A Representation Of An “Authentic” Human Being, Chintia Asmiliasari

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

Existentialism of Soren Aabye Kierkegaard is a study focusing on the individual existence as an authentic creature. Existentialism can only be achieved by an individual’s boldness and belief to commit responsibly to a decision he has made. The decision made by each individual should be based on his subjective truth and should not be influenced by the collective truth called the objective truth. The subjective truth will later lead each individual to his way finding an absolute truth, although despair and uncertainty haunt every decision he has made. A totality of believing in making decision and holding the commitment into …

Dinamika “Timur” Dan “Barat” Dalam Tokoh Boonyi Kaul Noman Dalam Shalimar The Clownkarya Salman Rushdie, Chysanti Arumsari

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

As the concepts of “West” and “East are not only recognized in area studies, they are also known in the study of culture. Both concepts represent a culture, of which they are not always in agreement, but are often opposition, one against another. Shalimar the Clown, a novel by Salman Rushdie presents “West” and “East” using India for its main background. The research analysizes Boonyi Kaul Noman, one of the main characters, who shook the dichotomi of West against East within the paradigms of Orientalism and Occidentalism. The discussion on the construction of East defines the relationship between the locality …

What Do Students Need To Know? How About The Idea Of Progress ?, David Pickus

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

Studying Archeology needs an understanding of the idea of progress. The concept of progress was popular in the 1920s, and it was not for Archeology alone, but it became a new intellectual understanding of the world. “The idea of progress is one of the fundamental notions grappled by civilizations with a historical sense“. “Does this change in the use of metals equal development?,” reminds us to the Xuanyuan era where stone was used to make weapon, whereas jade in the time of Huangdi, and bronze in the time of Yu. This shows that Archeology is related to history and some …

The Character And The Spatial Concepts Of Cakranegara The Historical City Of Indonesia As An Alternative Urban Design, Lalu Mulyadi

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

The main challenge in Indonesian urban conservation efforts is to determine how changes can meet our current needs without jeopardizing its unique character. Cakranegara, Lombok is one of the towns that have unique character and concept for its spatial organization. This research seeks to define the character of Cakranegara by outlining the spatial city concepts in relation to the physical character based on the socio-cultural and religious principles using questionnaires, mental mapping, visual survey and interviews. The results indicate that the grid pattern, settlement blocks and the positioning of the east-west temples have become the specific character of the city. …

Analysis Of Audience Reception On Youtube Towar D Gender Construction In The Music Video If I Were A Boy By Beyonce Knowles, Ria Avriyanty

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

Youtube is one of the favorite sites to share videos. Moreover,it facilitates the users to give a free and direct comment toward the videos they watch. The research examines the music video entitled If I Were a Boy (2010) by Beyonce Knowles as well as the authentic responses from the viewers in Youtube. I argue that this music video creates a conventional gender construction which perpetuates the patriarchal norms in the society. As an attempt to give a new perspective on the similar kind of research, I do not stop at this point. Applying the concept of encoding-decoding by Stuart …

Wayang Dan Nilai- Nilai Etis: Sebuah Gambaran Sikap Hidup Orang Jawa, Selu Margaretha Kushendrawati

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

The Javanese wayang performance reflects some ethical values that express the attitudes and norms of the Javanese people. The wayang stories bring into focus some elements of the culture, such as customs, arts, way of life, mysticism, and religion. The characters of the wayang performance depict some ways of life and mind-sets of the Javanese of an understanding of the final destination of life, sangkan paraning dumadi, which is a longing to be united with God at the end of their life. Wayang performance is a high form of Javanese culture that needs to be preserved to sustain multiculturalism in …

Mendorong Pemahaman Kritis Tentang Dokumen-Dokumen Prinsipil Dan Narasi Kebijakan Luar Negeri Amerika Di Kawasan Asia Pasifik 2000-2010: Catatan Penelitian, Suzie Sudarman

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

This research note essentially highlights how an argumentation was developed to reveal the implicit tensions that had been part of the American foreign policy maneuvers in Asia-Pacific, and the locus that were expressed have caused controversy. The finding is an effort to formulate analysis of the American foreign policy through an understanding of the nature of paradoxal and tension in the general American foreign policy, specifically in Asia-Pacific. Moreover, the pressures from outside the Asia-Pacific region, have eventually impacted the configuration of the publik officers and the experienced politicians in the locale, who have resulted policies to support the establishment …

Community Outreach English: Marketing A Community Esl Program, Carrie Lane Drake

Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this MA TESOL project was to develop promotional products for BYU's Community Outreach English (CORE) program. The purpose of these products is to create greater community awareness of the program and the resources it provides to learners. It is also hoped that the promotional products will aid in the process of recruiting students for the program from one year to the next. While the essential elements of the marketing mix (product, place, promotion, and price) were reviewed, an emphasis for this project was placed on promotion, which translated into developing materials for this purpose. Promotional materials that …

The Development Of Two Units For Basic Training And Resources For Teaching English To Speakers Of Other Languages: "Teaching Styles And Cultural Differences" And "Understanding Students' Learning Styles", Kyle F. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

To create a much-needed program for training novice and volunteer English teachers, Dr. Lynn Henrichsen put together a team of interested TESOL graduate students who developed materials and resources for this purpose. Under his supervision and mentorship, each student helped with the development of units for a website and book titled, Basic Training and Resources for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (BTRTESOL). Recognizing the target audience as novice teachers with little or no training in teaching English as a second language, each graduate student approached the development of each unit for this BTRTESOL program with this in mind. …

Review Of "Sign Languages" Edited By D. Brentari, Donna Jo Napoli

Linguistics Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Language Learning And Study Abroad: A Critical Reading Of The Research (Review), Elizabeth M. Kissling

Latin American, Latino and Iberian Studies Faculty Publications

Kinginger’s interpretation of the research represents an endorsement of the great potential of study abroad, balanced with several limitations and caveats. Kinginger argues that while study abroad generally results in increased proficiency and oral fluency, slightly superior to gains resulting from at-home formal study, one should note the design flaws of many studies such as lack of a true control group as well as reliance on monologic, situation-less tasks to measure language gains, even in the areas of discursive, pragmatic, and sociocultural competencies. Kinginger also notes that opportunities for learning language and cultural through interactions with native speakers can be …

Sign Language Word List Comparisons: Toward A Replicable Coding And Scoring Methodology, Jason Parks

Theses and Dissertations

This study describes and evaluates a methodology for sign language word list comparisons. The purpose of this sociolinguistic research tool is to identify similarity relationships among sign language varieties by assessing similarities of lexical items. Similarities are calculated using the Levenshtein distance metric which measures the number of differences between signs.

In this study, the methodology was refined for optimal efficiency through an analysis of: which parameters of a sign should be compared, which values should be included in each parameter value inventory, and which items should be used in the word list. As a result of the study, I …

Evidentiality In Uzbek And Kazakh, Christopher Straughn

Library Faculty Publications

The purpose of this work is to describe and account for the broad range of phenomena referred to as “evidentiality” in two Turkic languages: Uzbek and Kazakh. Much previous work on the Turkic languages treats evidentiality as a distinct verbal category. However, morphemes that express evidential meaning also often express other meanings such as dubitativity and admirativity, or may even express rhetorical questions. This work follows Friedman (1978; 1981; 1988) and others in considering these meanings to be the result of an evidential-like strategy: the expression of non-confirmativity. In Uzbek and Kazakh, as well as in many other Eurasian languages, …

New Media, New Communicative Genres And Inclusive Technology-Mediated L2 Pedagogy: A Conversation With Steve Thorne, Victoria Antoniadou, Steven L. Thorne

World Languages and Literatures Faculty Publications and Presentations

Professor Steve Thorne is well-known for his work on second and foreign language development and Internet-mediated communicative activity. He is identified with the study of language use, communication dynamics and technology-mediated foreign, second and plurilingual language learning, occurring within and outside of formal educational settings. His work draws on sociocultural and cultural-historical approaches to language development and he is particularly interested in multiplayer online gaming environments, the "cultures of use" of Internet communication tools, and intercultural communication. Professor Thorne is currently a faculty member in the Department of World Languages and Literatures at Portland State University and at the University …

Revising Our Curriculum/ Empowering Students: Teachers’ Preparation And Perceptions About Bilingual Writing, Maria Luisa Spicer-Ecalante

Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications

While emphasis on writing instruction has been a main concern in teaching Spanish to bilingual students in the U. S., it is an area in which very few theoretical advances have been made; in Mexico’s case the situation is even more challenging. Therefore, based on classroom observations, and individual interviews with both teachers and students, and on the collection of class syllabi, this paper seeks to describe the current state of affairs regarding Spanish and English writing instruction for bilingual students in both countries. The main objectives are: 1) the analysis and comparison of the diverse teaching methodologies that high …

Reframing Student Accommodation In Education Abroad: Reporting On A Cross-National Study Of Learning Outcomes, Anthony C. Ogden, Dan Dewey, Tomomi Kumai

Faculty Publications

All too often student accommodation is understood as a minor component of an education abroad program with only trivial impact on the overall educational experience. As such, students are frequently permitted to choose housing based on location, cost, convenience and more frequently, on the availability of amenities, such as wireless Internet, cable, and telephone. Unfortunately, the prioritization given to such logistical and practical arrangements tends to overshadow the fundamental learning potential of student accommodation. Through active reflection and experimentation, the learning that takes place in student accommodation can lead to meaningful and transformative learning.

This “theory to practice” pilot study …

Theme: Mobile Language Learning, Glenn Stockwell, Susana Sotillo

Department of Linguistics Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

There has been increased interest in portable technologies which allow learners to access tools for learning languages in virtually any time or place that suits them. The quickly developing functionalities of mobile phones, MP3 players, laptop and tablet computers, and other hand-held devices with touch screen technology mean that the range of possibilities for language learning has greatly diversified. GodwinJones (2011), for example, points out that iPhone and Android phones have ushered in a phenomenal expansion in the development of Apps for just about every topic under the sun, and educators have been exploring the value of Apps for learning …

Age-Related Differences In Idiom Production In Adulthood, Peggy S. Conner, Jungmoon Hyun, Barbara O'Connor-Wells, Inge Anema, Mira Goral, Marie-Michelle Monereau-Merry, Daniel Rubino, Raija Kuckuk, Loraine Obler

Publications and Research

To investigate whether idiom production was vulnerable to age-related difficulties, we asked 40 younger (ages 18–30) and 40 older healthy adults (ages 60–85) to produce idiomatic expressions in a story-completion task. Younger adults produced significantly more correct idiom responses (73%) than did older adults (60%). When older adults generated partially correct responses, they were less likely than younger participants to eventually produce the complete target idiom (old: 32%; young: 70%); first-word cues after initial failure to retrieve an idiom resulted in more correct idioms for older (24%) than younger (15%) participants. Correlations between age and idiom correctness were positive for …