English Translation and Interpreting

EnglishCentral (https://www.englishcentral.com), which is also available as an app for most Apple and Android devices, is a second language (L2) learning platform aimed at improving various L2 English skills including language use, vocabulary learning, listening, speaking, and pronunciation via a large selection of short videos. It claims to serve as a multimedia resource for low-as well as high-proficiency L2 learners of English with eight different first language (L1) options to use the platform. Users can also choose the topic, skill, or genre they would like to work on (e.g., academic, business, social, media). This graphically attractive, user-friendly, and easy-to-navigate website is an invaluable tool, especially for those L2 English learners who would like to improve their speaking and pronunciation skills and receive instant feedback. The pronunciation component of the website, which will be the main focus of this review, uses a statistically trained intelligibility model (STIM) as opposed to traditional speech recognition technology, which is particularly helpful for self-diagnosis and self-evaluation of pronunciation skills.

The current study provides a constraint-based analysis of L1 word-final consonant cluster acquisition in Turkish child language using some of L1 data originally presented by Topbas and Kopkalli-Yavuz (2008). The present analysis was done using [ɾ]+obstruent consonant cluster acquisition. A comparison of Gradual Learning Algorithm (GLA) under Optimality Theory (OT) as opposed to Harmonic Grammar (HG) is made to see under which model GLA functions more efficiently and reaches the target adult form faster. This convergence was simulated using the simulation feature of Praat (Boersma and Weenik, 2012). Since child language is unmarked at the initial state, faithfulness constraints have been assigned lower ranking values than markedness constraints. The noise was set to 2.0 and the plasticity to 0.1. The findings of the simulations show that GLA is more compatible with Noisy HG in showing convergence properties with the target adult output forms more effectively than OT-GLA does. In othe...

Considering the contradictory research on explicit teaching of suprasegmentals, the present study aims to investigate the effects of explicit instruction of L2 English learners’ perception of prosodically ambiguous intonation patterns, as well as the possible effects of reported musical familiarity on intonation acquisition. A control group and a treatment group of low‐intermediate international English students were asked to judge the meaning of three types of sentence‐final intonation patterns: declarative sentences, tag questions, and wh‐ questions. Overall, the group that received explicit instruction during the four‐week treatment phase scored higher on the perception post‐test than those who received no treatment, although the improvement was not found to be statistically significant. A small number of learners with self‐reported musical familiarity in the experimental group did not significantly improve in their perception of intonation patterns compared to their peers. Burcu...

This paper examines religious and ethnic identity construction among nationally diverse Muslim women, and shows how Muslim women may reflect asymmetrical power relations regarding their religiousness. While Muslims are usually treated as one homogenous community by those who are not very familiar with the Muslim communities, within the Islamic world, in fact, some Muslim-majority countries may be more strongly associated with Islam than others. Drawing on data gathered through spontaneous conversations, and informal, unstructured interviews during a gathering of four Muslim women, the present study reveals how one Muslim woman belonging to the Arab world authenticates herself in the presence of non-Arab Muslims through her discourse. Several factors such as economic wealth, heritage, politics, and language seem to help her claim "genuine" membership of Islam.

The purpose of the present study was to explore university students' views and perceptions of emergency remote learning (ERL), their self-reported degree of learner autonomy, and the use of the first language (L1) in asynchronous classes (i.e., pre-recorded video lectures) during their transition to ERL in Spring 2020. The participants were predominantly freshmen students studying English Language and Literature (ELL) at a public university in Turkey. The data was collected via a cross-sectional five-part web-based questionnaire using convenience sampling (n = 86). The study reveals interesting findings regarding (a) students' views about ERL, (b) their self-reported degree of learner autonomy, (c) their views about lecturers' L1 use in asynchronous video lectures, and (d) whether and how these variables are interrelated and can be predicted by background variables. The qualitative findings further suggest that students hold mixed opinions regarding their new learning experience and mention the technical issues, lack of contact, and psychological problems as the most urgent issues to be addressed. Students were also found to be quite autonomous, and this was correlated with ERL ratings. Additionally, a majority of the ELL students considered the use of L1 in video lectures acceptable as long as it was limited. The findings are likely to inform the academicians who teach English majors at higher education institutions as well as learning management system designers by providing them with various insights.

Vocabulary learning constitutes an essential component of language learning and teaching. The type of input students receive is one of the factors that affect the pace and range of this learning. In the incidental vocabulary learning process, learners have been shown to benefit from exposure to a variety of input types to varying degrees. In this study, we examine the effects of three different input modes on learners' incidental vocabulary acquisition in a classroom setting. One hundred 5th-grade students in a state school in Turkey were assigned to one of the three experimental groups (reading, viewing, and viewing with the transcript) or a no-treatment control group. Learner gains were measured using a pretest, posttest, and delayed posttest design. Based on the results of the study, reading and viewing the transcript produced the same level of incidental vocabulary learning, while viewing alone did not yield significant results.

The global demand for teachers of English has led to an escalation in the number of non-native English speakers traveling overseas to teach English. Although teaching English abroad is typically associated with native English-speaking teachers hailing from inner-circle countries, it has also become commonplace to see nonnative English-speaking expatriate teachers being hired. Yet, studies probing into expatriate non-native Englishspeaking teachers' experiences have been sparse, particularly in the context of Turkey. This study endeavors to explore the challenges and coping strategies of expatriate non-native English-speaking teachers who worked in private schools and language programs in Turkey. To collect data, semi-structured interviews were conducted, and the analysis revealed that teachers faced several obstacles, including linguistic, cultural, and pedagogical challenges. Nevertheless, they managed to surmount these obstacles by acquiring proficiency in the local language, fostering intercultural awareness, and acquainting themselves with the education system. In light of the findings and the relevant literature, suggestions and implications are discussed for potential expatriate teachers intending to work in Turkey and other stakeholders.

The purpose of the present study was to examine (a) the effects of audiovisual information and (b) the role of temporal measurements associated with the perceptual ratings of fluency, accentedness, comprehensibility, pronunciation, and oral proficiency in second language (L2) speech samples of International Teaching Assistants (ITAs). American undergraduate students randomly assigned to audiovisual and audio-only (without seeing the speaker) conditions rated the two-minute speech samples of five ITAs on a seven-point scale. For acoustic analysis, several temporal measurements were used that were hypothesized to have an association with the ratings. Findings revealed that listeners without visual information judged L2 speech as less fluent and more accented although no significant difference in comprehensibility was found. L2 speakers were also judged to have better pronunciation and higher oral proficiency when the recordings were presented in video mode. The findings further indicated that among the acoustic measures examined, articulation rate was found to be associated with perceptual ratings. Implications for ITA training and language testing and assessment are discussed.

Despite the wide array of previous research in the area of interventional pragmatics studies, the question of what type of instruction best promotes learners’ pragmatic interlanguage development has yet to be explored. With the aim of exploring L2 English learners’ speech act behavior in complimenting and compliment responding, the present study sought to determine the relative effects of inductive and deductive instruction using structured input activities within the framework of Processing Instruction. To accomplish this goal, three intact classes of the same proficiency level were randomly assigned to inductive instruction, deductive instruction, and a control group with no instruction. Data were collected through a written Discourse Completion Task followed by a Self-Assessment Questionnaire for Compliments and a multiple-choice Metapragmatic Assessment Questionnaire for compliment responses administered using a pre-, post-, and delayed post-test design. Findings revealed that both experimental groups showed improvement compared to the control group; however, the effects of instructional treatment varied across test types.

Prior research has underscored the advantages of online peer feedback in language learning. However, there is a paucity of research that specifically investigates the use of mobile technologies for providing peer feedback for English as a foreign language (EFL) speakers' oral presentation performances. The present study aims to examine the types and targets of peer feedback provided by EFL speakers, along with their views and experiences with mobile-assisted peer feedback. A total of thirty-two university students, enrolled in an upper-intermediate to advanced-level rhetoric and oral communication class, used an online platform to anonymously provide feedback on their classmates' oral presentations over a four-week period. Additionally, the participants completed a poststudy survey to assess their perspectives and experiences. The findings indicated that the students' feedback predominantly comprised positive remarks than negative critiques. The primary aspects covered by both forms of feedback comprised three major areas: presentation content, spoken performance, and oral presentation skills. Survey results also revealed that, despite expressing concerns about potential friendship bias, anonymity, and issues related to lack of proper attitude in the expression of feedback, EFL speakers generally viewed mobilebased peer feedback positively.

The examination of teacher leadership within the context of language teaching and learning has been mostly limited, despite growing interest in the concept of leadership, particularly in the previous decade. This is likely attributable to insufficient understanding and awareness of the potential benefits of teacher leadership practices in advancing language learning. Further investigation is warranted to examine the role of teacher leadership and its implications for shaping the language learning
environment. Thus, the current study aims to examine the perceptions of tertiary-level English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers regarding their self-efficacy and leadership roles in classroom management and discipline. The secondary aim of the research is to investigate the types of reflective practices language teachers utilize to foster better classroom management. To this end, EFL instructors employed at Turkish higher education institutions were invited to participate in a survey that
comprised an EFL teacher leadership self-efficacy scale, background questions, and two open-ended questions. The findings of the study revealed that Turkish EFL teachers generally reported high leadership self-efficacy, which was influenced by their teaching experience and prior institutional leadership/administrative positions. Furthermore, the qualitative analysis of the open-ended questions shed light on how
teachers perceived their leadership roles in managing classroom discipline and what reflective practices they employed in ensuring a leaderful EFL classroom climate.