Southern African Linguistics and Applied Language Studies

Discourse Processes between Reason and Emotion: A Post-disciplinary Perspective

Feihong Gai — 2022-12-13

No Abstract.

Non-native English-speaking Engineers’ Writing at the Workplace

Barbara Wing Yee Siu — 2022-12-13

No Abstract.

The Ambiguity of English as a Lingua Franca: Politics of Language and Race in South Africa

Zhihong Wang — 2022-12-13

No Abstract.

A corpus-based analysis of the concessive construction just because X doesn’t mean Y

Wen Wang — 2022-12-13

This study investigates syntactic and semantic features of the English concessive construction just because X doesn’t mean Y (JB-X DM-Y) grounded in Goldberg’s theory of construction grammar. Based on initial data collected from the British National Corpus (BNC) and the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA), our qualitative analysis proved that: (1) syntactically, there should be an unexpressed pronoun it or that serving as the subject of the DM-Y part. The quantitative analysis revealed the productivity of JB-X DM-Y. In terms of vocabulary, just and mean in the construction can be replaced by the adverb simply and verbs indicating inference or making assertions. In terms of structure, JB-X NEG-VP and JB-X NEG-CLAUSE were widely used, and JB-X QUESTION exhibited certain productivity; and (2) semantically, JB-X DM-Y should be seen as the negation of the construction Y, because X. It presented the meaning of inference denial and concessive meaning, corresponding to the inferential-because construction and causal-because construction. This article provides a systemic discussion about JB-X DM-Y and hopes to provide a basic structure for the future analysis of JB-X DM-Y.

Multidimensional interaction of L2 writing fluency and cohesion: A complexity theory perspective

Chao Zhang — 2022-12-13

Applying a view of L2 writing development from the perspective of complexity theory, this study explores the multidimensionality of L2 writing fluency and cohesion, examines the interaction of their internal dimensions and confirms four types of writing fluency and cohesion development patterns. 14 tasks in one academic year producing 910 essays by 65 learners from southern Africa were collected as the corpus. Factor analysis is used to investigate L2 writing fluency and the cohesion dimension. Non-parametric correlation analysis, LOESS curve and change point analysis are conducted to analyse the multidimensional interactive patterns. Results show the following: 1) L2 writing fluency and cohesion involve five indicators in the three subdimensions of referential cohesion, connective and unit length; 2) the development of writing fluency weakly supports the cohesion development of noun overlap and connective indices, but weakly competes against the development of latent semantics. Dimensions of conjunction and lexical word overlap develop mutually in coordination; and 3) four interaction patterns of L2 writing fluency and cohesion were identified, namely an unstable type, a coordinative type, a competitive type and a coordinativecompetitive type. These findings show significant differences in individual and group statistical features, which expand the scope of interpretation of the complexity theory.

Attitudes of University of Botswana humanities students to mother tongue education

Rose Letsholo-Tafila — 2022-12-13

In 1953, UNESCO advocated for mother tongue education, particularly at primary school level. Many countries took heed of this advocacy. However, Botswana has not yet implemented this at any level. Against this background, this article investigates the attitudes of humanities students at the University of Botswana to the use of mother tongue in university education and the ideologies that shape this. It addresses the question: What are the views of University of Botswana humanities students towards mother tongue education at university? The article specifically asks the following: a) Would you like your university education to be in your mother tongue?; and b) Is the use of English a hindrance to your learning? The data was collected through a questionnaire which 80 students responded to. The study uses Garrrett’s definition of attitude and Wolfram and Schilling-Estes’s conceptualisation of ideology and found that most students are not in favour of mother tongue education. In addition, they do not find English a hindrance to their education. Both views reflect a language ideology grounded in Botswana’s language practices which hold English in high regard at the expense of indigenous languages.

Functional analysis of stance nouns in English Language Teaching research articles

Seyed Foad Ebrahimi — 2022-12-13

The study of stance as a linguistic feature that conveys the attitude of writers to their materials and readers has become an important research area. The head noun in noun complement structures is one of the overlooked means of stance. This study aims to explore the frequencies, forms and functions of such a structure in a sample of 50 research articles from the discipline of English Language Teaching (ELT). The classifications of stance nouns proposed by Jiang and Hyland were used to meet the study objectives. According to the results, stance nouns were more frequent in this study compared to studies reviewed in literature, suggesting the impact of disciplinary conventions. Also, the findings indicated that the attribute class of stance was the most frequent, pointing to the intention of ELT writers to use stance nouns to make judgments and evaluations. In addition, the findings showed that stance nouns were dominant in the of-preposition structure. In conclusion, the findings of this study could act as a guideline to include stance nouns in the syllabus for teaching research article writing in ELT and relevant disciplines.

Application of teachers’ philosophies on literacy teaching and learning in rural schools

Mzimkulu Samson Honey Dyasi — 2022-12-13

The aim of this study is to explore the teachers’ philosophies in literacy teaching at rural primary schools in South Africa. Studies show that South African primary school learners’ literacy skills and abilities are significantly below the norm for their age and grade. One-on-one, semi-structured interviews are employed to elicit responses from eight primary school teachers in the Foundation Phase. The data were thematically analysed to isolate certain themes which showed how teachers taught literacy. The findings revealed a range of teachers’ personal philosophies. Teachers demonstrated different beliefs or philosophies of how they taught literacy. It was important in this study to synthesise a conceptual framework by drawing upon (i) Vygotsky’s pioneering work on mediation pertaining to the teachers’ role, and (ii) Freire’s theory on constructivism emphasising learner-centred education. This article concludes and suggests that if teachers are made aware of their personal theories and assumptions about teaching literacy, their tuition may become more innovative, creative and rewarding. They may come to realise that knowledge is constructed between learners and teachers. If literacy teachers are liberated in this way, they can adjust their literacy teaching to the social and intellectual backgrounds of their learners, and learners can come to identify with the literacy lessons to become truly literate.

Sesotho figurative language: Ineffective conversational strategy in commissions of enquiry

Mampoi Irene Mabena — 2022-12-13

Commissions of enquiry have become a common platform for establishing facts where there have been disputes. They are often established to unpack the facts that would have led to controversies and make recommendations for solutions to such conflicts. Language then becomes an essential tool that facilitates extracting information that helps the commission to get to the truth and make informed recommendations. This article critically analyses the role played by Sesotho figurative language in the Leon and Phumaphi commissions of enquiry in Lesotho. This is a non-intrusive study that relied on audio recordings that were made during the enquiries. The article argues that figurative language was a conversationally ineffective communicative strategy that withheld information from the commissioners who were not speakers of Sesotho, the home language for the majority of participants who testified before the commissions. In the end, the implications of the study for transforming conversational events in commissions of enquiry are discussed.

Translanguaging pedagogy as seen through a critical literacy lens

Vimbai Mbirimi-Hungwe — 2022-12-13

This article examines the use of translanguaging pedagogy in a multilingual classroom through a critical literacy lens. The article focuses on the events leading to the collection of data for my PhD thesis. During this period, data was collected using first-year health care students who participated in translingual activities during a collaborative task. The set-up and the process of data collection involved a critical literacy stance. Issues of power of language and how language can position people as subjects could be observed, and ultimately the language politics of the classroom were evident. In the classroom where the study was conducted, students were required to be in translanguaging discussion groups. It was evident that those students who were in the majority due to them speaking a common language grouped together. Those who spoke the minority languages also grouped together. From these observations there was a clear indication of politics in that classroom. This political situation made those who were in the majority feel more powerful than those in the minority.

Knowing you, knowing me: Identity, agency and the analyst’s discourse in the context of a South African university classroom

Sharon Rudman — 2022-12-13

Language, as discourse, largely determines one’s perception of the world, includingu one’s own identity and the identity of others. As a subject of discourse, one is generally unaware of the manner in which ideological assumptions dictate one’s thoughts and actions. It is only when underlying ideological tenets are made explicit that one is given the opportunity to evaluate the validity of such assumptions and, if desired, reposition oneself with regard to the discoursal context. The role of the analyst, explains Lacan, is to facilitate a journey of exposure in which the analysand is made aware of pertinent issues influencing their thought processes and behaviour, thus allowing them to assume agency in dealing with them. Along with Lacan, this article argues that the analyst’s discourse can be initiated in the context of a larger group – in this case, a first-year university classroom. Student reflections accurately reflect that – as Lacan suggests – individuals as subjects of discourse are able to reposition themselves with regard to influential discourses in their contexts. The example discussed in this article proves that this process of change can be facilitated through activating the discourse of the analyst through the strategic compilation of a module or programme.

Tshebediso ya melao kabong ya dinoko tsa Sesotho

Johannes Sibeko — 2022-12-13

Athikele ena e sebedisa lewa la melao ho fuputsa kabo ya dinoko tsa Sesotho. Ho sisingwa melao e 11 ya kabo ya dinoko e itshetlehileng mefuteng e meraro ya dinoko e hlahiswang ke Guma (1982), e leng tsa didumiswa fela (C), tsa didumiswa le didumisi (CV), le tsa didumisi fela (V). Melao ya ho aba dinoko tsa Sesotho e sisingwa ka ho latela mokgwangolo wa Sesotho wa Afrika Borwa. Tekolong ya melao e sisingwang, ho nkuwa qotso bukeng ya Masowa (2017), mme melao e sisingwang e sebediswa ho aba dinoko. Diphetho tsa tekolo ena di bonahatsa melao le melawana e sisingwang e sebetsa ho ya ka tabatabelo ya phuputso ena. Ho tse ding tsa bohlokwa, re fapana le Guma (1982) ka ho sisinya hore ho ntshuwe sedumanko sa /ny/ lethathamong la didumanko tse bopang dinoko di le nnotshi. Re boela re sisinya keketso ya mefutana ya dinoko tse pedi ho tsa Madigoe (2003) tse shebaneng le palo tsa didumiswa tse lelekellang senoko sa sedumiswa le sedumisi. Re dumela hore melao eo re e sisinyang ha e ka sebediswa ka nepo, ho ka kgonahala hore ho ahuwe marangrang a thekenoloji a ho aba dinoko tsa Sesotho.