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Political apologies serve as high-stakes communicative acts, addressing collective wrongdoing while seeking to repair damaged relationships between governments and affected groups. This study explored the evolution of political apologies in the 21st century, analyzing their role as public speech acts that respond to shifting societal and political norms. Despite their increasing prevalence in global politics, limited research has examined how these apologies have adapted linguistically and structurally over time to meet evolving public expectations. This research bridged this gap by employing a diachronic pragmatic approach. A corpus of 222 state-level political apologies, spanning two decades, was analyzed using the Cross-Cultural Speech Act Realization Project (CCSARP) framework, augmented with emerging pragmatic elements. Categorized into five sociopolitical periods, these apologies were coded and analyzed with Atlas.ti to identify shifts in their structural and linguistic components. The findings revealed a consistent use of Illocutionary Force Indicating Devices (IFIDs), alongside a growing emphasis on Explanation or Account and META (Reaffirmation). Novel elements, such as Commemorative Apologies and Forward-Looking Statements, demonstrated how political apologies are increasingly tailored to address systemic injustices and public demands for accountability and reconciliation. Theoretically, the study could enrich pragmatic frameworks by identifying new components of political apologies. Practically, it offers insights for crafting effective apologies that resonate with diverse audiences. This research underscored the adaptability of political apologies, positioning them as tools for fostering societal healing and advancing justice in a rapidly changing world.

Although email correspondence is a common means of communication between scholars from different cultures, little attention is paid to writing academic emails in tertiary education. The present investigation is aimed at studying the influence of genre education on the formation of academic writing skills and understanding the principles of academic correspondence. The main methods used in the study were experiment and survey. The research was carried out on the basis of National Research Nuclear University MEPhI. The participants of the study were postgraduate (PhD) students (n = 100) with a major in Physics, Electronics, Computer Science, and other technical areas. The results of the study show that the students made considerable progress in their academic email writing skills even after a short period of explicit instruction applying the genre-based approach. Most of the students changed their way of thinking about writing emails for academic purposes in English and became aware of the norms of formal writing. Moreover, the results of the experiment and survey justify the necessity of including academic email writing in the curriculum of teaching Academic English and demonstrate strong potential of genre-based learning in other genres involving academic writing.

The ecological turn in translation studies subverts anthropocentric perspectives and redefines translation as a multispecies, semiotic process that transcends human language. Eco-translation, a central concept within this turn, extends the field of translation to include non-human actors and ecological networks, allowing for a more inclusive description of meaning-making. Yet this turn has also brought academics a sense of disorientation and solastalgia as scholars have to grapple with the tension between preserving traditional disciplinary boundaries and embracing the expansive horizons of transdisciplinary approaches. The current article traces the ecological turn using Doris Bachmann-Medick’s three-stage model of disciplinary turn: thematic expansion, metaphorical application, and methodological refinement. It maps the evolution of eco-translation from narrowly defined practices focused on ecological themes to a broader, inclusive framework that challenges the field’s traditional foundations. The article also examines the emotional and intellectual consequences of this turn, particularly the solastalgic experience of scholars experiencing the loss of familiar disciplinary contours while adapting to new paradigms.

The present study was an attempt to investigate the effects of textually enhanced dual subtitles (TEDS) on vocabulary learning and listening comprehension among Iranian intermediate-level English language learners. The research explored how different types of subtitles—TEDS, plain dual subtitles (PDS), and no subtitles—impact learners’ ability to learn vocabulary and influence their listening comprehension. To achieve this goal, 51 Iranian intermediate English as a foreign language (EFL) learners from a private Institute (i.e., Iran National Language Institute) were randomly assigned to three groups: The first experimental group, namely TEDS watched six episodes of the American sitcom Friends with TEDS; the second experimental group with PDS, and the control group without any subtitles. Before and after the treatment, all the participants took tests assessing their vocabulary knowledge and listening comprehension. The results revealed that, regarding vocabulary posttest, the participants exposed to TEDS performed significantly better than those who watched videos with PDS or no subtitles. However, the difference in listening comprehension scores between the TEDS group and the PDS group was not statistically significant. Additionally, the PDS group performed significantly better than the no-subtitles group in both vocabulary and listening comprehension tests. This research highlights the potential of TEDS in supporting vocabulary learning. The findings suggest that further exploration into different types of textual enhancement of various language elements and their effects on various language skills is necessary to improve instructional practices and enhance language learning tools.

To identify the effectiveness of online observation for teaching, this study explored teachers’ conceptions of online classroom observation, focusing on the key components, instructional design considerations, and delivery strategies in virtual teaching environments. More particularly, in this multi-method qualitative research design study, the researchers did document analysis of a number of available classroom observation sheets to derive some themes and sub-themes regarding the components of online classroom observation. Subsequently, based on the derived themes, semi-structured interview items were composed. Through purposive sampling, eight Iranian experienced online classroom observers were selected to be interviewed. Using MAXQDA to do content and thematic analysis, the researchers found the eight components of instructional design and delivery, technology integration, student engagement and interaction, professional development and support, feedback provision, assessment of students’ learning and achievement, inclusive practices, and instructor presence and support in the data. Moreover, it was found that the integration of technology was highlighted to optimize observation experiences, student engagement, and instructional support. These findings have implications for professional development programs, re-evaluation of assessment practices, instructor presence, and technology integration in online learning contexts, all of which are crucial for equipping EFL instructors with the skills and knowledge necessary for effective online teaching.

This study focused on the correlation between writing anxiety and ambiguity tolerance among Iraqi university freshmen students. The participants were 75 intermediate Iraqi freshmen students (40 female and 35 male). They aged from 19 to 24 years. The study delved into the prevalent types and degrees of writing apprehension experienced by participants, along with the primary triggers behind their apprehension. The Language Writing Anxiety Survey and the Causes of Writing Anxiety Survey were administered. After completing these scales, the Second Language AT Scale was completed by them. Data was analyzed using SPSS. The study revealed that cognitive anxiety predominantly characterizes writing apprehension among students, indicating a high level of apprehension overall. Notably, apprehension primarily stems from the fear of receiving negative comments from instructors. Moreover, the majority of participants exhibited low levels of ambiguity tolerance, though no statistically significant correlation between ambiguity tolerance and writing anxiety was observed. The findings underscore the need for educators to take into account both writing anxiety and ambiguity tolerance when designing their courses and instructional methods.

General English Course (GEC), considering its syllabus, is a misnomer for the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) instruction in Iran. The major goal of GEC, as set by the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology, is to help undergraduate students develop a reasonable ability to read and comprehend their reference textbooks in their majors. Since a lot of time, money, and energy are spent on GEC and given the dropout rate among students, its efficiency needs to be evaluated meticulously. This study was an attempt to assess the efficiency of GEC in achieving its purported objectives. Two hundred and sixty-six university students taking their GEC sat for the pretest of the study in order to get a preliminary profile of their reading comprehension ability as well as their knowledge of vocabulary. After 15 sessions of treatment, based on the GEC syllabus, the learners took a posttest. Results of a Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test revealed an improvement from the pretest to the posttest, which is negligible with regard to a small effect size. This state of affairs denotes that GEC has not achieved its goals completely. The implications of the study for policymakers, curriculum developers, and educators are discussed.

Cette étude voudrait examiner l'impact des textes médiateurs sur la compréhension orale chez les apprenants du français langue étrangère. Deux groupes d'apprenants ont été comparés à travers une série d'exercices de compréhension orale. L'étude vise à évaluer l'effet des textes médiateurs sur l'optimisation de la charge cognitive et l'accès au contenu global. Cet article met l'accent sur le rôle crucial de la médiation cognitive en tant que stratégie clé pour renforcer la compréhension orale et facilite la réception du contenu du document entendu en orientant l'attention vers une compréhension plus approfondie. La cognition, impliquant la mémoire et l'attention, est au cœur de notre approche, en se servant des textes médiateurs préparant cognitivement à l'écoute. La méthodologie comprend une étude sur le terrain avec les groupes expérimental et témoin, et l’analyse de leurs performances. Les résultats révèlent une certaine amélioration chez le groupe expérimental, confirmant que les textes médiateurs optimisent la charge cognitive et facilitent l'accès au contenu. Nous pouvons constater que le nombre croissant de bonnes réponses lors des exercices d’écoute aussi bien que les réponses données au questionnaire illustrent ces améliorations, le tout affirme ainsi le succès des textes médiateurs comme outil de préparation cognitive.

Coalescing digital technologies into education has foregrounded gamified formative assessment (GFA) as a promising modality for advancing second language acquisition (SLA). The current study explored the effects of GFA on the writing proficiency of Iranian EFL learners, focusing on complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF). Employing a quasi-experimental design, intermediate and advanced learners were assigned to either gamified or traditional paper-based formative assessment conditions. Writing CAF performance was evaluated by estimating the mean of macro-constructs of complexity, accuracy, and fluency. Writing performance was analyzed using established CAF measures for complexity, accuracy, and fluency, based on widely recognized frameworks. To assess group and proficiency-level effects, key statistical tests, i.e., Friedman, mixed-design ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis, Wilcoxon Signed-Rank, independent samples t-test, and Mann-Whitney U , were applied. The findings disclosed that GFA enhances writing proficiency, with the most substantial gains observed in complexity and fluency. Accuracy improvements, though evident, were more modest and varied by proficiency level: advanced learners improved more in complexity and fluency, whereas intermediate learners showed greater gains in accuracy. These results accentuate GFA’s pedagogical efficacy in fostering engagement, reducing cognitive load, and promoting self-regulated learning in writing instruction, offering crucial insights for language educators, curriculum designers, and digital assessment developers who aim to incorporate innovative, learner-centered assessment strategies.

Cette étude s’intéresse à la façon dont l’univers des œuvres de Mauriac dévoile la complexité des luttes intérieures de ses personnages, illustrant ainsi les dilemmes universels de la condition humaine. En explorant ces drames psychologiques, il apparaît que les tensions entre aspirations profondes et attentes sociales s’articulent comme une réflexion intemporelle sur l’identité, le désir et la culpabilité. Ces thèmes, riches de sens, résonnent avec le contexte contemporain, révélant leur pertinence toujours vivante. Il s’agit d’analyser comment la méthode psychocritique de Charles Mauron — en dévoilant la dualité des personnages — permet d’éclairer ces enjeux profonds. L’étude propose que les combats intérieurs dépeints dans l’univers mauriacien transcendent leur époque, ouvrant une voie pour une identification moderne. En adoptant une approche analytique mêlant psycho-analytique et exploration littéraire, la recherche vise à déchiffrer les profondeurs de l’âme humaine, révélant ainsi la richesse et la modernité des réflexions de Mauriac. De plus, cette étude met en lumière la mythologie personnelle de Mauriac, un processus créatif qui a façonné ses œuvres et leur donne une portée universelle. Nous avons ainsi identifié comment son univers symbolique, façonné par ses expériences et son rapport à la foi, constitue une véritable clé pour interpréter ses personnages et leur quête d’intégrité. En définitive, cette réflexion met en lumière la permanence de l’œuvre mauriacienne comme miroir de nos propres psychés, invitant le lecteur à une introspection sincère.