درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

Voice recognition and text-mining tools have democratized corpus construction, allowing educators to create responsive materials based on authentic discourse trends. In global healthcare contexts, where English functions as a lingua franca, cultivating discourse competence is essential for safe and effective communication. This study employed corpus linguistics methods to analyze authentic medical English sourced from YouTube videos. A specialized corpus was compiled and analyzed using Otter.ai and Sketch Engine to examine linguistic patterns, collocations, and discourse structures in real-world medical communication. Findings revealed that medical professionals frequently employ modal verbs (e.g., can, should, must ), passive constructions, and high-frequency collocations (e.g., blood pressure, heart rate and patient care ) that serve distinct pragmatic functions. Moreover, interactional phrases such as let me explain and can you see and discourse markers such as so and now are pervasive, reflecting the interpersonal and procedural nature of clinical discourse. Cross-cultural comparison further indicated notable variation in communication style, with Western contexts showing greater empathy and shared decision-making, and South Asian contexts favoring directive, authoritative tones. These patterns provide insight into the pragmatic and intercultural dimensions of medical English and highlight the potential of YouTube-based corpora as authentic resources for English for Medical Purposes (EMP) instruction.

This study examines the themes of hybrid identities and postcolonial displacement in Jhumpa Lahiri’s Interpreter of Maladies . Studying Mrs. Sen's as a primary case study, supplemented by intertextual references to A Real Durwan , The Treatment of Bibi Haldar and When Mr Pirzada Came to Dine . the research explores how Lahiri’s narratives articulate the complexities of cultural negotiation, belonging, and unhomeliness. The aim is to analyze how Lahiri’s characters embody Homi K. Bhabha’s theories of hybridity and the Third Space, which refers to the liminal site where cultural meaning and identity are negotiated, highlighting their struggles and adaptations in transcultural contexts. The methodology involves a close textual analysis of selected stories. The discussion reveals how characters navigate their in-between identities, oscillating between assimilation and cultural retention, and how Lahiri’s hybrid storytelling refers to both the narrative technique and thematic hybridity, which challenges monolithic cultural representations. The findings underscore the dual nature of liminality as both a source of conflict and a catalyst for hybrid identity formation. The conclusion emphasizes that Lahiri’s contribution to postcolonial discourse is foregrounding everyday negotiations of identity through fluid, diasporic experiences. Ultimately, the study highlights the resilience of Lahiri’s characters in negotiating displacement, offering a nuanced understanding of identity in a globalized world.

This paper examines the traditional and materialist conceptions of subjectivity, as portrayed in Shakespeare’s Richard II . The traditional view theorizes a human subject with a unified, coherent, and unchanging core, independent of its historical and social contexts, and characterized by self-determination. In contrast, materialist thought, as articulated by thinkers like Dollimore, rejects the notion of a fixed, essential self and emphasizes the constructed and contingent nature of identity. This perspective views identity as shaped by social, political, and ideological forces, and as inherently fluid and other-determined. The paper applies this theoretical framework to the character of Richard, who embodies the traditional view of a divinely ordained, autonomous king. Richard's inability to recognize the constructed nature of his identity leads to his political downfall and personal disintegration. Conversely, Bolingbroke, who succeeds Richard, demonstrates a keen awareness of the contingent and relational aspects of identity and emphasizes the importance of social and political legitimation. The examination of Richard II highlights the shift from a medieval, essentialist understanding of identity to a Renaissance, materialist one, underscoring the political and ideological implications of these differing conceptions of the self.

The concept of peer correction in foreign language teaching has been a dominant concern in recent years due to the increased consideration of learner-centered curricula. The researchers have concluded that active engagement happens when learners have to think and correct each other. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of peer correction on the pronunciation improvement of Iranian EFL learners in oral productions. To do this, two research questions were raised, and 60 participants were carefully chosen from among English language learning students at a private language school. By assigning a PET test, they were divided into two groups. In the peer correction group (experimental group), the participants corrected each other's pronunciation errors, and for the control group, learners’ errors were corrected by the teacher. This process continued for 20 sessions. A pre-test and a post-test were administered. The results showed that there is a significant difference in the pronunciation of the peer correction group compared to the other group, and the peer correction group outperformed the teacher correction group. It can be concluded that there is a direct relationship between using the peer corrective feedback method of correcting pronunciation and learners' pronunciation improvement in EFL classes.

Rendering Shakespeare’s sonnets into Persian is notably difficult because their complex language, rich metaphors, and rigid iambic pentameter often conflict with the unique rhythmic patterns and stylistic norms of Persian poetry. This study examines how three Persian translators (Behnam Moghadam, Taghi Tafazoli, and Omid Tabibzadeh) addressed these complexities. A corpus of 77 sonnets, translated across different decades in the 20th century, was analyzed to determine the frequency and application of Lefevere’s (1975) seven strategies for poetry translation. Results revealed that literal translation was the most prevalent strategy, with two translators favoring word-for-word accuracy to preserve semantic fidelity, while one prioritized metrical adaptation to align with Persian poetic forms. These findings highlight varied approaches to balancing textual fidelity with cultural and poetic norms, shedding light on the translators’ negotiation of linguistic and aesthetic constraints. The study contributes to translation studies by offering insights into effective strategies for translating complex literary works and fostering cross-cultural literary understanding, with practical implications for translators and scholars of comparative literature.

Partant d’un diagnostic des difficultés linguistiques des élèves, une démarche didactique de la réécriture accompagnée a été adoptée et développée dans une séquence didactique centrée sur le type argumentatif. L’analyse qualitative des données montre que les élèves du groupe d’intervention ont nettement progressé par rapport au groupe contrôle. Les écrits de ces derniers font apparaître un net progrès dans l’écriture d’un texte et ses procédures. Une analyse quantitative et statistique, réalisée à l’aide du logiciel SPSS, vient par la suite confirmer les résultats de l’analyse qualitative. Les résultats soulignent l’importance de l’enseignement des procédures rédactionnelles et de la distanciation par rapport à l’écrit. Ces éléments, et d’autres, nous ont offert des pistes didactiques intéressantes qui peuvent constituer des hypothèses de recherche pour des études ultérieures.

To shed further light on Iranian cultural cognition, an investigation was conducted into conceptualizations of ‘manhood’ among Iranian speakers of Persian. To this end, a total of 127 Persian male and female speakers from various ethnic and age groups in Iran were asked to complete a vignette question form that included five naturally occurring situations, for which the most probable concept(s) related to the action of the male character were provided by the participants. Additionally, interviews were conducted with the participants to triangulate the data and uncover the underlying worldviews. The data were then analyzed using MAXQDA, following a grounded-theory-driven approach and the analytical framework of cultural conceptualizations. The findings revealed that despite the participants’ diverse ethnic backgrounds, homogeneous and interrelated cultural schemas (i.e., ᴇɴᴅᴜʀɪɴɢ ʟɪғᴇ ᴅɪғғɪᴄᴜʟᴛɪᴇs, sᴜᴘᴘᴏʀᴛᴇʀ, ᴏ̨ᴇɪʀᴀᴛ, and ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴ ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴏʟ) and cultural metaphors (i.e., ᴍᴀɴ ᴀs ᴀ ʙᴀᴄᴋʀᴇsᴛ, ᴍᴀɴ ᴀs ᴀ ᴍᴏᴜɴᴛᴀɪɴ, ᴍᴀɴ ᴀs ᴀ sᴘɪɴᴇ ᴏғ ᴀ ʙᴏᴅʏ, and ᴍᴀɴ ᴀs ᴀ ᴡᴀʟʟᴇᴛ) of manhood were referred to, all of which reflect a unified cultural category (i.e., ᴍᴀɴ ᴏғ ʟɪғᴇ). It is argued that Cultural Linguistics can be utilized to unravel the unique cultural cognition of masculinity in the Iranian culture.

This study investigates the syntactic differences between texts authored by native (NES) and non-native English-speaking (NNES) professional architects on ArchDaily, the world's most visited architecture website. We focused on established indices of syntactic complexity hypothesized to differentiate between first-language (L1) and second-language (L2) writing. The corpus consisted of randomly selected texts on residential architecture by Iranian and British architects. Data analysis was conducted using Coh-Metrix Core Desktop Beta (2023), with results processed in SPSS. Preliminary MANOVA analysis revealed significant differences in the mean scores of the two groups, and follow-up analyses indicated that syntactic complexity indices, including left-embeddedness, minimal edit distance for words, and the number of modifiers per noun phrase, exhibited medium to large effect sizes in distinguishing the texts. Additionally, among the syntactic density indices, agentless passive voice, negation, gerund, and noun phrase density were most effective in differentiating native from non-native compositions. The findings revealed that while both NES and NNES architects demonstrate sophisticated writing skills, they exhibit distinct patterns of syntactic complexity in their professional discourse. NES architects tend towards richer modification and a more cohesive flow, while NNES architects lean towards longer, denser sentences. These differences, influenced by both linguistic proficiency and discourse-specific conventions, highlight the need for continued attention to clarity and readability in architectural communication and underscore the importance of considering both linguistic proficiency and discourse-semantic motivations when analyzing syntactic complexity in professional writing.

As a trigger to communication, motivation still includes undiscovered aspects which require further investigation. Hence, considering the newly proposed dual continuum model of motivation, this study investigated the relationships among willingness to communicate (WTC), active/passive motivation, and foreign language achievement (FLA) among 216 high school English as a foreign language (EFL) learners. The modified version of the active/passive motivation scale (APMS) was revalidated using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Structural equation modeling (SEM) revealed significant relationships among active/passive motivation, L2WTC, and FLA. Additionally, six models were proposed for the prediction of learners’ L2WTC and FLA. The findings indicated that socio-cultural and sensory-perceptual active motivation as well as cognitive and sensory-perceptual passive motivation significantly predict learners’ L2WTC, while only cognitive active motivation predicts FLA. Furthermore, passive motivation predicts FLA in all sub-constructs. Finally, active motivation is a negative predictor of FLA if mediated by L2WTC. Overall, the study highlights the importance of passive as well as active motivation in promoting WTC and improving FLA among EFL learners.

Critical Incidents (CIs) have become central to language teacher development by promoting reflective practice, a key element of teacher education. This study examines critical incidents (CIs) in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classes in public high schools. Researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with 10 teachers and 15 students across 7 public schools, analyzing narratives using thematic analysis within a complexity theory framework. Three themes emerged: Teaching high and lows, classroom management issues, and language proficiency. Teachers felt challenged by the frequent number of CIs, associating their management skills and immunity with their response to these events, and viewed Iranian public schools as particularly susceptible. Similarly, students highlighted both the negative and positive aspects of CIs and noted cultural diversity and language skills as key factors. The study's findings align with complexity theory by highlighting the dynamic, interconnected, and adaptive nature of teaching and learning in public schools. The emergent patterns of emotional responses, classroom management strategies, and language proficiency interactions reflect the principles of sensitivity to initial conditions, self-organization, and co-evolution.

Given the pivotal role that social and psychological factors play in the field of teaching English as a foreign language, the present study focused on exploring the relationship among collegiality, identity, and emo-educational divorce. However, the nature of this relationship, i.e., the direction and level of this connection have not been explored, yet. To address this need, a total of 227 Iranian English language teachers of universities, schools, and language institutes filled out collegiality scale along with identity, and emo-educational divorce questionnaires. Then, analyses indicated that emo-educational divorce was negatively correlated with teacher identity and teacher collegiality, whereas identity and collegiality were positively correlated; moreover, the subconstructs of emo-educational divorce showed different predictive behaviors with regard to teacher collegiality and teacher identity. Finally, the findings were discussed and implications were reviewed to pay close attention to the role of the combination of social and psychological elements in EFL teaching contexts.

The widespread integration of technology into education has led to significant reliance on online assessment. Despite its prevalence, concerns about the fairness of online assessment persist. While this issue has attracted considerable attention, empirical investigations, particularly those exploring teachers' perceptions of fairness in online assessment, remain scarce. Additionally, existing frameworks for assessing fairness in an online context seem inadequate. To address these concerns, the current study investigated Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers' perceptions of fairness in online assessment. Moreover, the study aimed to develop a valid scale to measure the fairness of assessment practices in the online context. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study conducted a structured interview with 20 EFL teachers, and the resulting data were transcribed and analyzed qualitatively. Ten major codes or themes derived from the data were access, knowledge, personal factors, clear criteria, item quality, safety, policies, teaching quality, assessment type, and administration. The codes were subsequently classified into three overarching categories: student level, teacher level, and organizational level. Then, based on the interview findings and the existing literature, an online assessment fairness questionnaire was developed and administered to a sample of 100 EFL teachers, whose results verified five core factors of online assessment fairness. The study's findings offer a novel understanding of teachers' perspectives on the fairness of online assessment and the factors that contribute to its fairness or unfairness.

Language learners find it hard to change a text’s wording and present it differently while maintaining the original meaning in the text. This research, therefore, examined the effect of concept mapping instruction on summarizing short stories for EFL learners. Two intact grade-eight classes were assigned to experimental (n = 20) and control (n = 18) groups randomly. They summarized a starter-level short story, Drive into danger, using a maximum of 450 words as a pretest. Next, the experimental group experienced concept-mapping instruction, whereas the latter group received the traditional way of teaching summarization, for six consecutive weeks. Both groups summarized the same story again, based on their instruction, into a 450-word text at a maximum as a posttest. Pretest and posttest summaries were assessed in terms of content, organization, vocabulary, and language use. The experimental group positively improved on overall performance, content, and organization, marginally improved on vocabulary, but did not improve on language use. Furthermore, the participants’ feedback on the instructional treatment supports the statistical results. The findings offer several instructional implications.

riting assessment literacy (WAL) for second or foreign language (L2) teachers, which refers to teachers’ knowledge, conceptions, and practice of writing assessment in L2 contexts, has lately received attention from scholars. Although there has been significant debate about the impact of contextual and conceptual factors on teachers’ assessment literacy, studies focusing on how such factors influence teachers’ WAL are lacking. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the way Iranian English writing teachers' conception of assessment, and macro, meso, and micro contextual variables, impact their writing assessment practice. It also looked at how writing teachers make assessment decisions in order to negotiate and find a compromise when their assessment views and beliefs diverge from the assessment policies in their local contexts. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with ten in-service L2 writing teachers in Iran. The findings show that participants had positive conceptions about formative writing assessments, but they stated that they mostly used summative assessments in writing classes. Macro-level contextual factors turned out to mostly impact teachers’ writing assessment practices and conceptions. The results underscored the role of school and work experience in shaping and changing writing assessment conceptions. The findings of this study contribute to our current understanding of WAL development and the provision of more efficient assessment training for language teachers in teacher education programs.