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The present study, using a sequential mixed-methods design, mainly aims at determining the extent to which teacher stroke and teacher time perspective contribute to teacher creativity. In doing so, the participants consisted of 110 EFL students from English private institutes in the quantitative phase of the study, and a pool of eight learners were selected to participate in the qualitative phase of the study. A number of instruments were used to measure teacher stroke, time perspective and creativity. To analyze the data, the Pearson moment-to-moment correlation, multiple regression, content-based categorization, and inter-coder reliability were used. The results revealed that there was a statistically significant association between teacher stroke and teacher creativity as well as between teacher time perspective and teacher creativity. Furthermore, the results of multiple regression determined that teacher time perspective was the most possible predictor of teacher creativity since this variable provided the most robust contribution to explaining teacher creativity. The results elicited from the responses to the interviews with the students provided nine themes including: positive feelings, energizer, motivation, time management, involvement, fun, active participation, self-confidence, and trying something new. Finally, a number of practical implications are offered from EFL teachers and students and some further suggestions are made.

Since writing abilities in both Persian and English are still underdeveloped among emergent multilinguals, it is essential to provide a pedagogy that addresses this need. Hence, this study aimed to investigate how language teachers develop a pedagogical translanguaging space within the Iranian multilingual context of writing classrooms. Participants in this study were eight language teachers from various provinces of Iran, where at least one indigenous language is spoken. The participants were asked to participate in a narrative inquiry session, where they shared their experiences of implementing translanguaging strategies for teaching writing. Transcendental phenomenology was used as the method, and thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. The findings suggested strategies, such as artefact scaffolding where teachers ask students to use Google Translate Application to complete a composition and then edit it with peers and multilingual brainstorming to activate prior knowledge and also tasks such as bilingual writing in which students need to write a local story in Persian and a foreigner story in English, designed to enhance students' writing abilities in both Persian and English. This study offered a pedagogy leveraging students' linguistic repertoire through translanguaging strategies to enhance writing ability across multiple languages, fostering an inclusive educational environment that values diverse linguistic backgrounds. Teachers and teacher trainers can implement the recommended strategies and tasks in their classes and workshops.

This study seeks to investigate the role and impact of translators in the (anthropological) field during research conducted by foreign anthropologists in Iran. To achieve this, a questionnaire, an apparent open-ended one with six items, was distributed to 30 anthropologists who conducted field research in Iran, aiming to identify invisible interpreters/translators, including local informants, who assisted researchers in overcoming language barriers and communicating with participants during anthropological fieldwork. Given that anthropologists are typically trained to work independently without the aid of translators, certain participants displayed hesitancy in discussing the subject matter. Anthropologists who completed the questionnaire and said they conducted the research without utilizing translators in the field cited their fluency in the local language, perceiving translators as impediments, and their accessibility as the main reasons for their approach. Nevertheless, some of these researchers emphasized the potential benefits of using translators, particularly in terms of enhancing comprehension. Conversely, there were anthropologists who found value in engaging both formal and informal translators, as they served as gateways to communication. As an interdisciplinary study, this article endeavors to shed light on a relatively unexplored aspect of anthropology, namely translation. It is crucial to acknowledge and engage in further discussion regarding the collaboration between professionals from different disciplines, including Translation Studies and anthropology, within various scientific journals and conferences.

Despite the fact that impoliteness has been the focus of much investigation in various contexts, including political and cultural, there remains a paucity of evidence on the manifestation of impoliteness in literary texts. Examining Harold Pinter’s Mountain Language (1988) and Ashes to Ashes (1996), this paper discloses the impact of (im)politeness on identity. It posits that because of a mismatch in power dynamics and impoliteness between communicators, identity and self-esteem are subject to threat. Harold Pinter’s plays manifest profound interconnection between (im)politeness and identity construction/destruction. Our analysis shows how, in plays under scrutiny, characters are in a constant verbal struggle for survival and dominance and how this conflict impacts on characters’ social identity. Adopting Bousfield and McIntyre (2018) alongside Garcés-Conejos Blitvich (2009)’s model, this paper elucidates how impoliteness operates within the political settings of the plays in which the oppressors’ aggressive language aims to delegitimize the social identity of the oppressed ones. Furthermore, we strive to indicate how the impolite language and social/individual identity are closely related which contributes to a deeper understanding of characterization in literary works.

Translation has played a crucial role in easing communication between human beings at all times throughout history, so without translation, the complex, interwoven social structures in human life might never have been achieved. It has also made accessing texts of high significance easy and comfortable. The purpose of this study is to ascertain the methods translators used in translating certain cultural contents from the Holy Quran, as well as the degree to which they applied the concepts of domestication and foreignization to their translations of these cultural aspects. The theoretical framework for this research is Baker's method (1992), which offers strategies that translators use when dealing with concepts that lack equivalents at the vocabulary level or higher counterparts. The majority of the Qur’an-specific cultural items have been translated using the first strategy of "translation by a more general word," with a total percentage of 48.85. The second most common strategy is "translation by paraphrase using a related word" (21. 71%).Given that the majority of strategies employed by all translators fall under the category of domestication strategies, it can be concluded that the translators adopted a target-oriented approach rather than a source-oriented approach when translating Qur’an-specific cultural items.

In audiovisual translation, where video game localization plays a critical role, integrating visual elements with spoken content is essential. This study investigates the translation of expressions within the video game Civilization , exploring the prevailing norms of adaptation in Persian translation. The study has two main objectives: first, to examine the application of Skopos theory principles in the Persian translation of Civilization ; second, to analyze the adaptation strategies based on Bastin’s (2005) model in this translation. For this purpose, a corpus of English text segments from the Civilization video game and their Persian translations was selected and analyzed. Using Skopos theory and Bastin’s adaptation model, the study examines adaptation strategies. The findings illuminate how adaptation strategies an6 d societal ideologies interact within the context of video game localization. Ultimately, the study reveals that, as video games are primarily designed for enjoyment, coherence as an adaptation strategy should be prioritized to enhance the game's appeal.

In today’s vast digital landscape, where the online world knows no bounds, website localization has emerged as a critical imperative for companies worldwide to effectively promote and sell their products. However, the evaluation of website localization quality in Persian remains an underexplored domain. This study aims to fill this gap by providing insights into the assessment of localization within the Iranian context while considering the global context as well. To do so, this investigation examined Sumsung’s website localization quality, incorporating Gutiérrez-Artacho and Olvera-Lobo’s (2017) indicators, as well as additional criteria such as website usability and cultural adaptation. The findings revealed that due to the complex and time-consuming nature of the localization process, Samsung has adopted a strategic approach that can be described as globalization or reverse localization, rather than a comprehensive culturalization approach commonly discussed in translation studies. By neutralizing its content, Samsung has effectively navigated the challenges posed by the cost and resources required for localization. This strategic decision allows Samsung to maintain a consistent and inclusive brand image across different markets. This study contributes to the field of translation studies in terms of reality-based theorizing by shedding light on the localization practices of a prominent multinational company. Finally, the findings offer valuable insights for companies seeking to enhance their website localization strategies and effectively engage with diverse users in an increasingly globalized world.

During the first decades of the 20th century, Iran underwent a transformative phase spurred by the emergence of local periodicals. Intellectuals and modernists in the country, drawing inspiration from the social and cultural developments in Europe, actively engaged in defining and supervising cultural and artistic modernism in Iran. One such influential journal was Irânšahr, which, much like its foreign counterparts, sought to mirror the progress and advances in the European world. Irânšahr set itself apart by initiating a literary competition to deepen its engagement with European literature. This competition invited Iranian authors to create new literary works based on extracts from Western literary pieces. This article specifically analyzes a publication resulting from this initiative, namely “Qalb-e mâdar”, a poem by Iraj Mirza, recognized as one of his best creations. Our analysis commences with a detailed examination of Iraj’s poem and the foreign sources that inspired it. Subsequently, we conduct a comparative study between the two texts. The objective is to uncover how the Iranian poet, Iraj Mirza, not only drew inspiration from Western literature but also managed to recreate the text in a way that seamlessly aligned with the poetic and cultural conventions of the Iranian language. This exploration aims to shed light on the processes through which the Iranian poet skillfully adapted the text to cater to the preferences of his Iranian readers. However, it is essential to approach this assessment with caution. While acknowledging the prowess of the Iranian poet in adapting foreign influences, deeming his work a universal model for literary modernization may pose challenges.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is affecting various aspects of education and there is a need to consider the consequences of this technological improvement on achievement and attitudes of the most direct stakeholders. Therefore, this study has focused on the effect of AI on teaching English with three key areas of concern: the effect of Chat-GPT-driven materials on learning outcomes, the attitudes of teachers who use Chat-GPT -informed pedagogy, and the students’ attitudes towards Chat-GPT-integrated materials. This study used a quasi-experimental intervention-based research design to achieve the intended objectives. Based on the type of educational institution, the participants were divided into three groups (90 students from Iranian language institutes, 100 students from public high schools, and 100 students from private high schools). Furthermore, fourteen teachers from these institutions shared their viewpoints on the use of AI, particularly Chat-GPT, in developing instructional materials. Pre- and post-tests were administered to check the effect of treatments on each group (based on the syllabus developed for those specific educational institutions). Moreover, two researcher-developed questionnaires were administered among teachers (composed of 27 Likert-Scale items) and students (composed of 23 Likert-Scale items). The obtained results indicated that Chat-GPT significantly improved EFL learners' performance in language institutions. Teachers looked upon AI with favor. This was based on its potential to change the produced educational materials and improve students’ engagement in the learning process. Students, in all three environments, looked positively toward Chat-GPT-driven materials. In short, this study showed the potential for AI to upgrade EFL teaching in Iran.

Postmodern literature possesses distinct characteristics that are evident in both its content and form. This research first attempts to identify the postmodern features in a corpus of English postmodern literature and examines their possible translatability across linguistic and cultural barriers. To this end, a corpus of ten English postmodern short stories by Donald Barthelme along with their corresponding translations into Persian was developed. Drawing on the integrative model of analysis developed for this study, the postmodern features in English stories were identified and their corresponding translations were analyzed at various levels. The results of the study indicate a high degree of translatability for postmodern features, as they experienced minimal transformation during the translation process. In fact, the translated stories remained remarkably postmodern, with the preservation of these features to a significant extent. However, it is important to exercise caution when interpreting this high degree of translatability. While translators may consciously strive to maintain these features, it is also possible that postmodern elements, which are predominantly manifested beyond sentence-level structures, may go unnoticed or remain untouched by translators. Additionally, the preservation of postmodern features in translation could be a result of translators' reluctance to intrude upon the creative process.

With the advancement of new teaching methods and approaches in foreign language teaching and learning, critical thinking has gained popularity in modern language education. This quasi-experimental study evaluated the possible impact of synthesizing critical thinking dispositional features and action learning on the Iranian intermediate EFL students’ argumentative composition improvement skills. From the 400 EFL learners at Islamic Azad University, Kurdistan branch, one hundred and fifty mingled intermediate-level EFL university learners were chosen based on their scores received from the OQPT and equally distributed into three experimental and two control groups. All participants were given two standard writing tests during the pre and post-treatment phases, followed by CCTST principles. In EG1, the researcher taught argumentative writing based on critical thinking dispositional features; in EG2, he taught argumentative writing based on the principles of action learning approach; and in EG3, he taught argumentative writing by synthesizing critical thinking dispositional features and the principles of action learning approach. Two control groups received conventional writing instruction: one group consisted of only males (EG1), and the other only females (EG2). The study's results revealed that while the participants in both The EGs and CGs elicited a statistically important development in the posttests, those in the three EGs all outperformed those in the CGs. In the order of significance, critical thinking dispositional features, then action learning approach and lastly synthesizing critical thinking dispositional features and action learning approach had a meaningful impact on improving the argumentative essay writing skills of Iranian intermediate EFL students.

This study evaluates the technological proficiency of Iranian EFL teachers in alignment with the TESOL Technology Standards, addressing both their familiarity and application of these standards in the unique Iranian context. Utilizing a mixed-method approach, 122 teachers completed a questionnaire to assess their knowledge of the TESOL standards, while 15 participants engaged in semi-structured interviews to discuss the applicability of these standards in Iran. Results show that while most teachers are proficient in basic technology use, they demonstrate moderate familiarity with advanced pedagogical applications such as professional collaboration and assessment using technology. The study also identifies challenges unique to Iran, including internet censorship, restricted access to online platforms, and inadequate infrastructure. These factors limit the full implementation of TESOL standards. Moreover, the study suggests that TESOL standards should be updated to reflect the growing importance of online teaching and AI integration. Recommendations are made to modify the standards to better suit local constraints, while emphasizing the need for institutional support and ongoing professional development. The findings contribute to improving technology integration in language teaching, particularly in contexts facing technological barriers.

With the explosive expansion of digital content in the present media landscape where almost every aspect of our lives is intertwined with the online interconnected spaces, extramural English—otherwise known as informal learning of English—has gained remarkable popularity among the youth, most notably the digital native generation or the tech-savvy. Informal learning of English in general, and extramural English in particular, occur outside of classroom settings—be it online and in real life—through learner-initiated activities. Notable examples of such activities include, among other things, watching films and TV shows, listening to songs, or playing video games (Sundqvist, 2024). Indeed, (online) informal learning of English, as Lee and Lee (2021) and Jurkovič (2019) note, consists of self-directed activities in digital settings, often driven by personal interests and undertaken independently, without teacher supervision. Typically, users engage in these activities without the explicit intention of improving their L2 skills. On this ground, the legitimacy of researching informal contact with English is rooted in a confluence of various factors, including contemporary communication practices, the evolving nature of language learning and the proliferation of free and user-friendly online resources and technologies worldwide.