Linguistics

Lawrence Venuti who is a translation theorist describes the role of translator in comparative literature in his book “The Translator’s Invisibility: A History of Translation” (1995). The two translation strategies are discussed in terms of “domestication” and “foreignization”. Domestication is to reduce the foreignness or the strangeness of the foreign text to be used in target language. When a foreign text is domesticated, the reader of target language easily understands it as if it is a part…

lack of rigor might originate from the interdisciplinary nature of the concept and phenomenon of discrimination in that discussions concerned with discrimination often fall within areas as diverse as critical discourse analysis, critical applied linguistics, power relations, and identity (re)construction. Therefore, such discussions might not be directly related to education. Further, as each of these areas enjoys its own principles and tenets, it seems essential to borrow findings of research…

Abstract A speech act is an utterance that serves a function in communication. It is the basic unit of language used to express meaning, an utterance that expresses an intention. Normally, the speech act is a sentence, but it can be a word or phrase as long as it follows the rules necessary to accomplish the intention. In our daily life interactions, we perform a speech act whether through greeting, requesting, apologizing...etc. Speech act is generally associated with pragmatic equivalence.…

process of speech and language acquisition. Most linguistic theories maintain that a child’s phonological system is governed by innate and natural mechanisms. For example, nonlinear phonology theories attempt to account for the notion that the relationships between phonological units are hierarchical in nature and that the production of speech involves many elements that are function independently as well as in relation to one another. While linguistic- based models are useful for describing…

and to economically support himself were self-obtained through his own power (Kakáram) (Hendricks, 1998, p. 220). These values of power in Shuar culture closely coincide with one’s ability to use language effectively. In terms of economy, greater linguistic ability coincides with the ability to form better trading relationships and hence support a greater number of wives and children (Hendricks, 1998, p. 220). Hence, a holistic study of the Shuar culture is necessary to understand the power…

“ethnic identity is twin skin to linguistic identity.” (p.39) In other words, Anzaldúa notes to her readers that language is her identity. It is important in understanding that not only does Anzaldúa mention her ethnic identity but also her linguistic identity as well because the two concepts are interlinked. The language she speaks defines her cultural identity: So if you really want to hurt me, talk badly about my language. Ethnic identity is twin skin to linguistic identity — I am my…

Socio-pragmatic failures Even though we manage to mind all the possible linguistic mistakes and our grammar and phonology is perfect we cannot avoid socio-pragmatic failures without knowing the cultural background of the people we speak with. These mistakes results from various cultural, social factors and different customs. Leech…

theories, which would explain such a complex phenomenon. The difficulty in doing so arises from the fact that there is very little evidence that would help to identify the most accurate theory (Pinker, 2003). One of the leading experts in the field of linguistics, Noam Chomsky, suggests that when exploring such a complex phenomenon such as language evolution, language should not be simply viewed as ‘communication’. Alternatively, he defines language as ‘a particular computational cognitive…

How children think and talk about their physical and social environments can be quite variable, however there are certain social, cognitive, and linguistic abilities that studies have shown are indicative of a child's development in various areas. The world of a 2.5 year old is almost entirely different than the world of a 4 year old. In order to provide real world application to these differences, I will compare and contrast the interaction of 2.5 year old Augustus (Augie), and 4 year old…

Dong, Yu Ren. “The Need to Understand ESL Students’ Native Language Writing Experiences.” TETYC. (1999): 277-285. Web. 21 Nov. 2015. Dong investigates ESL students’ native literacy-learning experiences through written learning autobiographies of 26 first year college students from eight different countries. He proposes that teachers need to understand each student’s unique needs and experiences in relation to writing. Because students that are native speakers of languages other than…