English language and litrature

This study examined the claim of democracy in computer-mediated communication with regard to amount of participation and communicative style of genders and the effect of topic of discussion on these aspects. To this aim, 300 randomly-chosen messages from two listservs (language testing and taxonomy) were coded for the number of female and male participants, frequency and length of messages, frequency of new topics, frequency of responses to each topic type and to the same and cross gender topics, stylistic features of females' and males' language, and frequency of flaming. For each aspect of analysis, v 2 statistical test was applied to examine the significance of the differences between genders in and across the lists. The results indicated that given the amount of participation, the democracy claim was breached as male dominance and presence was more ubiquitous. However, the results supported the provision of a democratic platform as far as manner of participation is concerned since both genders presented common communicative needs and priorities and there was no support for differentiation of genders' communicative styles. The findings promise implications for EFL/ESL education.

This study employed corpus and genre analysis as two useful tools to explore theories-in-use of the ELT community across 4 last decades. Analysis of the move-step sequence of the back cover blurbs revealed a 6-move generic pattern including advertising a book by selecting a slogan, establishing a niche, specification of the content, presentation of other components on the package, author endorsement, and propagating the book by means of extracts from teacher and students the overall purpose of which was to introduce the book and persuade the readers. From among the moves, the second one was explicitly and implicitly concerned with delineation of the theoretical framework underpinning the work. Examination of the key word concordances also indicated that, unlike what literature claimed to be the case (e.g. Bastrukmen, 1999), theories are well-reflected and well-documented in the ELT blurbs. However, the ELT community has adopted a selective approach toward theoretical orientations and that it values what is practical and of use at the classroom level. The implications are then discussed with the regard to theorists and practitioners, publishing agencies and teachers and students alike.

This study addresses one of the neglected issues in second language acquisition (SLA) research namely emotionality in EFL students. Based on domain specificity dimension of social-cognitive model of emotions, this study aims to capture students' ongoing and spontaneous emotions through experience sampling method. That is, it analyzed 96 forms which students completed at random times and upon receiving random signals in the EFL class. The forms were then analyzed based on the difference between females and males in the following areas: 1) EFL-related activities vs. non-EFL-related activities; 2) the frequency of different emotions; 3) the antecedents of students' emotional states; 4) students' use of emotion regulation strategies and the valence of emotions. The overall results indicated that females and males differed in significant ways in diverse facets of emotional experience. First, females outperformed in the amount of involvement in EFL-related tasks and thinking. Second, they reported experiencing the class emotionally different. Particularly, they experienced greater amount of anxiety and hope comparing to males. Third, they differed in the degree to which they attributed their emotions to teachers meaning that teachers have a more crucial role in emotional dispositions of female students. The implications were then discussed in the light of teachers' responsibility in facilitating communication of emotion and creating positive emotional climate.

This study intended to identify the sources of stress for EFL students in their transition to emergency remote teaching amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Drawing on the genealogy of emotions and Braun and Clarke’s (2006) thematic analysis method, this qualitative study analyzed interview transcripts and emotion diaries gleaned from students over an academic semester. The findings pointed to 4 categories of stressors including academic-related stressors associated with online exams, students’ English competency, instructional demands, and excessive workload, and teaching quality. The category of stressors including psychological issues concerned students’ low self-concept and efficacy beliefs, students comparing themselves to others, their learning styles, and social interactions and expectations. Life-related stressors encompassed students’ concerns about future life, work-life balance, health and safety at the time of the global pandemic, and distractions and multitasking while students ...

The aim of the present article is to probe the functions of the cultural schema of Ta’ne (sarcasm) in Persian. Results from 100 recorded instantiations of Ta’ne accumulated through ethnographic approach indicated that it served different functions including complaint, criticism, insult, contempt, humor, and compliment. The results were then discussed with reference to the cultural differences in the instantiation of the schema (use of the schema for humorous and complimentary functions) and the other schemas underlying the enactment of Ta’ne. In addition, some implications of the study were discussed with reference to the necessity of the cultural knowledge in order to prevent misunderstandings and miscommunications.