Language Research - Articles List

Investigating the speech samples of 4-5 years old Persian speaking girls with Specific Language Impairment based on the extended model of Conceptual Metaphor Theory

sadegh eftekhary far; Mohammad Reza Pahlavannezhad

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 07 January 2025

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2025.381272.666897

Abstract

This research investigates and analyzes the speech samples of three Persian speaking children, 4-5-years-old girls, who are suffering from Developmental Language Disorder (Specific ... Read More This research investigates and analyzes the speech samples of three Persian speaking children, 4-5-years-old girls, who are suffering from Developmental Language Disorder (Specific Language Impairment). The theoretical framework of the research is the expanded model of Conceptual Metaphor Theory. Based on this model that proposed by Kovecses (2020), metaphor processing takes place in four levels that have a schematic hierarchy. These schematic levels from depth to surface include image schema, domain, frame and mental space. In metaphor processing, the mapping between the source and destination domains is done simultaneously in all four mentioned levels. Among these levels, the outer level is mental space and its processing is done online in the working memory. The other three levels (image schema, domain and frame) are located in long-term memory and are processed offline. The method of conducting this research is descriptive, and analytical. The data of this research was collected by the Speech Therapist through the Told-P3 Language Development Test from three children who have referred to the speech therapy center. The collected data is at the single word level. During the execution of the test, the examiner has checked both comprehension and expression of single words and has classified the data based on the answers of the subjects. The collected data are only descriptive and analytical, and no comparison has been made between the subjects. The results of this research show that this model can be used in examining and analyzing the speech of people with language disorders. Also, these children did not have comprehension and conceptual problems to produce words and had more problems in oral language. Therefore, the analysis of the speech of these children based on this model shows that in order to teach these children the vocabulary of expressive language, instead of going directly to the teaching of the phonetic label of the words, we should have a level of education that is related to strengthening the metaphorical understanding of the words. Especially, it seems that first of all, if domain and frame levels, which are intermediate levels in the metaphorical processing of words, are strengthened by means of teaching methods, the results can be more impressive and the child's access to phonetic label could be Facilitated.

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A phenomenological study of teachers' and experts' views on the challenges governing Arabic language learning in the Corona and post-corona era and solutions

Mehrdad Aghaei; kamal nosrati; Mohammadamin Aghaei; Hadi Najafi zangir

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 27 January 2025

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2025.376242.666883

Abstract

The aim of this research was to investigate the challenges facing Arabic language education among students in the Corona era and to provide solutions to the upcoming issues, with the ... Read More The aim of this research was to investigate the challenges facing Arabic language education among students in the Corona era and to provide solutions to the upcoming issues, with the help of the lived experience of Arabic language teachers and experts. In this research, a qualitative and phenomenological method was used. The interviewees included all teachers and specialists in Ardabil city in the academic year of 2023. To select the participants, targeted and saturation sampling was used and 20 teachers and 18 specialists were selected. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews. The findings showed that students in the virtual education of Arabic lessons face challenges such as lack of motivation, lack of familiarity with virtual education, low financial ability of parents to provide smart education facilities, lack of suitable technology platform in teaching, problem in the antenna. Incorrect assessment and evaluation of students are faced due to the high possibility of cheating, etc, and in general, the virtual class is boring for students and reduces students' motivation and reduces students' adherence to classroom rules and discipline. In the interview with experts in the field of virtual education, they also pointed out the existence of challenges such as technical problems, structural problems, educational problems (content), problems of activism and interaction (mutual) and social problems (government) and to overcome On the challenges, suggestions for students, for teachers, for parents, for the officials of the educational field and suggestions for the government were presented.Also, the lack of necessary infrastructure for virtual education, including the unfavorable speed of the Internet and the lack of access of students in deprived and underprivileged areas to communication devices and the Internet, can severely affect the performance of virtual education. According to (Yang, 2020), students could not establish good communication and interaction with online education, and despite the fact that they can easily participate in online classes, they have a greater desire to participate in face-to-face classes and Also, due to the impossibility of face-to-face interactions, many students feel lonely and isolated and sometimes face severe anxiety and depression. In other words, the lack of face-to-face interactions can lead to psychological problems among students.

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Serial verbs and ingressive aspect in Persian

Azadeh Sokhan Afarin; Vali Rezai; Rezvan Motavalian

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 06 February 2025

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2025.381316.666898

Abstract

In many languages of the world, there are a sequence of verbs that are called serial verb construction (SVC). They are divided into two types, symmetric and asymmetric, based on their ... Read More In many languages of the world, there are a sequence of verbs that are called serial verb construction (SVC). They are divided into two types, symmetric and asymmetric, based on their composition. In symmetric construction, both verbs are chosen from the grammatical and semantic open class and in the construction of an asymmetric serial verb, a verb from grammatical and semantic open class, and another verb is selected from the limited and closed class. Aspectual or phasal serial verb is one of the types of asymmetric SVC which represents the perfective and imperfective grammatical aspect and the lexical aspect of inchoative, continuous and completive. The purpose of the research is to investigate the inchoative aspect of the SVC in Persian and to determine the juncture-nexus relation type in the framework of the Role & Reference Grammar (RRG). In Persian, auxiliary verb is placed in next to the main verb, it expresses tense, mood, and aspect, and there is a close and strong relationship between the auxiliary and the main verb, to the extent that they are considered a unit verb and behave similar to the construction of asymmetric SVC. Therefore, in line with the goal of the research, complex predicates consisting of auxiliary verbs and the main verb were the basis of data selection. These verbs include ‘gereftan (to take), bardɑštan (to remove), bargaštan (to return), raftan (to go), ɑmadan (to come), darɑmadan (to enter), and zadan (to hit)’, which express the inchoative aspect. The data of the research was collected from Najafi Persian Dictionary, Persian language database, storybooks, websites and other research work. Due to the avoidance of repetition, only one case was presented for each of the mentioned verbs, which were first examined based on criteria for distinguishing SVC in Aikhenvald. Finally, the type of juncture-nexus relationship was explained based on the RRG. The findings illustrate that these constructions are SVC and their juncture-nexus relation is of the type of ad-nuclear subordination.

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National-cultural study of the symbolism of ornithomyms in Russian and Persian languages; Resource for historical analysis and worldview of the peoples of Iran and Russia

Sevinj Mehdikhanli; Sedighe Khazaie

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 14 April 2025

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2025.385782.666904

Abstract

Knowledge of the concept of symbols, which has its roots in the cultural aspect of the language, is especially important when studying the language. Именно по этой причине ... Read More Knowledge of the concept of symbols, which has its roots in the cultural aspect of the language, is especially important when studying the language. Именно по этой причине In the process of teaching a foreign language, it is necessary that those working in this field consider themselves obliged, in addition to strengthening the grammatical aspects of the language, to value knowledge of the culture of the language being studied and to include it in the educational content. Thus, symbols are included in the content of education as part of culture and ultimately lead to a correct understanding of national-cultural texts. Given the importance of cultural aspects in teaching foreign languages and considering literature, we find that symbols and symbolism are of particular importance in the educational process, since when studying a foreign language and the literature of that country, it is necessary for the reader to be aware of the meanings hidden in the heart of the symbols. Ornithonyms are one of the areas of symbols and symbolism in popular culture and literature of each nation, and until now, no comparative studies have been conducted in this area in Russian and Persian. The authors of this study, using the library collection method, as well as the method of analyzing questionnaire data, and with the aim of obtaining the differences and similarities of the symbol of birds in the specified languages, when developing a questionnaire to measure the level of knowledge of Russian bachelor students about the symbol of ornithomyms, investigated the issue and after a comparative review and analysis of the questionnaire data, by clarifying the similarities and differences of the symbolism of birds in Russian and Persian, help Russian students and translators to correctly convey to the audience the concept of bird symbolism when translating cultural and literary texts. Therefore, at the bachelor's level in Russian, it is necessary to include the concept of bird symbolism in educational contentof such course unitas "Russian idioms and proverbs", "Cultural and literary influences of Iran on Russia", "Translation of texts" and "Regional studies".

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Investigating the Accuracy of GPT’s Translation in Transferring Syntax-Semantic Interface: A Case Study of Ideational Meta-Functions in English Translation of Quran

Sajjad Farokhipour; Davoud Padiz; Bamshad Hekmatshoartabari

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 25 May 2025

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2025.391037.666912

Abstract

AI-based models of analyzing linguistic data have attracted researchers due to the theoretical and practical spread of these models in recent years. Among them, machine translation ... Read More AI-based models of analyzing linguistic data have attracted researchers due to the theoretical and practical spread of these models in recent years. Among them, machine translation and AI-based translation have been a focal point in this development However, many questions regarding their efficiency and accuracy are raised at the same time. The current research is an attempt to employ an evaluative framework from systemic functional linguistics and investigate the accuracy of the transfer of ideational meta-function in the English translation of Quranic verses by GPT-4o. To this aim, 200 verses of the holy Quran were selected purposively and the transfer of six categories of the aforesaid meta-functions including material, verbal, existential, mental, behavioral, and existential were explored based on verb category, participants, and conditions of each process. Results revealed that GPT has been able to transfer material, behavioral, and existential processes while failing to transfer mental and relational processes. It seems that GPT’s success in the first section cannot be attributed to AI’s ability to distinguish the qualities and conditions of the processes but to the limitedness of verbal category and objectivity of their semantic components, participant types, and conditions. Since the characteristics of each part of speech for each process are determined and defined in systemic functional linguistics, they can be attached to the machine translation models in the form of syntactic-semantic tags added to each lexical-grammatical unit to increase the accuracy of translation. It seems that GPT’s success in the first section cannot be attributed to AI’s ability to distinguish the qualities and conditions of the processes but to the limitedness of verbal category and objectivity of their semantic components, participant types, and conditions. Since the characteristics of each part of speech for each process are determined and defined in systemic functional linguistics, they can be attached to the machine translation models in the form of syntactic-semantic tags added to each lexical-grammatical unit to increase the accuracy of translation.

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A Non-Lexicalist Analysis of the Imperfective Aspect and Its Interaction with the Perfective Aspect

Mazdak Anushe

Volume 15, Issue 2 , January 2025, , Pages 1-28

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2025.373442.666880

Abstract

In the non-lexicalist approach to grammar, all morphemes, whether lexical elements or function heads, are pieces that merge within the domain of syntax to form larger constituents. ... Read More In the non-lexicalist approach to grammar, all morphemes, whether lexical elements or function heads, are pieces that merge within the domain of syntax to form larger constituents. Consequently, what is referred to as an affix is essentially a morpho-syntactic category that occupies the head of a functional projection and selects another category as its complement (Embick 2015). The present study, adopting such an approach, analyzes the structure of the imperfective aspect in Persian and its morpho-syntactic interaction with the derivation of the perfective aspect. The imperfective aspect, one of the two grammatical aspects in Persian, is embodied in structures traditionally called progressive and continuous verbs. Like the perfective aspect, this verbal construction is used in both present and past tenses, though in contemporary Persian, the imperfective, unlike its perfective counterpart which appears in indicative, subjunctive, and sometimes imperative moods, solely indicates the indicative mood. Throughout this research, we argue that a lexicalist analysis and a feature-based theory, especially where the interaction of the prefix "mi-" with causative and perfective suffixes (“-ɑn” and “de/-te”, respectively) is concerned, fail to account for the certain inflectional forms of the verbs. Framed within non-lexicalist approach and more in the spirit of Distributed Morphology (DM) we explore the construction of the imperfective aspect in Persian and examine the interaction of its prefix with other verbal inflectional elements. In this process, we argue that in the hierarchy of functional projections of sentence in Persian, the perfective projection merges above the imperfective projection. In this structure, the head of PerfP which has an overt auxiliary verb dominates the head of ProgP which hosts a covert grammatical verb in Persian. We will see that this speculation is reinforced by empirical evidence of cliticization of the perfect auxiliary (“bɑš” in Persian and “have” in English) in the present perfect continous sentences.

Substitution of Dental Consonants in English and Arabic (Loan) Words by Persian Speakers: A Comparative Study

Bashir Jam

Volume 15, Issue 2 , January 2025, , Pages 53-70

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2024.378926.666889

Abstract

Sound substitution is a process whereby a phoneme in a loanword is replaced by its closest phone in the borrowing language. English and Arabic share dental consonants /D/ and ... Read More Sound substitution is a process whereby a phoneme in a loanword is replaced by its closest phone in the borrowing language. English and Arabic share dental consonants /D/ and /T/ which are absent in Persian. This comparative study aimed at explaining how these consonants are substituted by Persian speakers within the framework of optimality theory (Prince and Smolensky, 1993/2004). The findings of this research indicate that their substitution in English (loan) words depends on their position in the syllable; the dental consonants /D/ and /T/ are replaced by the dento-alveolar consonants [dÏ] and [tÏ] respectively in the syllable onset of (loan)words because they are the closest consonants to dentals. However, /T/ changes to [s] in the coda position since the markedness constraint ‘LAZY’ which favors sounds produced with less energy prohibits the substitution of /T/ by the more effortful stop consonant [tÏ] in this syllable position. With regard to Arabic (loan)words, the substitution of the dental consonants /D/ and /T/ (which are represented by the graphemes <ذ> and <ث> respectively in Arabic orthography) depends on how these graphemes are pronounce in Persian. Therefore, this process cannot be explained using an analysis that is solely phonological. So, there is a need for an analysis which incorporates graphemes as well. Technically speaking, a constraint which has access to graphematical information is needed. Some optimality theory phonologists who came up with this need while working on other languages have already proposed orthographic constraints as the third type in addition to faithfulness and markedness constraints. Accordingly, the pronunciation of the graphemes <ذ> and <ث> in words adapted from Arabic by Persian was analysed using orthographic constraints which require these graphemes to be always pronunced [z] and [s] respectively. This comparative study presents arguments in favor of different constraint rankings which cause the occurances of these processes

Examining Persian Suffixes -ani, -ayi, and -al Based on Cognitive Morphology

Zahra Hasanpuran; Shahla Sharifi

Volume 15, Issue 2 , January 2025, , Pages 71-97

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2024.380137.666891

Abstract

The aim of this article is to analyze the polysemy of the three suffixes "-ani, -ayi and -al" in Persian language with construction morphology framework. This analysis is based on Booij ... Read More The aim of this article is to analyze the polysemy of the three suffixes "-ani, -ayi and -al" in Persian language with construction morphology framework. This analysis is based on Booij construction morphology theory (2010, 2016) which is rooted in the cognitive linguistics school and especially the cognitive grammar theory (Langacker, 2008, 2009). In Booij’s (2010, 2016) construction morphology approach, language words are "constructions" whose meaning is the most important component in their structural analysis. Derivational affixes of Persian language, which include suffixes and prefixes and are numerous, have a good capacity to add new meanings to basic constructions and create a derivative word. The research data is extracted from Zansu Persian dictionary (Keshani, 1993). In order to investigate the polysemy of these suffixes, first we have designated the construction schemas and sub-schemes of the words containing the three mentioned suffixes, and then we have designed their polysemy network. Examining the research data showed that the words containing each of these three derivational suffixes, which are different from each other in terms of meaning and caused the polysemy of the named suffixes, are actually the result of different schemas and sub-schemas that are different in terms of form and meaning. The results of the research show that at the lowest level of the schema network of the "-ani" suffix, there are five different sub-schemas, two of which have a nominal base. Next two sub-schemas have prepositional base and at last, the last sub-schema has adjective base. At the lowest level of the schema network of the "-al" suffix, there are four sub-schemas which bases are from the categories of nouns, adjectives, or verb present stem. While the suffix "-ayi" has only two sub-schemes, one of which has a nominal base and the other has an adjective base. According to Booij’s (2010, 2016) construction morphology theory, the polysemy of these suffixes cannot be explained at the level of concrete words; Rather, this polysemy should be considered related to the level of constructional schemas, which are more abstract than the concrete words of the language

A Comparative Study of Scalar Implicature Comprehension in 5-7 Monolingual Persian-speaking Children and Adults

Arezou Khani; Ali Jamali; Tayebeh Khoshbakht

Volume 15, Issue 2 , January 2025, , Pages 99-124

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2024.372068.666877

Abstract

Research showed that children need two important pragmatic skills to understand Simile: understanding the intended similarity and deriving a scalar implicature. ... Read More

Matching Course Content with Learner Preferences in E-learning Systems Based on the Memetic Algorithm

Mansoureh Delaramifar; Tayebeh Sargazi Moghadam

Volume 15, Issue 2 , January 2025, , Pages 125-156

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2024.379570.666890

Abstract

Since, due to the advancement of technology, mankind solves many of its educational needs, such as learning foreign languages, through electronic education, upgrading electronic learning ... Read More Since, due to the advancement of technology, mankind solves many of its educational needs, such as learning foreign languages, through electronic education, upgrading electronic learning systems with educational infrastructure become very important. Therefore, this research aims to introduce an efficient method to provide the most appropriate educational content for the learner by discovering her interests and preferences and adapting it to educational and cultural issues by using artificial intelligence techniques. In this regard, The present study uses a decision-making framework using a Memetic optimization algorithm to extract the best match between available learning paths and activities. It also provides the best possible response, which is the system's best decision for each individual's learning, using a linear formula and determining personal factors such as the learner's knowledge level and preferences. The resulting educational framework was tested on 40 students, 12-15 year old. In this experiment, a control group of 20 and an experimental group of 20 were considered, and the framework was given to the experimental group and the control group learned using traditional methods such as books. SPSS software was used for data analysis. In addition, in the last class session, a survey was used to examine the experimental group on issues such as interest in e-learning, willingness to continue the class, need for more breaks, and willingness to continue learning English in this way. The findings showed that the average post-test score of the control group after training through textbook-based content was 14.8750 and the average post-test score of the experimental group that was trained with diverse content considering the learner's preferences was 16.7500. On the other hand, the significance level test indicates that the use of an e-learning program based on learner preferences had a significant (p < 0.05) effect on the experimental group, and as a result, it refers to the greater effect of e-learning with considering learner preferences compared to traditional learning.The final achievement was evaluated using multi-part software plugins from the point of view of flexibility, efficiency and interoperability through user satisfaction testing. Considering that more than seventy percent of users were satisfied with the learning efficiency and flexibility of the system, the results indicate that the system's output will have a more favorable effect on individual learning

Description and Analysis of the Linguistic Components of the Dispute Resolution Council Members in Persuading the Parties to the Dispute: Critical Analysis of the Conciliation Meetings Discourse (Forensic Linguistics Approach)

Mitra Rezazadeh; Akram Korani; Ali Moradi

Volume 15, Issue 2 , January 2025, , Pages 157-180

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2024.385054.666902

Abstract

The function of persuasion as a linguistic action is to change the audience's attitude and behavior or strengthen his beliefs. In general, persuasion is the basic and ultimate goal ... Read More The function of persuasion as a linguistic action is to change the audience's attitude and behavior or strengthen his beliefs. In general, persuasion is the basic and ultimate goal of all types of communication behaviors. This kind of persuasion is applied in the form of language tricks and the phenomenon of persuasion has an active presence in speech. The study of linguistic methods and tools involved in persuasion leads to the examination of the issue of power and how to dominate the mind, and this itself is the beginning of critical discourse analysis. Critical discourse analysis relies on methodological theories. The theory of LacLau and Mouffe has presented a systematic formulation in this field. Discourse is the result of the communication and interaction of the speakers in a social and cultural context. Legal discourse, due to the inherent nature of communication with the audience through "language", contains various methods of persuasion, which discourse analysis can discover many of them. The Dispute Resolution Council, as a legal-judicial institution, has created a special legal discourse by using various functions of language as the main tool. The main goal of the current research is to analyze the legal discourse of this council and examine the role of linguistic knowledge in its persuasion methods. In this research, the data has been collected by field method and direct observation, from 20 sessions of conciliation branches of the Dispute Resolution Council of Islamabad Gharb city. The data includes a total of 1,273 parts of speech, which formed the linguistic body of the research and were analyzed in a descriptive-analytical way, based on the theory of Laclau and Mouffe. The research question is, what are the findings of linguistics based on the theory of Laclau and Mouffe that can be effective in the process of persuading the parties to the dispute in the discourse of the members of the dispute resolution council? The result of the research shows that in order to convince the parties to the dispute, the linguistic tools of highlighting, the relationship between the signifier and the signified, backgrounding and hegemony, in descending order, have played an effective role in the discourse of the dispute resolution council members. In this discourse, the members of the council have used several effective words as persuasive elements by fixing the semantic system, each of which has specific meanings with specific signifiers

Explaining the Placement Order of Adjectives in Persian Language Based on Functional Discourse Grammar

Mohsen Taheri; Ali Alizadeh; Hamed Mowlaei Kuhbanani

Volume 15, Issue 2 , January 2025, , Pages 181-210

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2024.370324.666875

Abstract

The purpose of the present research is to investigate the placement order of different types of adjectives in the sentence in Persian language based on Functional Discourse Grammar. ... Read More The purpose of the present research is to investigate the placement order of different types of adjectives in the sentence in Persian language based on Functional Discourse Grammar. Therefore, in this study, FDG will be considered in determining the arrangement of different types of adjectives in the sentence in Persian language. According to the principles of FDG, presenting a pattern in the arrangement of adjectives in a sentence in Persian language, in which the order of the adjectives in sentences does not follow a certain rule, is another goal of the present research. Although in Persian language, the order of adjectives does not follow a specific rule, the principles of FDG show that the type of the adjective determines that in what level of the hierarchical layer of FDG each adjective is produced and then based on what order it is mapped on morphosyntactic templates. In this study, the method of mapping the different types of adjectives on morphosyntactic templates in four absolute initial, second, medial and final positions and infinite relative positions in FDG was considered. This study is based on a descriptive-analytical method and the examples are taken from Persian adjectives. Examining the samples in this research shows that although the Persian language does not seem to have a particular order for the placement of adjectives in the sentence, the order pattern of adjectives in the sentence based on the mechanisms of FDG is also suggested for Persian language, since each adjective is produced in a special layer. The results indicate that the placement of adjectives in Persian language is based on the type of adjective and the production of each type of adjective takes place in its respective hierarchical layer. The results also show that FDG is an appropriate and efficient method for explaining the placement of adjectives in a sentence in Persian language and provides a suitable model for the placement of adjectives in a sentence in Persian language

The Effect of Phonetic Levels of Arabic Language in Learning Arabic Listening and Speaking Skills of Non-Arabic Speaking Iranians

Mohammad- Mahdi Gholami; Ali Zeighami; Sayed Reza Mirahmadi

Volume 15, Issue 2 , January 2025, , Pages 211-237

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2024.380345.666892

Abstract

Persian and Arabic languages have had phonetic, grammatical, and lexical influences on each other in terms of vocabulary exchange, and they have similarities and differences ... Read More Persian and Arabic languages have had phonetic, grammatical, and lexical influences on each other in terms of vocabulary exchange, and they have similarities and differences in terms of phonetic system; Arabic is today considered one of the six official languages of the United Nations and the first language of the Islamic world that learners from different countries, especially Iran, attempt to learn. Arabic learners make numerous phonetic errors at different stages of learning Arabic as a foreign language. Since the phonetic system of the learners' native language is imprinted in their minds by default, it is a natural phenomenon for a non-native learner to make errors during the learning of the next language. At the phonetic level of the Arabic language, there are sounds that differ in pronunciation and pronunciation from their corresponding sounds in Persian; Among the Arabic letters " Θ ،ħ، ð، sˤ، dˤ، tˤ، ðˤ، ʕ، ɣ، w" which, due to their absence in Persian, have become the closest equivalent sounds in the Persian phonetic system. Therefore, Persian-speaking Arabic learners do not have sufficient skills in the field of listening and speaking as language output, but due to the lack of comparative analysis between the different levels of Arabic and Persian, they usually experience doubts, fear, and ultimately despair of learning this language when using Arabic. The results of the study in the present study indicate that the learner who is learning a foreign language, due to his adherence to his mother tongue, unconsciously tries to maintain the structure of the previous language and shows resistance to new findings, which are the phonetic system of the language. The purpose of this research is: First, to define and elaborate on the contrastive analysis, then to explain the phonetic system of Persian and Arabic, then to explain the types of interference, and finally to provide solutions and strategies to prevent interference. Based on the contrastive analysis at the phonetic level, we concluded that after describing and then comparing and contrasting the two languages, as well as the hierarchy of difficulties in pronouncing sounds, the sounds at level four (extreme distinction) create the greatest difficulty in teaching Arabic sounds to Persian speakers, because at this level, a completely new item that has no similar item in the mother tongue must be learned; therefore, our greatest focus in learning the phonetic system of the target language should be on these sounds

A Cognitive Study of the Influence of Physiological Taste Language on Spoken Language in Persian and Arabic

somayyeh mohammadi; Zohreh Ghorbani Madavani

Volume 15, Issue 2 , January 2025, , Pages 269-293

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2024.367810.666866

Abstract

The present study examines the cognitive aspects of Persian and Arabic languages in the domain of taste and its resulting product, flavors, with the aim of understanding part ... Read More The present study examines the cognitive aspects of Persian and Arabic languages in the domain of taste and its resulting product, flavors, with the aim of understanding part of the perception of Persian and Arabic speakers derived through the gustatory domain. In this context, the study conducts a cognitive analysis of expressions that reflect the influence of the physiological taste function of the tongue on spoken language. The research method is descriptive-analytical and is conducted within the framework of the cognitive semantics approach. The study of the data shows that: 1. The mentioned languages primarily utilize the gustatory domain to conceptualize the idea of "testing and evaluation" and its associated outcomes, such as feelings of satisfaction and pleasure or dissatisfaction and pain; 2. The cognitive reality of the gustatory domain appears different from the external and conventional reality of the sense of taste. Externally, tasting is a sensory and temporary experience where the sole receptor is the tongue, and it is only relevant to edible substances. However, the cognitive mechanism uses this physical-taste experience to understand and perceive the environment and abstract concepts, "tasting" many of our experiences and environmental phenomena! For example, tasting the words of others, as in «شیرین‌سخن» ("sweet-tongued"), or describing someone as «گوشت‌تلخ» ("bitter-fleshed"). In this cognitive mechanism, the tongue is not the only receptor of taste; hearing can also create a taste, as in «با این خبر کاممون تلخ شد» ("this news left a bitter taste in our mouth"), and the heart "tastes" the sweetness of union, as in «به کام دل رسید» ("it reached the heart's desire"). Moreover, tasting is not limited to edibles; the eyes can be "شور" ("salty"), temperament can be "تند" ("hot"), and the face can be "ترش" ("sour"). The importance of understanding the non-edible world through the lens of edibles is highlighted by the fact that the set of correspondences within these metaphors allows us to think about our experiences and the phenomena around us using the knowledge we have about flavors. For example, since "بانمکی" (being salty) is desirable, interacting with a person perceived as "بانمک" (salty) is also understood as pleasant and desirable. In this way, the "saltiness" of the person in question can overshadow other undesirable traits they may have, just as the "saltiness" of a type of food can make its harmful aspects seem appealing. In conclusion, flavor serves as a phenomenological and evaluative perspective on the nature of our experiences as a target domain

Analyzing Otherizing Discourse and Colonialism in Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe

Mohammad Amin Mozaheb

Volume 15, Issue 2 , January 2025, , Pages 295-310

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2024.381721.666899

Abstract

At the beginning of the 18th century, with the act of the parliaments of England and Scotland, the four countries of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland were formed the Great Britain, ... Read More

Quantum Teaching Method and EFL Learners’ Writing Self-Efficacy: Learners’ Perceptions in Focus

Zahra Ahmadpour; Zohre Gooniband Shooshtari

Volume 15, Issue 1 , August 2024, , Pages 1-27

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2024.376628.666885

Abstract

The Quantum Teaching Method (QTM) is an approach that emphasizes active student engagement, critical thinking, and a deep understanding of subject matter. This method has been ... Read More

The Study of Persian Effect on Azerbaijani Relative Clause Structure

abdolhossein heydari

Volume 15, Issue 1 , August 2024, , Pages 29-45

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2024.367930.666867

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to study Persian effect on the relative clause construction of Azerbaijani. The data have been collected from the different contexts of Azerbaijani ... Read More The aim of this paper is to study Persian effect on the relative clause construction of Azerbaijani. The data have been collected from the different contexts of Azerbaijani speakers’ speech in Ardabil province. At first the data were classified in two groups: head final relative clauses and head initial relative clauses. Then they were analyzed according to views common in language contact phenomenon including Heine (2006). So this research is descriptive-analytic. Azerbaijani allows the nouns with different grammatical functions (subject, direct object, indirect object, object of postposition, genitive, object of comparison) to be relativized like other languages in the world. In addition to head final relative clauses (common in Turkish languages), most of the data have been produced according to Persian relative clause structure (head initial pattern) by borrowing Persian “Ke” morpheme. Previous Azerbaijani language researchers have considered head initial relative clause as a borrowed structure from Persian to Azerbaijani. But the findings of this research show that head initial relative clause structure is an Azerbaijani native structure used in the special context limitedly without the appearance of Persian “Ke” morpheme. Persian and Azerbaijani can be considered as model and replica languages respectively in the language contact situation. Azerbaijani speakers use a strategy such as the extending strategy to increase the frequency of head initial relative clause structure matching that of Persian by borrowing Persian “Ke” morpheme, as Heine (2006) has showed the use of this strategy in the contact situation of some languages. Azerbaijani speakers choose among two alternative structures (head final and head initial relative clause structures), the one corresponding to Persian relative clause structure. Azerbaijani speakers’ extended use of head initial relative clauses is as a result of Azerbaijani convergence with Persian that is a common phenomenon due to the language contact occurring in multilingual societies

A Review of Phonemic Awareness Role in Reducing Vowel Errors of English Language Learners Based on Cognitive Phonology Approach

Nahid Khosravi; Maryam Iraji; Bahram Modaresi

Volume 15, Issue 1 , August 2024, , Pages 47-69

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2024.370548.666874

Abstract

Phonology is the study of phonemic system in language and our perception of phonemic production in learning is noticeable cognitively and phonologically.phonemic awareness is ... Read More

Syntax of Vocative Phrase in Persian A Feature-based Approach

Mina Rezvanian; َAli Darzi

Volume 15, Issue 1 , August 2024, , Pages 71-93

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2021.317428.666691

Abstract

The Vocative construction is one of the earliest conceptions acquired by children. So it must be a universal phenomenon. It is surprising that it had been rarely studied. While ... Read More The Vocative construction is one of the earliest conceptions acquired by children. So it must be a universal phenomenon. It is surprising that it had been rarely studied. While the vocative is a building block of sentences, although non-obligatory, it has often been approached from a non-linguistics perspective. This paper aims to investigate both the internal/syntactic structure of the vocative phrase and its syntactic position in Persian within the framework of Minimalist Theory. To do this, the data are collected addressee, which is identified by the vocative phrase (VocP), is a functional projection derived by a bundle of morpho-syntactic and semantic features. In the one hand, the projection is located above the functional projections of the nominal domain and the determiner phrase (DP). On the other hand, it is located in the left periphery of the sentence. The vocative phrase located between the topicalized and focused phrases as a result of topic and focus movement in the language. The phrase may or may not be co-indexed with a constituent in the main clause. Although vocative phrases are not morphologically marked in Modern Persian, there are elements such as “Ey”, “Âhây” and “hey” which are sign of vocative in Persian, named vocative particles. These particles are optional, however, located in the vocative phrase. The particles, also, are different stylistically. The fisrt one is used in literary style and the second two particles are used in colloquial style. Moreover, the vocative head is shown to take a DP complement. The DP merges with the head of the phrase, as its complement Vocative particles are proposed to bear an uninterpretable D-feature along with the some other morpho-syntactic features. Checking these features make the DP complement to be interpreted as vocative in the LF, namely the vocative DP. The distribution of vocative particles indicates that the “EY” particle is a bound morpheme but “Âhây” and “Hey” are free morphemes. The projection is prosodically marked by pause and linearly followed by a comma

Politeness in Iranian Sign Language: Analysis of Non-Manual Features

Behzad Rahbar; Masoumeh Khoshandam Mallati

Volume 15, Issue 1 , August 2024, , Pages 95-121

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2024.365113.666856

Abstract

translator Double-click The purpose of the present study was to investigate non-manual features (NMF) that convey politeness in Iranian sign language. The ... Read More

A Socio-Semiotic Approach to Small World Phenomenon in Urban Linguistic Landscapes; A Case Study of Tehran

Ali Reza Gholi Famian

Volume 15, Issue 1 , August 2024, , Pages 123-145

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2024.370301.666872

Abstract

In the 1960s, Stanley Milgram conducted an experiment that later became established as Small World Phenomenon. According to this theory, there are on average up to six links ... Read More In the 1960s, Stanley Milgram conducted an experiment that later became established as Small World Phenomenon. According to this theory, there are on average up to six links between any two people anywhere in the world. To date, this theory has been used to analyze different networks and it is also believed that the emergence of social networks such as Facebook has been the result of the implementation of this theory. This study is based on the assumption that in language, which is basically a network of signifiers and signified, it is possible to observe traces of the Small World Phenomenon. To evaluate this hypothesis, a framework of language has been chosen which is known as linguistic landscape in sociolinguistics. The linguistic landscape refers to an area of the public space where linguistic elements can be seen on billboards, boards with various advertising and urban guidance functions, and the like. All linguistic signs in Vanak Square and 100 meters of the streets connected to the square were photographed and collected as research data. It was revealed that two factors, i.e. multilingualism and networking motivate and strengthen the Small World Phenomenon in linguistic landscapes. According to the findings, there is a non-Persian word or phrase in 39% of signs, especially in English. This relatively high rate of English in Vanak Square might have various reasons and consequences, but undoubtedly one consequence is that citizens and tourists feel they are in a global city, and thereby the Small World Phenomenon is induced in their minds. Networking tends to be a keyword in this theory. By reviewing the data, the researcher found that the linguistic signs of Vanak Square are connected with objective or abstract phenomena near and far by means of two types of references. In ‘spatial’ reference, a linguistic sign (such as ‘Kurdistan’) in the first layer refers the viewer to a highway in Tehran, but in an inner layer, reminds him of the province of ‘Kurdistan’, far from Tehran. Through ‘institutional’ referral, a link is established between a person or a small institution with a higher and typically larger institution. The caption ‘Ministry of Education, District 3, Tehran’ above the name of a school is a familiar example of institutional reference. The evaluation of the data by occupational categories shows that in some occupations, the use of non-Persian linguistic signs as well as spatial and institutional references are more common.

A Study of Fusion in Persian and English Inflection Based on Natural Morphology Theory

leila Gholipour Hasankiadeh; foroogh kazemi; Maryam Iraji

Volume 15, Issue 1 , August 2024, , Pages 147-174

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2024.364792.666854

Abstract

Inflectional features of languages have diversity and each language utilizes a range of these features to express its grammatical relations. Sometimes, in an inflection of a ... Read More Inflectional features of languages have diversity and each language utilizes a range of these features to express its grammatical relations. Sometimes, in an inflection of a grammatical category (such as a verb), the semantic conditions require that several inflectional features come into use simultaneously in order to express a correct and accurate description of the event. In this case, this simultaneity is formed in an interwoven manner in the application of inflectional values and the phenomenon of fusion occurs. The main goal of this research is to examine fusional forms, including pormanteau, suppletion and fusions in the inflection of two languages, English and Persian, based on natural morphology theory, in order to determine the naturalness of these forms in the grammatical categories of noun, verb, adjective and pronoun of both languages and answer the question that what are the similarities and differences of these two languages in terms of the degree of fusion and naturalness of inflection and inflectional rules. The Persian and English data are extracted from the Persian language database and Corpus of Contemporary American English respectively by random sampling based on the equal number of words, and then analyzed based on the natural morphology theory. The results signify that the phenomenon of fusion occurs in the inflection of both languages and can be noticed in the inflection of different grammatical categories in the form of cumulative, strong and weak suppletion and pormanteau. In both languages, the frequency of fusion in verbs is more than other categories, namely nouns, adjectives, and pronouns, and this is one of the common features of these two languages. In the category of pronouns, in English, there is a greater diversity of fusion. One of the reasons is the presence of gender feature in English pronouns and its absence in Persian. The results of the research highlight the fact that the inflectional forms with infusion do not follow the most important principles of the theory of natural morphology, which is the existence of a biuniqueness between the form and the meaning. They distort the criteria of naturalness and cause a decrease in the naturalness of the Persian and English inflectional systems.

Analyzing the Epic Romantic Narrative Structure of "Bijan and Manijeh" and Explaining its Verbal Dimensions from the Perspective of Waltsky and Labov

Nahid Jafari

Volume 14, Issue 2 , March 2024, , Pages 1-24

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2023.367328.666864

Abstract

Semiotics is a tool that can be used to examine the mechanisms of formation and production of meaning in discourses. The logical and narrative discourse is the dominant discourse on ... Read More

Investigating the Compound Words Ended to “Negar” Stem in Persian Language: A Cognitive Approach

Zahra Hasanpuran; Ali Alizadeh

Volume 14, Issue 2 , March 2024, , Pages 79-104

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2024.363973.666852

Abstract

One of the word formation processes in Persian language is the compounding process, which speakers use in a productive way to create words with new meanings. This process contains at ... Read More One of the word formation processes in Persian language is the compounding process, which speakers use in a productive way to create words with new meanings. This process contains at least two components, both of which are involved in the construction of meaning. The aim of this article is to analyze the polysemy of compound words ended to “negar” stem in Persian with a cognitive approach. This analysis is done in the framework of Booij's construction morphology theory (2010, 2016), and the data of the research is extracted from the Zansu Persian dictionary (Keshani, 1993), the dictionary of Farhangistan authorized vocabularies, and Bijankhan's corpus. According to Booij's construction morphology theory (2010, 2016), language words are linguistic constructions and these linguistic constructions are the unit of construction morphology analysis. In Booij's construction morphology theory (2010, 2016), construction schemas are patterns that clarify the form and meaning of a construction and determine how other constructions are derived from this pattern. In order to investigate the polysemy of compound words ended to the "negar" stem, first the construction schemas and sub-schemas related to these words are identified, and then their polysemy network in drawn. The results of the research show that at the lowest level of the schema network of the compound words ended to "negar" stem, there are eleven different sub-schemas, seven of which have a nominal base, and four have an adjectival base. Also, the frequency of the sub-schema with an adjective base is much lower than the frequency of the sub-scheme with a nominal base. According to the study of the body of research, the combination of a noun with the "negar" stem creates different meanings such as "writing", "describing", "studying", "depicting", and "measuring" and the meanings of "writing" and "depicting" is realized with both human and non-human agents. The combination of an adjective with the "negar" stem also creates the "depicting" meaning which is realized with two human and non-human agents. Finally, four subschemas with the meaning of "depicting with a special instrument", "depicting a person with special characteristics", "depicting with a special manner", and "depicting from a special location" are results of the hierarchical classification of the subschemas of compound words with an adjective base that ends to “negar” stem. The polysemy of compound words ended to the “negar” stem can be explained at the level of these construction schemas which are more or less abstract.

Determining the Typological Place of a Language on the Left/Right-Branching Spectrum

Maedeh Golchin arefi; Gholamreza Dinmohammadi

Volume 14, Issue 2 , March 2024, , Pages 105-129

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2024.359837.666844

Abstract

In this article we answer two questions: first, how we can use Dryer (1992) as a tool to determine the typological place of a language in the left/right-branching spectrum. Second, ... Read More

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