Language Literacy: Journal of Linguistics, Literature, and Language Teaching
e-ISSN: 2580-9962 | p-ISSN: 2580-8672 DOI PREFIX (By Crossref): 10.30743/ Language Literacy: Journal of Linguistics, Literature and Language Teaching is a blind peer-reviewed international journal biannually published by the Faculty of Literature, Universitas Islam Sumatera Utara (UISU), Medan, Indonesia. This journal issues publication in June and December with its first issue released in December 2017. It has been indexed in DOAJ since 27 June 2018. The journal is nationally accredited with Grade 3 (SINTA 3) by the Ministry of Research Technology and Higher Education of Republic Indonesia based on the Decree Number: 72/E/KPT/2024 dated 1 April 2024. This accreditation is effective from Volume 6 Number 2, 2022 to Volume 11 Number 1, 2027. Authors are encouraged to submit complete unpublished and original works or research results, which are not under review in any other journals. Manuscripts should follow the style of the journal and are subject to both review and editing processes. The journal's scope includes, but not limited to, the fields of linguistics, literature and language teaching with all submissions written in English. <a title="DOAJ" href="https://doaj.org/toc/2580-9962?source=%7B%22query%22%3A%7B%22filtered%22%3A%7B%22filter%22%3A%7B%22bool%22%3A%7B%22must%22%3A%5B%7B%22terms%22%3A%7B%22index.issn.exact%22%3A%5B%222580-8672%22%2C%222580-9962%22%5D%7D%7D%5D%7D%7D%2C%22query%22%3A%7B%22match_all%22%3A%7B%7D%7D%7D%7D%2C%22size%22%3A100%2C%22sort%22%3A%5B%7B%22created_date%22%3A%7B%22order%22%3A%22desc%22%7D%7D%5D%2C%22_source%22%3A%7B%7D%7D" target="_blank">
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POLICING DESIRE: IDENTITY CONSTRUCTION IN MY POLICEMAN (2022)
This study examines the tension between social duty and personal desire in My Policeman (2022), focusing on how individual identity is shaped and constrained by systemic social pressure. The analysis addresses three central issues: the mechanisms of identity suppression experienced by Tom Burgess, the influence of moral and societal norms on personal choice, and the broader ideological implications of these conflicts. Employing a qualitative descriptive approach, the study draws upon Feminist Literary Criticism, Queer Theory, and the Sociology of Literature to interpret the film’s narrative and character dynamics. The findings reveal that patriarchal expectations limit Marion’s autonomy, while heteronormative institutions compel Tom to repress his sexual identity, effectively criminalizing his private self. Rather than portraying social expectations merely as cultural pressures, the film presents the legal and moral framework of 1950s Britain as an active “policing force” that regulates private emotions and desires. This perspective offers a deeper understanding of how desire becomes socially monitored and ideologically controlled. Ultimately, the study demonstrates that these restrictive structures not only suppress personal freedom but also fracture emotional integrity and undermine authentic human relationships.
Copyright (c) 2026 Lea Zahra Santoso, Salva Syeira Wijaya, Yanti Rosalinah
GLOBALIZING JAVANESE CULTURE THROUGH LITERARY TRANSLATION: A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF JAVANESE TERMS IN RATIH KUMALA’S GADIS KRETEK
This study analyzes Javanese cultural terms in Ratih Kumala’s Gadis Kretek and their English translations within the context of cultural globalization. As a contemporary Indonesian novel rich in local cultural expressions, Gadis Kretek presents challenges for translators in mediating Javanese social practices and cultural values for international readers. This study aims to identify Javanese cultural terms, classify them according to Katan’s cultural levels (surface, formal, and deep culture), and examine their ideological implications using Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis framework. The data are drawn from the Indonesian source text and its official English translation, translated by Annie Tucker and published by Monsoon Books in 2016 (2024 edition). Employing a qualitative discourse analysis approach, this study compiled 167 culture-specific items and analyzed their corresponding renderings in the target text. Translation strategies were identified based on Baker’s taxonomy and interpreted through Venuti’s domestication and foreignization frameworks. The findings reveal a predominance of domestication-oriented strategies, particularly cultural substitution and neutralization, alongside selective foreignization through loan-word retention. This pattern indicates an ideological tendency to prioritize accessibility for global audiences while partially maintaining Javanese cultural markers. As a result, the cultural meanings intended for global introduction are not fully transmitted, as domestication tends to simplify, generalize, or dilute culture-specific nuances embedded in the source text. In this respect, the study demonstrates that translation acts as a mediating practice that reshapes cultural identity in globalization by negotiating between cultural visibility and readability, contributing to discourse-oriented research in literary translation.
Copyright (c) 2026 Language Literacy: Journal of Linguistics, Literature, and Language Teaching
CULTURAL AWARENESS IN EFL PEDAGOGY: A SCOPING REVIEW
This scoping review maps 25 studies (2021–2025) on cultural awareness integration in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts using Arksey and O'Malley's framework. Analysis identified four central themes: materials and curriculum representation, teacher beliefs and practices, learner perceptions and outcomes, and pedagogical strategies. Findings reveal persistent implementation challenges across all themes. Textbook analyses revealed systematic Western bias, with 70% of cultural content emphasizing target-culture contexts versus 30% local contexts. Teacher studies disclosed significant gaps between stated beliefs and classroom practices, which remained incidental rather than systematic. Learner research demonstrated positive attitudes toward intercultural learning, yet showed limited competence beyond familiar cultural contexts. Methodologically, databases searched included ERIC, Scopus, and Google Scholar using keywords including "cultural awareness in ELT," "intercultural competence in EFL," and "intercultural communicative competence." Qualitative approaches dominated (44% of studies). All reviewed studies were conducted in Indonesian EFL contexts, limiting generalizability. Critical gaps include scarcity of longitudinal designs, limited comparative multi-site research, insufficient experimental studies, concentration on tertiary education (75% of learner studies), and minimal investigation of technology-mediated intercultural learning. Pedagogically, findings indicate two reform priorities. First, curriculum design needs balanced cultural representation and assessment frameworks valuing intercultural competence alongside linguistic proficiency. Second, teacher development requires systematic training in intercultural communicative competence frameworks, particularly Byram's model, integrated with task-based, project-based, and technology-mediated pedagogies. This synthesis provides evidence-based guidance for curriculum designers, teacher educators, and researchers advancing intercultural communicative competence in EFL contexts.
INTERPERSONAL METAFUNCTION IN BIRTHDAY AND CONDOLENCE MESSAGES: A COMPARATIVE REGISTER ANALYSIS OF DIGITAL DISCOURSE
This study applies Halliday’s Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) to compare interpersonal meanings in birthday and condolence messages. The study focuses on mood, modality, and pronoun use to examine how language constructs and sustains social relationships in celebratory versus grief contexts. A descriptive qualitative research design was used to gather and analyse data, consisting of 250 birthdays and 250 condolences messages from online message sources. Data were annotated with the UAM Corpus Tool, 6.2, to identify the interpersonal features of the texts. Results indicate that both registers are dominated by a declarative mood, but they differ in orientation. Birthday messages emphasised positive affect through certainty, possibility, and intention, while condolence messages use greater syntactic complexity, deontic modality, and third-person pronouns to acknowledge loss and express sympathy. The study advances an SFL-based register of short-form digital discourse and reveals how linguistic choices encode empathy, solidarity, and emotional alignments in contextually contrasting, yet relationally intimate genres. This study contributes to register analysis in digital discourse by highlighting interpersonal metafunctions in contrasting genres.
Copyright (c) 2026 Sanka Washew, Daniel Dwamena Ofosu, Andrews Kwame Osei
EQUIVALENCE PROBLEMS FOUND IN MACHINE TRANSLATION OUTPUT: INSIGHTS FROM POST-EDITING ANALYSIS
This study examines post-editing strategies and equivalence problems in Google Translate (GT) outputs of a non-literary text, International Relations Theory by Ferreira (2017). Focusing on the English–Indonesian translation, the analysis is limited to five levels of equivalence proposed by Baker (2018): word, above-word, grammatical, textual, and pragmatic. Using a qualitative descriptive approach supported by LF Aligner, AntConc, and AntPConc, the study identifies equivalence problems in a parallel corpus. The findings reveal frequent word-level issues, particularly loanwords and lexical mismatches, requiring paraphrasing and cultural substitution. Problems also occur at the above-word and grammatical levels, including idiomatic expressions, collocations, singular–plural mismatches, and passive constructions. Textual issues relate to cohesion gaps, while pragmatic problems are less frequent but involve implicit meaning loss. Overall, GT performs better with high-frequency nouns, adjectives, and adverbs than with verbs. The study highlights the importance of post-editing machine translation (PEMT) and recommends its integration into translation curricula to enhance linguistic competence, digital literacy, and professional readiness in AI-assisted translation contexts.
Copyright (c) 2026 Dwi Indarti, Vera Nurlia
NAVIGATING PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING CHALLENGES IN PEKALONGAN SECONDARY EFL READING CLASSROOMS
This study investigates the systemic and pedagogical challenges faced by English teachers in implementing Problem-Based Learning (PBL) under the Kurikulum Merdeka. Grounded in a qualitative design, data were collected from nine EFL teachers in Pekalongan Regency through interviews, observations, and pedagogical audits. The analysis employed Miles and Saldaña’s (2018) interactive model and Fullan’s (2015) theory of educational change. The findings reveal two interrelated barriers: chronic resource deprivation and a prevalent state of 'False Clarity.' This conceptual ambiguity occurs when teachers adopt the PBL label without its analytical substance. Consequently, these constraints compel teachers to revert from facilitators of inquiry to translators of content. This shift effectively pushes learners into a 'Zone of Frustration' where linguistic barriers stifle critical engagement. The study highlights the urgent need for contextually grounded teacher training and equitable infrastructure investment to foster sustainable educational reform.
Copyright (c) 2026 Munazihah, Rahayu Puji Haryanti
TAYLOR SWIFT’S COUNTER-NARRATIVE STRATEGIES IN RECLAIMING FEMALE AGENCY IN THE LIFE OF A SHOWGIRL
This study is among the first to analyze agency through clause-level transitivity in Swift’s lyrics. This study applies a feminist stylistic framework, supported by Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), to analyze lyrics from her 12th album, The Life of a Showgirl, as a counter-narrative resisting patriarchal master plots. The analysis comprised three stages: clause segmentation and coding, discovery of linguistic patterns via quantitative and qualitative methods, and interpretation of these patterns to elucidate themes of agency and identity. The findings demonstrate that agency is constructed through a strategic foregrounding of the Actor in material processes, reframing identity in articulated cognition through mental processes, and introspecting the external constraints through mental processes. These techniques are central to the making of counter narrative and underscore Swift's innovative reassertion of discursive authority. The developed self-narrative is contesting gendered power dynamics and affirming epistemic independence. Findings advance feminist stylistics by showing how linguistic form becomes a locus of resistance.
Copyright (c) 2026 Jonathan Irene Sartika Dewi Max, Yofi Irvan Vivian
CONTRASTIVE MEANINGS OF THE ADJECTIVE "COLD" IN JAPANESE AND JAVANESE
This study offers a comparative semantic examination of the Japanese cold-related adjectives samui and tsumetai with their Javanese equivalents adhem, atis, and anyep. The study used a qualitative descriptive method within a contrastive analytic framework to investigate the parallels and differences in meaning, usage, and semantic expansion between the two languages. The data indicate that samui pertains to an unpleasant and frequently intolerable body sensation induced by low temperatures, but tsumetai signifies the physical coldness of inanimate objects like water or air and might figuratively extend to characterize an individual's demeanor or disposition. In Javanese, adhem represents a cool temperature in the air or food and beverages, atis represents a cold sensation linked to air and precipitation, and anyep pertains to a wider semantic domain that includes cold sensations experienced through things and figuratively conveys a bland or insipid flavor. Conversely, samui semantically coincides with atis, whereas tsumetai aligns with adhem and anyep. The research indicates that metaphorical expansions of cold to characterize personality exist in Japanese but not in Javanese, while the link between coldness and insipid flavor is exclusive to Javanese. These findings emphasize cross-linguistic variations in the semantic conception of temperature-related adjectives and enhance contrastive linguistics and semantic research.
READERLY INNOCENCE, MORAL SHOCK, AND INSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY: A READER-RESPONSE ANALYSIS OF PENELOPE ROWE’S THE INNOCENTS
This study is among the first to examine moral shock and narrative indeterminacy in Penelope Rowe’s The Innocents through reader-response criticism. While scholarship on ethically disturbing fiction often emphasizes thematic or ideological critique, less attention has been paid to how readerly affect evolves during the act of reading. Addressing this gap, the article employs a qualitative reader-response–oriented close textual analysis to investigate how sympathy, moral destabilization, and narrative indeterminacy structure interpretation. Rather than presenting empirical reader data, the analysis focuses on implied reader positions embedded in the text. The findings identify three interrelated mechanisms. First, innocence is constructed affectively through narrative alignment with the child protagonist. Second, moral shock destabilizes trust in institutional authority by exposing interpretive rigidity. Third, the open ending withholds psychological closure and transfers ethical responsibility to the reader. These responses are not incidental reactions but structured aesthetic strategies that generate the story’s ethical force. By demonstrating how affect, indeterminacy, and reader positioning operate together, this article advances reader-response criticism and literary ethics, showing how discomfort and uncertainty function as mechanisms of ethical meaning-making in morally unsettling short fiction.
VOWEL MINIMAL PAIRS IN XITSONGA: PHONOLOGICAL CONTRASTS AND LEXICAL CATEGORISATION WITHIN A STRUCTURALIST
Research on Xitsonga has not sufficiently examined the role of vowel minimal pairs in distinguishing lexical and grammatical categories, particularly between nouns and verbs. This study investigates how vowel contrasts function phonemically to encode meaning and categorisation in Xitsonga. A data of 25 vowel minimal pairs was collected from dictionaries and scholarly sources, and analysed using morphophonological and thematic approaches within a Structuralist Phonological Theory framework. The findings reveal that vowel contrasts play a systematic role in lexical differentiation, occurring across initial, medial, and final positions, as well as cross-category contrasts between nouns and verbs. Initial vowel contrasts differentiate verbs, medial contrasts exist in both nouns and verbs, and final vowel contrasts occur in nouns. Cross-category contrasts further underscore the role of vowels in marking lexical category distinctions, revealing systematic positional regularities within the language’s phonological system. These patterns demonstrate that vowel quality functions as a structural marker of meaning and lexical categorisation in Xitsonga. This study contributes to Xitsonga phonology by providing a systematic account of vowel minimal pairs and their grammatical significance. It also offers empirical support for structuralist principles by showing how phonemic opposition operates in Xitsonga, with implications for phonological theory, language documentation, and pedagogy.
Copyright (c) 2026 Respect Mlambo, Muzi Matfunjwa
A LINGUISTIC LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS OF ISLAMIC BOARDING SCHOOLS IN EAST BANDUNG
This study investigates verbal and visual semiotics in the linguistic landscape of Islamic boarding schools (pesantren) in East Bandung, Indonesia, examining how public signs are used to construct and project institutional identity. Using qualitative semiotic analysis of photographs and textual data, this study examines how verbal and visual signs construct meaning in the school environment. The research draws on data collected through participatory observation, photographic documentation, and interviews in four case-study institutions: Al-Mu’awanah, Ma'had Al-Jami'ah, Al-Mahad Al-Lughawi, and Al-Ihsan. The signs, including signboards, banners, and logos, were analyzed using Landry and Bourhis’s linguistic landscape framework and Charles Sanders Peirce’s semiotic model. The analysis reveals three dominant semiotic functions: reinforcement of religious identity, regulation of institutional authority, and integration of visual and verbal codes in daily school life. Each pesantren strategically cultivates a distinct identity through its linguistic landscape, ranging from a balance between tradition and modernity to “progressive traditionalism” that blends classical religious aesthetics with modern corporate branding. This study is among the first to examine the linguistic landscape of Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia, showing how semiotic practices in these religious educational spaces reflect broader cultural and institutional dynamics. The findings contribute to semiotic and linguistic landscape scholarship by demonstrating how verbal and visual signs in religious institutions construct identity and authority. This study underscores the importance of analyzing linguistic landscapes in religious educational settings to understand how semiotics mediates identity, authority, and cultural continuity.
Copyright (c) 2026 Jefira Setia Aini, Agus Karim, Muhammad Ibnu Pamungkas
NATIONAL SONGS AS PEDAGOGICAL DISCOURSE: AN INTERPERSONAL AND APPRAISAL ANALYSIS
Although national songs serve as powerful cultural and social tools, limited research in Indonesia has examined how their linguistic features construct interpersonal meaning within Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) and pedagogical discourse. This study investigates the interpersonal metafunction in Indonesian national songs and explores its pedagogical implications. Employing a qualitative discourse-analytic design, the study analyzes clauses as the unit of analysis from seven widely recognized Indonesian national songs. Drawing on Halliday’s interpersonal metafunction and Martin & White’s appraisal theory, the analysis systematically codes pronoun systems, mood types, modality markers, and attitudinal lexis. Analytical reliability was supported through iterative coding and cross-text comparison to ensure consistency of interpretation. The findings indicate that inclusive pronouns (kita, kami), persuasive declarative and imperative moods, and high-value evaluative lexis (e.g., merdeka, jaya) work together to construct solidarity, authority, and emotional alignment. These patterned linguistic resources position national songs as implicit pedagogical discourse that models civic identity and collective responsibility. The study demonstrates how culturally embedded texts can be strategically integrated into language pedagogy to support socio-emotional learning, cultural literacy, and civic value formation.
Copyright (c) 2026 Siska Eka Syafitri, Maria Ulfa
CONSTRUCTING SOCIAL CRITICISM THROUGH CONNOTATIVE MEANING: A SEMANTIC ANALYSIS OF NAWAL EL-SA‘DAWI’S AL-BANĀT TAʿĪSYŪ
This study aims to analyze connotative meaning as a medium of social criticism in the short story Al-Banāt Ta‘īsyū by Nawal El Sa’dawi. The research uses a qualitative descriptive method with a dilālah (semantic) approach. The study examines one Arabic short story as the main text. Data were collected through reading and note-taking techniques and analyzed through data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings show systematic patterns of connotative meaning that function as indirect forms of social criticism. These patterns express criticism of social decline, public suffering, and the oppression of women. In this story, connotative meaning does not only function as a stylistic element but works as a semantic strategy that describes social problems and challenges dominant social ideas in the text. The discussion also reveals several semantic patterns, such as images of social burden, sacrificial metaphors, and the dissolution of women’s identity within collective struggles. The novelty of this study lies in placing connotative meaning as the main analytical perspective for understanding social criticism in modern Arabic short fiction. This research contributes to Arabic literary semantics by showing that connotative meaning can function as an important linguistic tool for expressing ideological criticism in literary texts.
Copyright (c) 2026 Nurfitriani Romadoni Putri, Ulil Abshar
TEACHER COGNITION AND EARLY MULTILITERACIES PEDAGOGY IMPLEMENTATION IN EFL CONTEXT
This study investigates the initial implementation of multiliteracies pedagogy (MLP) in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom in Indonesia. Although the increasing complexity of language learning requires innovative pedagogical approaches, many EFL classrooms continue to rely on conventional teaching practices. In addition, limited studies have explored how teachers initially understand and apply MLP proposed by the New London Group in EFL contexts. Using a single-case qualitative design, this study involved one English teacher at an Indonesian senior high school. Data were collected through pre- and post-implementation interviews, classroom observations, and lesson plan documentation. The data were analyzed thematically to examine changes in teacher cognition and instructional practices during the implementation process. The findings indicate that the teacher’s understanding of pedagogy developed from a procedural focus on activities and media toward a more conceptual and pedagogically informed perspective. This shift was reflected in lesson design, questioning strategies, classroom interaction, and the teacher’s role in facilitating students’ meaning-making. Furthermore, the implementation process became a significant site for professional learning, fostering reflective and student-centered teaching practices. The study contributes to the growing discussion of MLP in EFL education by emphasizing the importance of supporting teachers in translating pedagogical frameworks into effective classroom practice and professional development.
Copyright (c) 2026 R. Rizkiki Azkia Hidayat, Wawan Gunawan, Budi Hermawan
LINGUISTIC HEDGING STRATEGIES IN DONALD TRUMP’S PEACE FORUM SPEECH: A DISCOURSE ANALYSIS
This study examines hedging strategies in a contemporary diplomatic speech delivered by Donald Trump, focusing on how epistemic stance is calibrated in a high-stakes political context. Drawing on Hyland’s (1998, 2005) metadiscourse framework, the study employs qualitative discourse analysis alongside frequency-based identification of hedging devices. The analysis identifies 34 instances of hedging, with lexical judgmental verbs such as I think, and I believe constituting the dominant category (62%), followed by modal auxiliaries including may and might. The findings show that hedging is systematically clustered in discourse segments addressing future negotiations and geopolitical uncertainty, while more assertive constructions are used when referring to past achievements. This patterned alternation suggests a form of controlled epistemic modulation, defined in this study as the deliberate calibration of commitment strength in response to contextual volatility and diplomatic risk. Rather than signaling weakness or indecision, hedging in the analyzed speech functions as a rhetorical resource for balancing authority and negotiability, contributing to the construction of a diplomatic yet assertive leadership persona. The study offers a refined perspective on metadiscourse by highlighting the central role of lexical hedging verbs in political stance management and proposing a nuanced account of epistemic modulation in contemporary diplomacy.
RELIGIOUS CONTACT AND LOANWORD STRATIFICATION IN INDONESIAN: A CORPUS-BASED STUDY
This study examines how successive waves of religious contact—including Hindu-Buddhist, Islamic, and Christian influences—have contributed to loanword stratification in the Indonesian language. Religious contact has been a major driver of lexical borrowing across multilingual societies, yet its role in producing stratified loanword systems within national languages remains insufficiently understood. However, few studies have examined how successive waves of religious contact produce stratified lexical systems in contemporary Indonesian. Using a corpus-based analysis of 1,402 lexical items compiled from major dictionaries and national linguistic corpora, the study classifies loanwords according to their etymological origins and semantic domains. The results reveal a layered pattern of borrowing aligned with historical phases of religious and cultural contact. Sanskrit-derived terms constitute the largest group (31.2%), followed by Dutch (24.2%), Arabic (13.1%), and Portuguese (4.6%), with smaller contributions from Hindi, Pali, and regional languages. While these lexical strata reflect distinct historical influences, many borrowed forms have become fully integrated into contemporary Indonesian across religious, institutional, and everyday domains. The findings demonstrate that religious contact contributed not only to specialized religious vocabulary but also to broader layers of lexical borrowing that now form part of a shared sociolinguistic repertoire. By linking historical language contact with patterns of lexical integration, this study highlights how religious interaction can produce enduring stratification within the Indonesian lexicon.
PSEUDO NOUN INCORPORATION IN BATAK TOBA: A MORPHOSYNTACTIC ANALYSIS
This study investigates the occurrence of Pseudo Noun Incorporation (PNI) in Batak Toba, a phenomenon not previously been analyzed within incorporation frameworks. PNI has been widely described in languages such as Niuean, Sakha, Hindi, and Tamil. The researchers realize that former studies have not examined PNI in Batak Toba. Drawing on two theoretical accounts by Massam (2001) and Baker (2014), this research analyzes morphosyntactic properties such as verb–noun adjacency, reduced nominal structure, and detransitivization. Using a qualitative descriptive approach based on corpus data and native-speaker judgments, the study identifies several PNI characteristics in Batak Toba, including adjacency, non-specific interpretation, restricted modification, and word-order variation. The findings demonstrate that PNI in Batak Toba aligns with cross-linguistic patterns while also exhibiting language-specific constraints, particularly in the absence of overt case marking. The present study fills and investigates the gap in which PNI in Batak Toba is possibly materialized. This study employs a descriptive qualitative method to systematically describe PNI as it occurs naturally. The data were obtained from naturalistic corpus data and relevant literatures. It is done to ensure empirical validity and grammatical reliability. The findings indicate that Batak Toba displays several characteristics of PNI, including adjacency and verb detransitivization. Furthermore, modified nominals, conjoined nominals, and changes in word order are also observed. Overall, this study offers the first systematic description of PNI in Batak Toba and contributes to broader typological and theoretical discussions of pseudo incorporation.
Copyright (c) 2026 Nurianti Sitorus, Mulyadi
CONCEPTUAL METONYMY IN PRESIDENT PRABOWO’S FLOOD DISASTER SPEECH
This study analyzes conceptual metonymy in the President’s speech during the flood disaster inspection in Bener Meriah Regency. The study focuses on metonymy within the Thing and Part Configuration of the Idealized Cognitive Model (ICM) proposed by Kövecses (1998), which includes the relations of whole-for-part and part-for-whole metonymy. Using qualitative discourse analysis, the study examined a 380-word official transcript of President Prabowo’s speech. Data collection employed documentation and indirect observation techniques, supported by audiovisual validation. Data analysis followed the framework proposed by Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña (2014), which consists of data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. Findings show that whole-for-part metonymy dominates, while part-for-whole occurs less frequently. The dominance of whole-for-part metonymy reflects a discourse strategy that emphasizes institutional responsibility and collective solidarity in crisis contexts. By employing this strategy, the President legitimizes state presence and authority while guiding public perception of disaster management. In this way, the study demonstrates that metonymy simplifies institutional realities, constructs collective responsibility, and facilitates public understanding in crisis communication. This research contributes to cognitive semantics and political discourse studies by highlighting metonymy’s role in crisis communication.
Copyright (c) 2026 Idawati Situmorang, Mulyadi
MANUFACTURED INCLUSIVITY: A MULTIMODAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF MAD FOR MAKEUP'S INSTAGRAM CAMPAIGN
This study examines how inclusivity is constructed through verbal and visual strategies in Mad For Makeup’s #GetPearlFectSkin campaign within the context of Indonesian social media beauty marketing. Using a qualitative multimodal discourse analysis approach, three testimonial videos were purposively selected based on their representation of diverse skin tones. The data were analyzed using Genre Relations Theory, Appraisal Theory, and visual ambience frameworks. The findings reveal a systematic multimodal coordination across the campaign, including an identical three-stage genre structure consisting of context, description, and evaluation. Linguistically, positive attitude dominated the discourse (56%), while negative attitude appeared minimally (1%). In addition, linguistic upscaling frequently occurred (37.93%) to intensify positive evaluations. Visually, the campaign employed a standardized ambience characterized by warm tones (79%) and familiar settings (78%), creating a sense of intimacy and relatability. These patterns suggest that inclusivity in the campaign functions primarily as a manufactured branding strategy rather than an organically emerging practice. Although the campaign provides greater visibility for diverse beauty representations, such inclusivity remains constrained by commercial control. Overall, this study highlights the tension between surface-level diversity and genuine empowerment, contributing to broader discussions on manufactured authenticity in digital beauty marketing.
Copyright (c) 2026 Amalia Rizki Nur Insani, Muhammad Hafiz Kurniawan
PERSUASIVE LINGUISTIC STRATEGIES IN DIGITAL TOURISM: DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF THE DOLAN BANYUMAS WEBSITE
This study analyses persuasive linguistic strategies on the Dolan Banyumas tourism website to examine how promotional discourse constructs destination image and shapes audience perception. Using qualitative discourse analysis, the study examines promotional texts across key sections of websites, including homepage narratives, destination descriptions, cultural content, and calls-to-action. The findings reveal that persuasive discourse is effective through the integration of emotional engagement, experiential storytelling, and credibility-oriented information, presenting Banyumas as an attractive, accessible, and culturally distinctive destination. The website strategically combines evocative language with informative content to enhance affective appeal while maintaining institutional legitimacy. A key contribution of this study is its identification of vernacular affective language, particularly the local expressions ngangeni and mbetaih, which function as symbolic resources to reinforce authenticity and emotional attachment in digital tourism promotion. The study contributes theoretically and methodologically to tourism discourse and digital discourse analysis by demonstrating how persuasive language functions across promotional contexts. Practically, the findings offer insights for culturally sensitive digital place branding, highlighting the value of local affective expressions in strengthening destination image and audience engagement.
Copyright (c) 2026 Gigih Ariastuti Purwandari, Indah Puspitasari, Kristianto Setiawan
MEET THE HERO WHO VISITS A LIBRARY CORNER TO ENHANCE SPELLING COMPETENCE
Library learning resources have the potential to transform language competencies. This paper aims to investigate whether daily reading activities can substantially influence spelling competence. A qualitative research approach was administered. Findings revealed that (i) one-on-one tutoring improves spelling, and (ii) collaborative learning spaces have positive impact on language development. This study concludes that a shift in language teaching-learning approaches is not only necessary but also promising, with daily reading activities being a potential core practice.
Copyright (c) 2026 Bulelwa Makena, Viwe Lungisani Feni
A STYLISTIC-SEMANTIC ANALYSIS OF DICTION IN IMAM SHAFI’I’S DA’IL AYYĀMA TAF’ALU MĀ TASYĀ’U AND ITS MORAL EDUCATIONAL VALUES
This study examines the stylistics of diction in Imam Shafi’is poem da’il ayyāma taf’alu mā tasyā’u (leave the days to do as they will) through a semantic stylistic perspective. While previous studies have widely explored its moral teachings, limited attention has been given to the role of diction at the semantic level in constructing moral meaning. This qualitative study employs content analysis through documentary study and literature review. The analysis applies Syihabuddin Qalyubi’s stylistic framework, particularly the semantic level (mustawā al-dalālī) focusing on lexical meaning (dalālah al-lafẓ al-mu'jamī) and its development through figurative stylistic elements at the imagistic level (mustawā al-taṣwīrī). The findings reveal that the lexical meaning develops into contextual meanings through stylistic devices such as methapor, personification, hyperbole, and imagery, generating semantic effects that reinforce moral values, including patience, humility, resilience, and trust in God (tawakkul). The study also identifies moral values across personal, social, and metaphysical dimensions, highlighting the integration of linguistic analysis and moral education. This study contributes to Arabic stylistics by demonstrating how semantic diction systematically constructs moral meaning in classical Arabic poetry.
EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF AI TOOLS ON EFL LEARNERS' COMMUNICATION AND AUTONOMY
This study examines the impact of AI tools on EFL learners’ communication skills and learner autonomy across varying proficiency levels. Employing an exploratory mixed-methods design that combined a 15-item Likert-scale survey with open-ended questions, data were collected from 16 purposively selected EFL learners enrolled in an undergraduate English program at an Indonesian university. The small sample was deemed appropriate for qualitative exploration rather than statistical generalization. Grammarly was used primarily for writing correction and grammatical feedback; ChatGPT supported conversational practice and essay drafting; and Duolingo provided gamified vocabulary and pronunciation exercises. Participants reported improvements in grammar accuracy, vocabulary range, and writing confidence, with gains most pronounced among beginner and intermediate learners. Advanced learners, however, expressed frustration with idiomatic expressions and cultural nuances, identifying a ceiling effect in the utility of AI tools at higher proficiency levels. Regarding autonomy, participants described using the tools for self-directed error review and goal setting, yet several acknowledged a tendency toward passive dependency, accepting AI corrections without critical reflection. These findings suggest that AI tools can complement traditional instruction but require human oversight, blended feedback strategies, and teacher scaffolding to ensure cultural and linguistic appropriateness. This study contributes to emerging research on AI in EFL by foregrounding learner autonomy and contextual challenges as proficiency-dependent variables that prior single-level studies have not fully addressed.
Copyright (c) 2026 Adrian, Pupung Purnawarman
CLIMATE STRUGGLE AND IDEOLOGY IN MACRON’S SPEECHES (2024–2025): AN ECO-CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This study investigates how climate struggle and ecological ideology are constructed in four speeches delivered by Emmanuel Macron (2024–2025) using an eco-critical discourse analysis framework within Fairclough's (1992) three-dimensional model, Halliday & Matthiessen’s (1994) ideational metafunction, Stibbe's (2015) ecolinguistic model, and Corbett's (2006) environmental ideology. The global environmental crisis is one of the greatest challenges facing humanity today. Despite the growing body of critical discourse studies on climate communication, little attention has been paid to how French leadership constructs ecological ideology in international forums. This research employs a qualitative approach, with the research data comprising the discourse on the fight against climate change in Emmanuel Macron’s speeches. The results showed that the climate struggle is dominated by material processes, with France and Western institutions positioned as the primary agents of global climate action. The ideology identified across the four speeches is conservationism, wherein nature is valued for its benefits to humanity rather than for its intrinsic value. Yet, through the eco-linguistic lens of ecosophy, Macron's discourse occurs as ambivalent, which reflects a sincere ecological commitment that nonetheless remains rooted in a neoliberal framework. Thus, it prioritizes private financing, market mechanisms, and technocratic governance.
Copyright (c) 2026 Anggeli Trisna Mekar Tiara, Marliza Arsiyana
LEARNING ARABIC QAWĀ‘ID THROUGH INSTAGRAM: A MULTIMEDIA LEARNING PERSPECTIVE
This study investigated the use of the Instagram account @arabfaham as a medium for learning Arabic grammar (qawā‘id) from the perspective of the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning. It aimed to examine how multimedia-based content can address learners’ difficulties in understanding qawā‘id, which are often perceived as abstract and theoretical. A descriptive qualitative method was used to analyze the presentation of instructional content and user responses. Data were collected through documentation of selected Instagram Reels focusing on mubtada’ and khabar, as well as online interviews with users. The findings showed that the content was mainly delivered through interactive quizzes combining Arabic text and visual elements, which supported active cognitive processing. User interactions indicated a high level of engagement, particularly through answering questions and participating in discussions in the comment section. Furthermore, the content reflected key principles of multimedia learning, including dual channel, limited capacity, active processing, contiguity, segmenting, and personalization. These studies contributed to the growing body of research on digital language learning by demonstrating that Instagram can serve not only as a content delivery platform but also as an interactive learning environment that enhances learners' understanding and practical application of Arabic grammatical structures.
Copyright (c) 2026 Fayza Maulidia, Maman Abdurahman
ETHNIC STUDENTS’ MOTIVATION AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLASSROOM IN BANGLADESH
Despite increasing enrollment, ethnic students in Bangladesh face challenges in equitable language learning environments. This research examines obstacles and supportive factors influencing motivation to acquire English and provides insights for developing more inclusive and supportive educational practices for learning the English language. Self-determination theory (SDT) by Deci and Ryan has been applied to focus on three basic psychological needs of learners, such as autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Data was collected through interviews with 10 EFL teachers, classroom observations, and interviews with 30 students. The researcher followed the qualitative method to collect the data, and the data was analyzed using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Findings reveal cultural-linguistic, societal-institutional, and motivational factors affecting acquisition of ethnic students. Therefore, it is imperative to take approaches to cultural sensitivity, enhanced support systems, and policies that promote inclusivity and equal opportunities for all students. Teachers must recognize pronunciation challenges faced by ethnic students, which differ from Bengali learners.
THE ROLE OF FIRST LANGUAGE IN SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION: A CASE STUDY AT A BANGLADESHI UNIVERSITY
The use of Bangla in English classes has been a crucial issue in Bangladeshi classrooms. This research investigates the role of native language use in second language acquisition and the ways students utilize their native language while attempting to manage the interference between the two languages in classroom settings. A qualitative descriptive study was conducted based on five hours of classroom observation and a semi-structured interview schedule administered to four instructors of English at an English-medium private university in Bangladesh. The instruments used in this study where instruments were piloted to ensure consistency. Findings from this study indicated that Bangla served as a cognitive and communication support system for students as they learned English and did not serve as a barrier to the students' ability to learn English. Findings indicated that Bangla served as cognitive and communicative support, helping students clarify complex concepts, negotiate meaning, and generate ideas before producing English output. Findings further indicated that flexible language policies reduced student anxiety and increased participation. Most importantly, Bangla use decreased as students gained proficiency, indicating developmental rather than dependent L1 use. This study supports the notion that students should be encouraged to engage in pedagogically guided translanguaging practices and supports institutional policies that recognize native language use as a legitimate pedagogical resource in English-medium higher education.
WOMEN’S WORLDVIEW IN WARTIME: A GENETIC STRUCTURALIST READING OF ZOULFA KATOUH’S AS LONG AS THE LEMON TREES GROW
This study examines the women’s worldview in Zoulfa Katouh’s novel As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow. The research aims to analyze how the experiences of war shape female consciousness through the character of Salama Kassab. This study applies Lucien Goldmann’s genetic structuralism, which views literary works as expressions of collective consciousness shaped by socio-historical conditions. Using a qualitative descriptive method, the analysis focuses on narrative excerpts that illustrate women’s psychological and social experiences during the Syrian civil war. The findings reveal four major aspects that construct the women’s worldview in the novel: despair and emotional exhaustion, trauma and psychological fragmentation, shattered dreams and disrupted futures, and moral conflict between survival and humanitarian responsibility. These aspects demonstrate how prolonged conflict transforms women’s identities, aspirations, and ethical perspectives. Salama’s experiences reflect not merely an individual struggle but the collective condition of women living in war-affected societies, where caregiving responsibilities, psychological trauma, and moral dilemmas become part of everyday survival. Through the lens of genetic structuralism, the novel articulates a collective female consciousness shaped by violence, displacement, and social collapse. This study contributes to the limited scholarship on women’s collective consciousness in wartime literature by extending Goldmann’s framework into gendered conflict analysis.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ninik Hardianti, Nurholis, Udayani Permanaludin
POLITICAL DISCOURSE DURING CRISIS: DISCURSIVE STRATEGIES IN PRESIDENTIAL COVID-19 SPEECHES
This study investigates the discursive strategies employed by Ghana’s President, Nana Akufo-Addo, in his public addresses on the COVID-19 pandemic. The corpus consists of twenty-nine televised national update speeches delivered between March 2020 and May 2023. Socio-cognitive model of critical discourse analysis, the study examines how discursive strategies are used to construct ideological representations, shape public consciousness, and sustain political legitimacy during a period of national crisis. Employing a qualitative interpretive approach, the analysis identifies eighteen discursive strategies, including authority, metaphor, number game, evidentiality, victimization, comparison, and national self-glorification. These strategies are strategically deployed to construct ideological polarization, mobilize public emotions, justify governmental interventions, and reinforce presidential authority and national unity. The findings reveal how political discourse functions not merely as communication, but also as a mechanism of persuasion, ideological reproduction, and crisis management. The study contributes to scholarship on political discourse, critical discourse analysis, and crisis communication by demonstrating how rhetorical and ideological resources shape public perception and legitimize political power during national emergencies.
Copyright (c) 2026 Sanka Washew, Osei Yaw Akoto, Kwasi Sarfo-Adu
PSYCHOLOGICAL ENTRAPMENT AND SPATIAL POLITICS IN CHARLOTTE PERKINS GILMAN’S THE YELLOW WALLPAPER
This article examines the dialectical relationship between psychological entrapment and spatial politics in The Yellow Wallpaper to critique the domestic ideology of nineteenth-century America. The study explores how domestic and social spaces restrict women’s agency, ability, and well-being through patriarchal expectations embedded within the home. Using theories of psychological entrapment and spatial politics, the analysis focuses on the protagonist’s confinement in the nursery room, where surveillance, enforced isolation, and patriarchal control gradually lead to her psychological breakdown. The room and the yellow wallpaper symbolize the oppressive structures imposed on women, while simultaneously becoming sites of resistance. As the narrative progresses, the protagonist increasingly recognizes and resists the forces that confine her, culminating in the symbolic destruction of the wallpaper. The study argues that Charlotte Perkins Gilman transforms domestic space from a site of oppression into one of psychological and symbolic resistance. By connecting mental confinement with domestic spatial control, the article demonstrates how the story remains a significant feminist critique of patriarchal ideology and domesticity.
INHERITED SILENCE AND DIASPORIC IDENTITY FORMATION IN HALA ALYAN’S SALT HOUSES
In studies of diasporic literature, Salt Houses by Hala Alyan has frequently been examined through the lenses of trauma, displacement, and memory. However, less attention has been given to how silence operated as a mechanism through which these experiences were transmitted across generations. This study examined how inherited silence functioned not merely as the absence of speech, but as a force shaping memory, emotion, and diasporic identity. Tracing a Palestinian family across generations, the novel presented quietness and narrative gaps as embedded in both narrative form and everyday interaction. Drawing on Marianne Hirsch’s concept of postmemory and Stuart Hall’s theory of cultural identity, this study employed qualitative close reading of narrative gaps and silences within the text. The findings showed that the selective withholding of family history, emotional restraint, and epistemic gaps shaped the transmission of memory and the negotiation of diasporic identity across generations. More broadly, this study positioned silence as a communicative mode of transmission that extended existing discussions of postmemory and trauma beyond explicit narration and representation. By foregrounding silence as an active structure rather than a simple absence, this study contributed to broader discussions of intergenerational memory, diasporic belonging, and cultural identity formation. The study was limited to one literary text, which may have restricted broader generalizability.
Copyright (c) 2026 Sara Magdi Mamdouh Salama, Lili Awaludin, Yoga Sudarisman
GENDER PERFORMATIVITY AND MANIPULATION IN GILLIAN FLYNN’S GONE GIRL
This research analyzes Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl (2012) to explore the construction of gender identity through manipulation in modern marriage. Marriage is presented not merely as a personal relationship, but as an institution shaped by social expectations and gender norms. This study examines manipulation not only as a behavioral tendency, but also as a form of gender performativity through which femininity may be strategically enacted within a patriarchal context. The research employs a qualitative method using two types of data: primary and secondary. The primary data source is Flynn’s novel, while the secondary data consist of journals, articles, and other relevant references. Drawing on Judith Butler’s theory of gender performativity, the study suggests that gender performance can function as a means of negotiating power within intimate relationships rather than merely as a repeated social practice. The findings reveal that marriage in the novel frequently operates as a social performance, in which maintaining appearances becomes more important than the relationship itself. When this performance can no longer be sustained, conflict emerges, and manipulation becomes a strategic mechanism for negotiating control and public legitimacy. Thus, manipulation is effective because gender performance has already been socially accepted and normalized. Furthermore, the findings indicate that modern marriage can be understood as a space in which gender identity is continuously shaped and negotiated through social expectations and relational dynamics, suggesting that women are not merely passive participants, but also possess agency to influence and control the direction of the relationship.
Copyright (c) 2026 Michelle Arletta, Rahayu Puji Haryanti
PROMOTING AND PRESERVING MARGINALISED LANGUAGES IN MULTILINGUAL SOCIETIES IN AFRICA
This article examined the sociolinguistic processes shaping the promotion and preservation of marginalised languages in multilingual societies in Africa, with particular focus on a linguistically diverse South African community. It investigated how social identity, community participation, and cultural contexts influenced language maintenance, intergenerational transmission, and revitalisation. Adopting a mixed-methods ethnographic design, the study combined sociolinguistic surveys with in-depth interviews among speakers from varied demographic and socioeconomic backgrounds to assess how identity, social class, age, gender, and motivation affected language practices and attitudes. The analysis further explored how speakers navigated sociocultural boundaries within complex multilingual networks and how dominant language ideologies shaped perceptions of legitimacy and value. Findings revealed that strong and dense social networks, especially regular interaction within family, peers, and community domains were the most significant predictors of language vitality and continued use. Participants embedded in supportive networks demonstrated greater linguistic engagement, cultural affiliation, and active transmission practices. Positive attitudes and linguistic pride strengthened preservation efforts, while stigma, limited institutional support, and restricted access to education and public domains accelerated language shift. Overall, the study showed that language sustainability depended not only on individual choices but also on broader social and structural conditions. It recommended inclusive language policies, community-based initiatives, and expanded opportunities for meaningful language use to enhance linguistic diversity and safeguard endangered African languages. Keywords: marginalised languages; language maintenance; language revitalisation; language policy; social networks; sociolinguistics; multilingualism.
Copyright (c) 2026 Billy James Chavalala
AGE-RELATED ARTICULATORY VARIATIONS OF ARABIC /dˤ/: ACOUSTIC ANALYSIS IN ELDERLY NON-NATIVE SPEAKERS
Age-related decline in speech motor control affects older adults’ ability to pronounce Arabic phonemes accurately. While prior studies examined working-age native speakers, this study addresses non-native older adults to map the specific articulatory challenges they face in pronouncing /dˤ/ and investigate aging's effect on acoustic stability. We employed descriptive and comparative phonetic analysis, evaluating four older adults (ages 51–73) with varying educational backgrounds (Islamic boarding, elementary, junior high, and senior high schools). Data were acoustically compared to native speaker standards using Praat software to measure the duration, fundamental frequency, intensity, and formant patterns of /dˤ/ in initial, medial, and final word positions. Findings indicate that Islamic boarding school education does not ensure later-life articulatory precision; rather, overcompensation led to velarization failure due to prolonged articulation. In contrast, participants with junior and senior high school backgrounds produced acoustic qualities closer to native speakers. Although motor limitations restrict airflow endurance, cognitive retention of articulation points remains well-preserved. Ultimately, none of the elderly participants matched native speaker standards due to physiological decline rather than phonological memory loss. Consequently, evaluations of elderly Quranic recitation should emphasize articulation point accuracy rather than energetic performance.
Copyright (c) 2026 Tanzil Nurholis, Mohamad Zaka Al Farisi, Nalahuddin Saleh
POSTCOLONIAL MIMICRY AND ETHNIC HIERARCHIES IN KHALED HOSSEINI’S THE KITE RUNNER
This study analyzed Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner (2003) to expose the legacy of colonial authoritarianism and racial hierarchies that exist within ethnic tensions. Ethnic hierarchies and authoritarian power structures often have deep historical roots and are sustained in institutions in many multi-ethnic societies, making them seem natural in social life. This research examines the representation of ethnic hierarchies in the novel, the construction of the authoritarian legacy, and its reflection on Afghanistan's broader ethnic conflict. This analysis employed a qualitative method, using Homi K. Bhabha's postcolonial theory of mimicry as the analytical framework. Primary data were drawn from the novel, supported by secondary scholarly sources. Previous studies have discussed trauma, racism, and ethnic oppression in the novel; however, limited attention has been given to how colonial authoritarian ideology is reproduced through postcolonial mimicry. This study contributes to postcolonial literary criticism by demonstrating how mimicry operates not merely as cultural imitation but as a mechanism for reproducing authoritarian violence. The findings reveal how the ethnic hierarchy is reinforced through religious discrimination, physical stereotyping, and structural exclusion. Entrenched ethnic hierarchies and authoritarian legacies, reproduced through mimicry and institutionalized by Taliban governance. The conclusion reveals how the colonial legacies continuously reproduce structures of power and racial inequality, which affirms that as a literary text, The Kite Runner reflects both personal redemption and the persistence of colonial legacies in sustaining ethnic oppression. This study is limited to textual analysis and does not address broader historical complexities.
Copyright (c) 2026 Athaya Haura Ibrahim, Rahayu Puji Haryanti
DEEP LEARNING IN THE BAMI ARABIC INSTRUCTION METHOD
Arabic language learning practices at Integrated Islamic Schools (SIT) are often dominated by textual memorization and formal grammatical rules, which frequently hinder the development of functional communication skills. This study analyzes the implementation of the BAMI Method (Bahasa Arab Metode Insantama) through a deep learning perspective, focusing specifically on the pedagogical transition from surface-level theory to functional conversation (hiwar). A qualitative approach with a reflective-phenomenological design was employed to capture the essence of the learning transformation. The research involved 20 participants, consisting of one Arabic language teacher and 19 female 11th-grade students at SMAIT Insantama Bogor. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews, direct classroom observations, and questionnaires. Findings reveal that 78.9% (n=15) of students reported high satisfaction, correlating the method's success with the synergy between contextual teaching and the daily realities of boarding school life. Key results indicate that systematic scaffolding and mindful strategies, such as visual associations and oral exercises, accelerate the internalization of linguistic meaning more effectively. Concurrently, 36.8% (n=7) of students also noted facing challenges in independent practice due to psychological barriers like shyness and physical fatigue during morning sessions. This study concludes that the BAMI Method effectively aligns linguistic mastery with holistic deep learning principles. These findings suggest that integrating more joyful learning elements can further optimize student autonomy and interactive engagement in Arabic pedagogy.
Copyright (c) 2026 Nasywa Alya Silmina Khoiri, Shofa Musthofa Khalid
ENGLISH LANGUAGE DOMINANCE AND ITS IMPACT ON SEPEDI ORAL PROFICIENCY: A CASE STUDY OF GRADE 11 LEARNERS IN SOUTH AFRICA
This study investigates the effects of English as the Language of Learning and Teaching (LOLT) on the oral proficiency of Grade 11 Sepedi Home Language learners in South Africa. Situated within sociocultural and multilingual education perspectives, the study explores how the dominance of English influences learners’ use of Sepedi, pronunciation patterns, vocabulary use, and overall oral proficiency. A qualitative case study design was employed involving eight purposively selected Grade 11 learners. Data were collected through open-ended questionnaires and oral assessment tasks and analyzed using deductive thematic analysis. The findings indicate that the dominance of English reduces opportunities for meaningful use of Sepedi in academic contexts, contributes to phonological transfer, and increases learners’ reliance on English vocabulary during communication. Participants also perceived English as significantly influencing their everyday use of Sepedi. These patterns suggest that sustained exposure to English as the dominant language of instruction may limit the development and maintenance of Sepedi oral proficiency. The study highlights the importance of additive multilingual educational practices that promote the meaningful use of both English and indigenous languages in schools. The findings contribute to ongoing discussions on multilingual education, language maintenance, and educational equity in South Africa.
Copyright (c) 2026 Morokwe Piet Matlebjane, Phaswane Phillip Phokwane, Ngwanamphaga Alettah Matji
NEEDS ANALYSIS OF ACADEMIC ENGLISH SKILLS AMONG ETHIOPIAN POLICE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
This study investigates the academic English language needs of first-year students at the Ethiopian Police University (EPU), aiming to inform the design of a discipline-sensitive English for Academic Purposes (EAP) curriculum. English functions as the medium of instruction at EPU. However, many students experience difficulties with the academic literacy skills essential for success in policing, law enforcement, and criminal justice education. The study employed a mixed-methods research design grounded in English for Specific Purposes (ESP), EAP, and Needs Analysis (NA) frameworks. Data were collected through questionnaires administered to 200 students and 30 instructors, as well as semi-structured interviews with selected 10 students and five teachers. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were examined through thematic analysis to identify patterns in perceived academic language challenges and required competencies. The findings indicate that six core skills—listening, speaking, reading, writing, grammar, and vocabulary—emerged as critical for academic success. The analysis also revealed perception gaps between teacher emphasis on academic reading and writing and student prioritization of oral communication. These results highlight a misalignment between institutional expectations for advanced academic literacy and students’ current proficiency levels. Based on the findings, the study recommends the development of a structured, needs-based EAP curriculum that strengthens academic literacy, enhances student performance, and aligns language instruction with the disciplinary demands of policing and criminal justice education.
ILLOCUTIONARY ACTS AND MOTIVATIONAL FUNCTIONS IN DR. JILL BOLTE TAYLOR’S TED TALK MY STROKE OF INSIGHT
This study investigates how illocutionary acts function as motivational strategies in Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor’s TED Talk My Stroke of Insight. While previous studies have primarily focused on classifying speech acts, limited attention has been given to how illocutionary force contributes to the construction of motivational discourse in public speeches. Addressing this gap, the present research analyzes the intersection between linguistic action and motivational intent. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, 139 purposively selected utterances were examined based on their identifiable illocutionary force and motivational meaning. The analysis integrates Searle’s speech act framework with concepts of motivational communication, including emotional engagement, cognitive reframing, inspirational direction, supportive encouragement, and the strengthening of self-efficacy. The findings reveal that representative acts are the most dominant type, indicating the speaker’s emphasis on conveying information and personal insight. Emotional appeal appears as the most frequent motivational function, reflecting the talk’s strong affective orientation. Common combinations such as Representative + Emotional Appeal and Directive + Encouragement demonstrate how linguistic forms work synergistically with motivational strategies to enhance the persuasive and inspirational power of the message. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of how illocutionary acts shape motivational discourse in spoken communication.
Copyright (c) 2026 Muna Inarul Hida, Ruminda, Hasbi Assidqi
ADJECTIVE SUFFIXATION AND STYLISTIC MEANING IN FRANZ KAFKA’S THE METAMORPHOSIS
This study examines adjective-forming suffixation in Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis by integrating derivational morphological analysis with stylistic interpretation. The study aims to identify the types and frequencies of adjective-forming suffixes and to explore their contribution to the novel’s thematic and stylistic construction. Employing a qualitative descriptive approach supported by quantitative frequency analysis, the data were collected from the English translation of The Metamorphosis and analyzed using theories of derivational morphology proposed by Katamba (2018), Plag (2018), and related scholars. The analysis identified 73 valid instances of adjective-forming suffixation distributed across eighteen suffix types. The most productive suffixes were -ful (13 instances), -al (8 instances), -y (7 instances), and -less (6 instances). The findings indicate that most derived adjectives function as qualitative adjectives, describing emotional states, psychological conditions, and physical characteristics, while relational adjectives primarily establish social and contextual relationships. The distribution of suffixes reveals a significant increase in adjective use in the final chapter, corresponding to the intensification of Gregor Samsa’s psychological decline and social isolation. Furthermore, suffixes such as -ful and -less contribute to the representation of suffering, vulnerability, powerlessness, and alienation, which constitute central themes of the novel. The study concludes that adjective-forming suffixation functions not only as a productive morphological process but also as a stylistic resource that supports characterization, thematic development, and meaning construction in literary discourse.
Copyright (c) 2026 Palqi Wijdani, Nurholis, Toneng Listiani
COOPERATIVE HEGEMONIC MASCULINITY IN DISNEY’S MOANA: NEOLIBERAL GENDER POLITCS AND THE RECONFIGURATION OF PATRIARCHAL AUTHORITY
This study examines the representation of hegemonic masculinity in Disney’s animated film Moana (2016). Drawing on Connell’s theory of hegemonic masculinity, this research employs a qualitative constructionist approach to examine how male authority operates within a seemingly progressive narrative. The analysis focuses on the characters of Moana and Maui, whose dominance, confidence, and technical competence embody traditional masculine ideals. Although the film promotes themes of collaboration and empowerment, Maui’s mentorship continues to shape Moana’s growth, subtly reaffirming male centrality. His transformation from an authoritative figure to a supportive mentor reflects the adaptive nature of hegemonic masculinity, which redefines itself as emotionally intelligent and cooperative rather than overtly dominant. The findings reveal that while Moana advances female empowerment, it simultaneously preserves patriarchal values through subtle mechanisms of validation and guidance. By embedding male authority within a cooperative framework, the film perpetuates traditional gender hierarchies in a modernized and socially acceptable form. This study contributes to media and gender studies by extending Connell’s theory of hegemonic masculinity into the realm of contemporary animated cinema, showing how masculine dominance is recalibrated into culturally acceptable forms of guidance, partnership, and emotional vulnerability without relinquishing structural authority.
Copyright (c) 2026 Previani Nuzulliansyah, Inayatul Chusna
IMPLEMENTATION OF GENRE-BASED EFL WRITING: CLASSROOM REALITIES IN A VOCATIONAL MUSIC SCHOOL
This study investigates the implementation of the Genre-Based Approach (GBA) in EFL writing instruction at a vocational music senior high school, focusing on the challenges teachers face in classroom practice. A qualitative case study design was employed, with data collected through classroom observations, in-depth interviews with an English teacher, and document analysis. Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns related to instructional practices, scaffolding strategies, and contextual constraints. GBA was implemented through its core pedagogical stages from Building Knowledge of the Field (BKOF) to Independent Construction of Text (ICOT) in alignment with its theoretical framework. However, implementation was constrained by several interrelated challenges, including limited instructional time, heterogeneous beginner-level proficiency, and restricted technological resources. In response, the teacher employed adaptive strategies such as flexible scaffolding, differentiated instruction, collaborative learning, bilingual explanations, and the use of artificial intelligence. Flexible scaffolding and bilingual explanations, in particular, enabled students to produce genre-appropriate texts despite their limited proficiency. The findings reveal a persistent gap between the idealized conceptualization of GBA and its actual realization in classroom practice. Effective GBA implementation requires pedagogical flexibility and contextual awareness, not rigid adherence to procedural implementation. This study enriches empirical GBA research by illustrating how teachers negotiate its principles under non-ideal classroom conditions.
Copyright (c) 2026 Muhammad Ra’is Zhaliifunnas, Rahmi Munfangati
SOCIOPRAGMATIC STRATEGIES FOR SUNDANESE LANGUAGE PRESERVATION IN YOUTUBE VIDEOS FEATURING DEDI MULYADI
The declining use of regional languages in Indonesia necessitates the search for innovative preservation strategies in the digital era. Unlike previous studies that have focused primarily on political communication and media framing, this study highlights the sociopragmatic dimensions of regional language preservation through digital communication. This study analyzes sociopragmatic communication strategies within Kang Dedi Mulyadi's YouTube content, focusing on the use of Sundanese and speech elements that enhance the vitality of regional languages. Using a descriptive qualitative approach, data from three of Kang Dedi Mulyadi's YouTube videos were transcribed and coded into relational, educational, and cultural/identity categories, and subsequently analyzed through thematic interpretation. This study substantiates the notion that the sociopragmatic practices of public figures on digital platforms can serve as a potential model for revitalizing regional languages. The findings extend sociopragmatic perspectives by demonstrating how digital discourse contributes to regional language revitalization through the integration of cultural identity, communicative practices, and audience engagement.
Copyright (c) 2026 Imas Melasari, Yayat Sudaryat, Temmy Widyastuti
HUMAN-CENTERED CONCEPTUAL METAPHORS IN PRABOWO SUBIANTO’S INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC SPEECHES: A CRITICAL METAPHOR ANALYSIS IN POLITICAL DISCOURSE
This study examines how recurring human-centered metaphors construct Indonesia’s diplomatic identity and represent the country as a political actor in the international speeches of President Prabowo Subianto. Drawing on Critical Metaphor Analysis (CMA) and the Metaphor Identification Procedure (MIP), the study analyzes sixteen English-language speeches delivered during the first year of Prabowo’s presidency. Metaphorical expressions were identified through systematic linguistic analysis and subsequently interpreted through conceptual mapping and critical explanation. The findings reveal two dominant metaphorical patterns: interpersonal relationship metaphors and human body metaphors. Indonesia and its international partners are frequently represented as “friends,” “brothers,” and members of a “human family,” while global issues and national characteristics are framed through expressions such as “lungs of the earth,” “embedded in our DNA,” and “welcome with open arms.” These metaphors portray Indonesia as cooperative, inclusive, globally engaged, and environmentally responsible. At the ideological level, they function to promote solidarity, legitimacy, and mutual cooperation while simultaneously obscuring strategic interests, power asymmetries, and geopolitical tensions. The study demonstrates that human-centered metaphors serve not only as cognitive and rhetorical devices but also as ideological resources for constructing national identity and shaping international perceptions. By highlighting the role of metaphor in diplomatic communication, this research contributes to the fields of metaphor studies, political discourse analysis, and international political communication.
Copyright (c) 2026 Farah Fadhilah, Elvi Citraresmana, Ani Rachmat
AUTHENTIC MATERIALS IN EFL READING CLASSROOM: EFFECTS ON STUDENTS’ COMPREHENSION AND MOTIVATION
This study aimed to find out the effect of using authentic materials in learning English, especially for reading comprehension. Besides, the students’ motivation in reading was also explored. This study employed a quantitative experimental design using a one-group pre-test/post-test approach. The population consisted of 11 first-grade classes at a senior high school in Langsa. One class of 25 students was selected through purposive sampling as the sample. A reading test in the form of multiple choices and a student response questionnaire were administered to collect the data. The results showed that there is a good improvement in students’ reading comprehension. This finding is supported by the difference between the pre-test and post-test scores. Students’ average scores improved from 56.8 (pre-test) to 80.8 (post-test), surpassing the minimum competency standard. Students also reported increased interest, motivation, and vocabulary acquisition when using authentic materials. Findings suggest that authentic materials can enhance reading comprehension and student motivation. This study contributes to EFL pedagogy by demonstrating the effectiveness of authentic materials in improving reading comprehension and motivation. However, the study was limited to one class and may not generalize to broader populations.
Copyright (c) 2026 Meutia Aulia Saputri, Evi Zulida, Surya Asra, Fadlia
CHILDREN’S EMPOWERMENT IN THE LITTLE PRINCE: A LITERARY ANALYSIS BASED ON ANSHORI’S FRAMEWORK
Previous studies on Antoine de Saint Exupéry’s The Little Prince have predominantly focused on its symbolism and philosophical meanings, leaving the dimensions of children’s empowerment underexplored. Therefore, this study aims to examine how empowerment dimensions are depicted in The Little Prince, as the main character, through a multidimensional perspective. Employing a qualitative textual analysis design, this study adopts Anshori’s (2016) conceptualization of children’s empowerment focuses on the children’s thoughts, actions, and emotional experiences. The primary data source is the novella, focusing on narrative events and character interactions that illustrate empowerment. Within the literary analysis framework, the researcher served as the primary instrument. The findings show the character embodies existential empowerment beyond conventional child agency. The Little Prince demonstrates intellectual independence, responsibility, and emotional sensitivity, which collectively shape a multidimensional conception of empowerment. Furthermore, this study of children’s literature challenges the view that children are passive figures and highlights the text’s critique of adult rationalism and materialism. In doing so, it highlights the pedagogical significance of literary texts in fostering reflective, ethically grounded individuals.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ning Difani Wulan, Adam Anshori
EXPLORING JAPANESE POLITENESS STRATEGIES IN MORIARTY THE PATRIOT: A PRAGMATIC ANALYSIS OF WILLIAM JAMES MORIARTY’S UTTERANCES
This study investigates the politeness strategies employed by William James Moriarty in the anime Moriarty the Patriot from a pragmatic perspective to identify the types of politeness strategies used by the character and examine their communicative functions within social interactions. Using a descriptive qualitative approach, the data were collected from episodes 1–11 through observation, listening, and transcription techniques. The data were then analyzed using Brown and Levinson’s (1987) politeness theory, which classifies politeness strategies into bald on-record, positive politeness, negative politeness, and off-record strategies. The findings reveal that all four strategies appear in William’s utterances, with negative politeness and positive politeness occurring most frequently. These strategies are used not only to maintain social harmony and demonstrate respect, but also to construct authority, manipulate psychological responses, and control communication in various situations. Furthermore, the study shows that Japanese politeness is highly contextual and closely connected to indirectness, social hierarchy, interpersonal relationships, and communicative intentions. This research contributes to pragmatic studies on Japanese politeness in anime, particularly within the crime-thriller genre, by highlighting the dynamic relationship between politeness, power, and psychological communication in fictional discourse.
Copyright (c) 2026 Defi Rahmawati, Dwi Puji Asrini
REPRESENTING SOCIAL RELATIONS THROUGH ADDRESS TERMS IN ZOOTOPIA
This study investigates how terms of address in Disney’s Zootopia represent social relations, particularly unequal power relations and interpersonal closeness. Terms of address in conversation reflect various aspects of social relationships, including power relations, social distance, frequency of interaction, and emotional closeness. Employing a qualitative discourse analysis approach, the study analyzes address terms used by characters in both formal and informal interactions throughout the film. The study addresses two research questions: (1) How do terms of address reveal unequal power relations in formal settings? And (2) How do terms of address reveal interpersonal closeness in informal situations? The analysis integrates Eggins’ theory of tenor within the interpersonal metafunction framework and van Leeuwen’s theory of social actor representation. The findings reveal that formal interactions are predominantly characterized by formalization (71.4%) and honorification (87%), indicating the influence of institutional hierarchy and social distance on language choice. In contrast, informal interactions are dominated by appraisement (55.7%) and informalization (68.4%), reflecting familiarity, emotional closeness, and frequent social contact among characters. The findings demonstrate that address terms function not only as linguistic markers of identity but also as indicators of social hierarchy and interpersonal relationships. However, since this study focuses solely on a single animated film as a representation of social relations, future studies are encouraged to compare address-term usage across different films, genres, or cultural contexts.
Copyright (c) 2026 Syifa Zahra, Muhammad Hafiz Kurniawan
DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION IN TEXT-BASED ENGLISH FOR FRONT OFFICE INSTRUCTION IN VOCATIONAL TOURISM EDUCATION: A MIXED METHOD STUDY
This study investigates how digital technology is integrated into text-based English for Front Office (EFO) instruction to support language literacy, digital literacy, and employability skills in vocational tourism education. The integration of digital technology in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) has often been tool-oriented, with limited attention to teachers’ pedagogical practices in vocational contexts. The study employed a mixed-method design with an explanatory sequential approach involving 20 English teachers from vocational tourism schools. Data were collected through questionnaires, interviews, and document analysis. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. The findings reveal that teachers utilize various digital technologies, including learning management systems, presentation tools, communication applications, video editing tools, virtual tours, and AI-based applications. These technologies are integrated through multimodal literacy practices such as role-play simulations, video projects, virtual tour narratives, and interactive assessments that engage students in reading, writing, speaking, and digital meaning-making. However, teachers face challenges related to limited infrastructure, varying levels of digital literacy competence, student motivation, and increased instructional workload. The study concludes that pedagogically grounded digital technology integration enhances text-based EFO learning by supporting language literacy and digital literacy in authentic workplace contexts. The findings imply the need for continuous teacher professional development and institutional support to promote sustainable literacy-oriented digital pedagogy in vocational tourism education. This study contributes to literacy-oriented ESP pedagogy by foregrounding teachers’ digital pedagogical practices in vocational tourism education.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ni Putu Era Marsakawati, Rima Andriani Sari, I Ketut Armawan, Putu Ayu Prabawati Sudana
PERCEPTION–PRACTICE GAPS IN BLENDED LEARNING: ENGLISH TEACHERS’ PRACTICES AND CHALLENGES IN TEACHING WRITING AT ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY
Blended learning (BL) has been widely recognized as a promising approach for enhancing English language teaching and learning. This study investigated the perception–practice gap in blended learning implementation among English language teachers at Addis Ababa University, particularly in teaching writing skills. A convergent mixed-methods design was employed by combining survey data collected from 31 English language teachers with semi-structured interviews conducted with six participants. Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed separately and later integrated to provide a comprehensive understanding of teachers’ perceptions and classroom practices. The findings revealed that teachers valued blended learning for improving student motivation, flexibility, learner autonomy, and access to learning resources. However, its actual implementation remained limited and largely informal. In practice, blended learning was mainly restricted to material sharing, task assignment, and communication through messaging applications. Major challenges include unreliable internet connectivity, inadequate technological infrastructure, insufficient practical training, and weak institutional support as key contributors to the perception–practice gap. The findings suggest that successful blended learning implementation requires institutional investment in technological infrastructure, sustained professional development, and stronger policy support. The study contributes to current discussions on technology integration in English language teaching by highlighting the contextual realities of blended writing instruction in Ethiopian higher education.
Copyright (c) 2026 Agmasie Tarekegn Mekonnen, Hailom Banteyerga Amaha
EMOTIONAL LANGUAGE IN SELF-IMPROVEMENT BOOK BLURBS: A PSYCHOLINGUISTIC APPROACH TO AFFECTIVE READER ENGAGEMENT
This study examines how emotional language functions as an affective strategy in self-improvement book blurbs and how it triggers reader engagement from a psycholinguistic perspective. Self-improvement books constitute a rapidly expanding genre, making their promotional blurbs a significant site for linguistic analysis. Blurbs function as affective instruments that mediate reader perception and engagement, yet the emotional language mechanisms operating within them remain undertheorised. Using a qualitative descriptive-analytic approach, the study integrates three complementary frameworks: Appraisal Theory (Martin & White, 2005), Halliday's Interpersonal Metafunction (Halliday & Matthiessen, 2014), and the Affect Infusion Model (Forgas, 1995). Six blurbs from Brianna Wiest's bestselling self-improvement books (2016–2025) were selected for genre consistency, publication range, and international recognition. The analysis reveals that emotional language is systematically constructed across three appraisal systems, namely Attitude, Engagement, and Graduation, forming a coherent affective architecture. These resources are strategically deployed through interpersonal choices of mood, pronoun, and modality to construct an affective writer-reader relationship. Emotional language appears to facilitate reader engagement through affective and evaluative processes, operating as a cognitive heuristic that shapes readers' decisions to engage with the text. This study contributes to discourse analysis by demonstrating how emotional language in self-improvement blurbs strategically constructs affective relationships that drive readers engagement.
Copyright (c) 2026 Isabela Widya Nadita, Emy Sudarwati
A MULTIMODAL ANALYSIS OF FRENCH MULTINATIONAL LIPSTICK ADVERTISEMENTS ON YOUTUBE (2024-2025)
This study analyzes visual and auditory elements in French multinational lipstick advertisements to examine how multimodality constructs brand identity. Although multimodal discourse analysis has been widely applied in advertising studies, limited attention has been devoted to how multinational French cosmetic advertisements construct global beauty identity through the integration of visual and auditory semiotic resources on digital platforms such as YouTube. This study applies the Gunther Kress and Theo van Leeuwen theory of multimodal discourse to understand the interaction between modalities in digital advertisements. This study employed a qualitative descriptive method exploring how individuals interpret social or human issues through inductive analysis and contextual interpretation. Data were drawn from French multinational lipstick advertisements aired on YouTube between 2024 and 2025. This study employed a descriptive qualitative method. The findings reveal that visual (color, background, shooting techniques, models) and auditory (music) modes work synergistically not only to convey product messages but also to construct femininity, elegance, inclusivity, and the globalized image of French beauty ideals, as well as enhance consumer engagement and strengthen brand appeal, exemplified by Dior Lip Glow. The study concludes that multimodal discourse analysis effectively enhances audience appeal and reinforces brand identity in advertising. This study contributes by extending multimodal discourse analysis to French multinational lipstick advertisements, a domain rarely examined.
Copyright (c) 2026 Eva Margareth Sylvana Tio, Tri Indri Hardini, Rika Widawati
DIGITAL STORYTELLING IN EFL CLASSROOM: SPEAKING AND CREATIVE THINKING SKILLS
This study investigated EFL students’ speaking and creative thinking skills through digital storytelling activities using Book Creator. The objectives were to assess changes in speaking performance, evaluate creative thinking levels, and explore the Book Creator’s role in supporting both skills. This study employed a pre-experimental one-group pretest–posttest design within a quantitative framework. Data were collected through pretest and posttest speaking scores, rubric-based creative thinking assessment, and field notes. The findings showed a marginal increase in mean speaking scores from 78.30 to 78.48. However, the paired-sample t-test indicated that the improvement was not statistically significant (Sig. = 0.831). In contrast, students demonstrated competence to excellent creative thinking, evident in their ability to generate and express ideas through visual, written, and audio elements. Field notes indicated increased comfort in independent recording, although speaking anxiety persisted. These findings suggest that digital storytelling facilitated idea expression and organization but did not significantly improve speaking performance. This study contributes by integrating multimodal digital storytelling into EFL contexts, highlighting its potential for fostering creativity despite its limited impact on speaking performance. Future research may further explore cognitive load, interactive speaking practices, and other 4C skills to provide a more holistic understanding of DST in EFL contexts.
Copyright (c) 2026 Dinda Hanifa Dewi, Arjulayana, Yudhie Indra Gunawan
OBJECTIFICATION AND COMMODITY FEMINISM IN PANTENE INDONESIA ADVERTISEMENTS: A MULTIMODAL CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS
Advertising plays a significant role in shaping public perceptions of gender and beauty, often reinforcing dominant social ideologies through verbal and visual representations. This study investigates how women are objectified in Indonesian hair-care advertising by analyzing two Pantene commercials, The Raline Look Super Straight Hair! (2015) and For Hair, No More Half-Hearted! (2022). The study aims to examine the discursive strategies through which these advertisements construct female identity and reproduce gendered power relations within neoliberal consumer culture. This research employs Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis (MCDA), integrating Fairclough’s three-dimensional framework of Critical Discourse Analysis, van Leeuwen’s theory of visual representation, and Nussbaum’s theory of objectification. The analysis focuses on spoken utterances, on-screen text, visual representations, and character interactions to explore the relationship between textual features, discursive practices, and broader social structures. The findings reveal that both advertisements construct women as deficient subjects whose social value depends on achieving an idealized hairstyle through product consumption. The 2015 commercial associates flawless hair with personal identity, attractiveness, and self-worth, thereby positioning women as objects of visual evaluation. Meanwhile, the 2022 commercial employs performative shaming, in which a male character attributes a woman’s romantic failure to inadequate hair care, reinforcing male authority in defining female value. Across both advertisements, objectification is normalized through narratives framed as humorous, aspirational, and empowering, obscuring the patriarchal assumptions embedded within the promotional discourse. The study concludes that Pantene’s advertising discourse reproduces and adapts patriarchal ideologies by linking female worth to physical appearance and consumer practices.
Copyright (c) 2026 Albert Tallapessy, Ghanesya Hari Murti
TRANSITIONING MATHEMATICS INSTRUCTION TO XITSONGA HOME LANGUAGE IN GRADE 4 CLASSROOMS: A SOCIOCULTURAL PERSPECTIVE
In South Africa, the Language in Education Policy encourages the use of learners’ home languages in the foundation phase while also promoting multilingualism. However, many learners experience a transition in Grade 4 where the language of learning and teaching changes, often from an African home language to English. This shift has significant implications for mathematics learning because mathematical understanding depends heavily on communication, reasoning, interpretation of concepts, and classroom interaction. This qualitative study examined the policy mandating Xitsonga as the LoLT for Grade 4 Mathematics in Limpopo Province. The study was grounded in sociocultural theory and ubuntu principles. The sample comprised two Grade 4 Mathematics and ten Grade 4 learners. Data were collected through semi-structured teacher interviews and textual analysis of Grade 4 Mathematics examination papers. The findings suggest that transitioning mathematics instruction to Xitsonga in Grade 4 classrooms supports meaningful learning, participation, and conceptual understanding when viewed through a sociocultural lens. The study has implications for learners, Department of Basic Education and future research. For learners, this supports confidence, critical thinking, and collaborative learning, which are central principles of sociocultural learning theory. For teachers, the Department of Basic Education may need to invest in teacher training, translation of mathematics resources, and monitoring of multilingual education practices to ensure successful implementation. Future research, more research is needed on the development of mathematics terminology and teaching materials in African languages to strengthen the implementation of multilingual education policies in South Africa.
Copyright (c) 2026 Hlayisani Hlungwane, Hlaviso Motlhaka
A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF GIBRAN’S RESPONSE TO PANDJI’S POLITICAL SATIRE
This study explores stand-up comedy as a medium for expressing socio-political issues and examines how political figures respond to such satire in digital media. This study scopes the discourse and power relations in Gibran Rakabuming’s response to Pandji Pragiwaksono’s satire in his Mens Rea show, which was recorded and published on Netflix and Tretan Universe YouTube channel. Previous studies of political satire have focused mainly on the construction of humour. This study fills the gap by examining the strategic responses of targeted politicians. Using a descriptive qualitative approach, this study analyzes micro-level linguistic features through Halliday’s Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) metafunctions, ideational, interpersonal, and textual and examines how language constructs meaning and sociocultural practices through Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), drawing on Fairclough’s framework of representation, relations, and identity. Gibran’s composed demeanor functions discursively as a strategy of political deflection. His serenity, laughter, and simple language transform political criticism into harmless biological humor framed as natural and innocent. This strategy exemplifies ‘soft hegemony,’ whereby politicians employ humor and self-deprecation to diffuse critique and maintain authority. This study greatly advances the field of political discourse by broadening the scope of application of SFL and CDA frameworks to informal digital multimodal interactions, which are usually dismissed as trivial entertainment but are in fact highly complex and sophisticated sites for ideological negotiation and power reproduction.
Copyright (c) 2026 Hassika Laila, Yeni Artanti, Susana Widyastuti, Sulis Triyono
SUMMARISING AS A PEDAGOGICAL STRATEGY FOR ENHANCING GRAMMAR ACCURACY AND WRITING QUALITY AMONG GRADE 12 EFAL LEARNERS
English writing is increasingly important in both educational and professional contexts in non-native English-speaking countries. Several studies have used summary writing strategies to enhance learners’ reading comprehension. However, few studies have examined the relationship between summarising and improvements in grammar accuracy, organisation, and overall writing quality. Therefore, this study investigates whether summarising as an instructional strategy enhances the grammar accuracy and writing quality of English First Additional Language (EFAL) learners. The study adopted a convergent mixed-method research design in which quantitative and qualitative data were collected concurrently, analysed separately, and merged during interpretation. Simple random sampling was used to select 50 Grade 12 EFAL learners and purposive sampling was used to select two EFAL teachers. A pre-test on summary writing was administered prior to the six-week summarising intervention. The post-test mean scores were consistently higher than the pre-test mean scores, indicating improvement in learners’ writing abilities after the intervention. The findings suggest that summarising effectively enhances learners’ vocabulary, grammar accuracy, and overall writing quality. The study has implications for learners, curriculum development and future research. For Grade 12 EFAL learners, summarising helps them to become independent writers by enabling them to organise ideas, reduce repetition, and communicate information effectively, which may also improve examination performance. For curriculum development, curriculum planners and teachers may incorporate structured summarising activities, comprehension-based writing tasks, and grammar-focused exercises. Future studies may also investigate the effectiveness of summarising across different educational contexts, grade levels, and language proficiency groups.
SCHEMATIC STRUCTURE OF GUEST SPEAKERS’ SPEECHES AT A GHANAIAN UNIVERSITY
The present study explored the schematic structure in Guest Speakers’ Speeches (GSS) in a Ghanaian university. A total of 20 speeches was purposively collected between 2014 and 2020. We utilized the frameworks proposed by Swales (1990) and Bhatia (1993) in identifying the schematic structure of the speeches. The findings revealed a macro-structure of four (4) Moves (Welcome, Appreciation and Thanks, Teaching the last lesson and Closing moves). Among the moves, Teaching the Last Lesson occupied the greatest textual space (i.e. 78%) of the data. As regards the sequence of moves, the study revealed (1) that the 10-move sequence was the most frequent pattern; and (2) that the moves are chronologically structured, with Move 1 followed by Move 2, Move 3, and finally Move 4. The study validates guest speakers’ speeches as a conventionalized yet contextually adaptable genre that scaffolds graduates' identity transition. The findings advance genre research and inform professional practice in similar contexts.
Copyright (c) 2026 Wilson Awiah Jujugenia, Joseph Benjamin Archibald Afful, Isaac N. Mwinlaaru, William Kudom Gyasi, Emmanuel Kyei
GEN Z SPEAKING ANXIETY IN EFL CONTEXTS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF INDONESIA AND VIETNAM
This study investigates how Generation Z students experience speaking anxiety, the strategies they employ to overcome it, and ways to build confidence in speaking English. Speaking anxiety is a common challenge among Generation Z learners in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts, particularly where oral communication is emphasized. Using a qualitative approach, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 10 female senior high school students from Indonesia and Vietnam selected through purposive sampling. All participants reported difficulties in oral performance due to speaking anxiety. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns and themes related to students’ experiences and coping strategies. The findings revealed three major forms of speaking anxiety: communication anxiety, test anxiety, and fear of receiving poor grades. Students employed various coping strategies to manage their anxiety. Indonesian students tended to adopt informal approaches, such as practicing with peers and using digital media, whereas Vietnamese students relied more on structured learning resources, including language-learning applications. Cross-cultural differences were also identified. Indonesian students were more likely to experience anxiety stemming from social pressure, such as fear of embarrassment or being ridiculed, while Vietnamese students were more concerned with linguistic accuracy. By comparing Generation Z learners from Indonesia and Vietnam, this study provides a cross-cultural perspective on speaking anxiety and coping strategies in EFL settings. The findings offer practical implications for EFL teachers in developing culturally responsive approaches to enhance students’ speaking confidence and oral communication skills.
Copyright (c) 2026 Safariah, Nurul Hidayah, Faizatul Husna, Yahya Amin
WHITEWASHING HEATHCLIFF: RACIAL ERASURE IN WUTHERING HEIGHTS ADAPTATIONS (2011, 2026)
This study examines the whitewashing of Heathcliff in film adaptations of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights and argues that such practices constitute a form of structural racial erasure. Drawing on Critical Race Theory (CRT), adaptation theory, close reading, and Visual Discourse Analysis (VDA), the study investigates how Heathcliff’s racial identity is constructed in the novel and represented in the 2011 and 2026 film adaptations. Film adaptations play a crucial role in shaping public interpretations of literary texts, yet they often reproduce dominant racial ideologies through casting practices. The findings reveal that Heathcliff’s racial otherness is central to the narrative, shaping his experiences of exclusion, marginalization, and revenge. A review of adaptation history demonstrates a persistent pattern of whitewashing, with Andrea Arnold’s 2011 adaptation serving as a notable exception through its casting of a Black actor as Heathcliff. Comparative visual analysis further shows that the 2011 adaptation foregrounds Heathcliff’s racial identity through casting and cinematographic techniques, whereas Emerald Fennell’s 2026 adaptation minimizes racial difference and reconstructs Heathcliff as a racially unmarked romantic hero. The study concludes that the repeated erasure of Heathcliff’s racial identity reflects broader structural inequalities within the film industry and significantly alters the cultural interpretation of Brontë’s novel. By integrating CRT, close reading, and VDA, this research contributes to adaptation studies and media representation scholarship by demonstrating how racial erasure operates across literary adaptations and reinforces dominant racial narratives within contemporary visual culture.
Copyright (c) 2026 Nasywa Salsabila Putri, Zulidyana Dwi Rusnalasari
AUTONOMOUS LEARNING IN GRADUATE ENGLISH EDUCATION: INSIGHTS FROM INDONESIA AND THAILAND
Autonomous learning is widely recognized as essential for graduate students, empowering them to take responsibility for their learning. However, practical understanding of how autonomous learning is sustained in higher education contexts remains limited, particularly at the graduate level. This study explored autonomous learning among graduate students enrolled in English language education programs in Indonesia and Thailand. The study involved 25 graduate students, comprising 17 students from Indonesia and 8 students from Thailand. Data were collected using an adapted Autonomous Learning Scale (ALS) and open-ended questions to examine students’ learning experiences, strategies, and challenges. Questionnaire data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative responses underwent thematic analysis. The findings revealed relatively moderate levels of autonomous learning, with an overall mean score of 3.11, indicating developing responsibility, learning independence, and intrinsic motivation. However, challenges persisted in learning habits, particularly in time management and overcoming procrastination. Students also adopted diverse learning strategies, including utilizing digital resources, participating in peer discussions, and engaging in self-directed learning practices. The findings suggest that learner autonomy should be understood as a dynamic and continuously developing process requiring not only cognitive independence but also sustained behavioral regulation and motivational consistency in higher education contexts. This study enriches scholarship on learner autonomy by offering cross-contextual insights and underscoring the importance of sustained development in higher education.
Copyright (c) 2026 Nurul Evita Istiqomah, Fazri Nur Yusuf
RACISM, TRAUMA, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SURVIVAL IN WARSAN SHIRE’S HOME
This study examines the representation of psychological trauma, systemic racism, and survival in Warsan Shire’s poem Home. Using qualitative textual analysis, the study is grounded in psychological literary criticism and trauma theory, with close reading used to identify patterns within the text. The primary data consist of the poem Home, while secondary data include relevant academic sources on trauma, racism, and migration. The findings reveal that displacement in the poem is portrayed as a condition driven by survival rather than choice. Shire represents trauma through fragmented imagery and symbolic language, reflecting the psychological instability experienced by refugees. The poem also highlights the loss of identity, where individuals are forced to renegotiate their sense of self in unfamiliar and often hostile environments. In addition, systemic racism is depicted through dehumanizing language and social hostility, which contribute to ongoing psychological distress. The study shows that trauma in Home is not only an individual experience but is closely linked to broader socio-political structures. Unlike previous studies that primarily focus on migration and identity, this study emphasizes the intersection between systemic racism and psychological trauma within poetic representations of displacement. Survival is presented as a complex process that involves both endurance and adaptation under conditions of displacement and marginalization. This study contributes to the understanding of literary representations of trauma by demonstrating how poetry can articulate the psychological and structural dimensions of refugee experiences.
Copyright (c) 2026 Bayu Purba Tendy Hidayat, Muhammad Thoyibi
CODE-MIXING IN MERRY RIANA AND REZA RAHADIAN’S YOUTUBE DISCOURSE
This study investigates code-mixing practices in the YouTube discourse of Merry Riana and Reza Rahadian, particularly in the episode “Speaking Out About Politics, Family, and Identity.” Drawing on Suandi’s sociolinguistic framework, the study examines the types of code-mixing and the factors influencing their occurrence in digital communication. Using a qualitative content analysis approach, the data were collected through transcription, observation, and note-taking techniques from a podcast video uploaded on YouTube. The findings reveal 287 instances of code-mixing consisting of clause-level (155), word-level (75), and phrase-level (57) insertions, with clause-level code-mixing appearing most frequently. All identified forms are categorized as outward code-mixing due to the insertion of English elements into Indonesian discourse. The dominant influencing factors include the use of popular terms, bilingual identity, communicative efficiency, and speakers’ linguistic habits. The study demonstrates that code-mixing functions not only as a linguistic phenomenon but also as a strategic communicative practice for constructing professional identity and audience engagement in digital media discourse.
Copyright (c) 2026 Tri Ayu Aprillia, Rika Ningsih
SITUATIONAL FACTORS SHAPING VIETNAMESE STUDENTS’ WILLINGNESS TO COMMUNICATE IN EFL SPEAKING CLASSROOMS
Students’ reluctance to speak in English as Foreign Language (EFL) classes poses a major challenge for teachers. This issue may stem from either learner-related characteristics (e.g., anxiety, confidence) or environmental factors (e.g., classroom climate, peer support). The current study explores Vietnamese students’ perceptions of situational variables affecting their willingness to communicate (WTC) in EFL speaking classrooms. Employing a qualitative research design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten third-year Vietnamese English-major students and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal that students’ WTC is influenced by multiple situational factors that can be categorized into task type, peer characteristics, and teacher practices. Specifically, students show greater WTC during interactive tasks such as games, videos, pair work, or small-group discussions on engaging topics. A supportive classroom climate and cooperative peers further enhance communicative readiness. Furthermore, teachers play a crucial role in fostering WTC through openness, approachability, and flexible pedagogy. The current study contributes to contextual understandings of WTC in EFL by highlighting situational factors specific to Vietnamese classrooms, thereby extending existing research beyond individual psychological variables. Pedagogical implications for designing interactive, supportive classroom environments that foster participation and communicative confidence are also offered.
TRANSITIVITY AND MEANING CONSTRUCTION IN CHILD-PARENT SONG LYRICS ACROSS CULTURES
This study examines transitivity processes in English and Indonesian parent–child-themed song lyrics using Halliday’s (2014) Systemic Functional Linguistics framework. By analyzing six transitivity process types—material, mental, verbal, relational, behavioral, and existential—the study explores how linguistic choices construct emotional relationships, social roles, and family values across different cultural contexts. The data consisted of twenty song lyrics collected from YouTube channels. Data were gathered through listening and note-taking techniques and analyzed using an interactive qualitative model involving identification, classification, and interpretation of transitivity processes. The findings reveal that material processes are the most dominant (33.4%), indicating that song narratives primarily rely on concrete actions to express emotions and interpersonal experiences. Mental processes (24.9%) and relational processes (22.4%) follow, contributing psychological and descriptive dimensions to the portrayal of parent–child relationships. Verbal, existential, and behavioral processes occur less frequently and serve complementary narrative functions. The predominance of material processes demonstrates that meaning construction in both English and Indonesian song lyrics is strongly grounded in physical actions and observable events. Common actions represented include giving, accompanying, caring for, and supporting, reflecting parental affection and responsibility. The findings suggest that, despite cultural differences, both groups of songs emphasize similar familial values through action-oriented representations. This study contributes to cross-cultural discourse research by demonstrating how song lyrics function as a medium for conveying emotional meaning and intergenerational social relationships across cultural communities.
Copyright (c) 2026 Hiace Vega Fernando Siahaan, Tri Amanat, Erwin Kembaren, Natal P. Sitanggang, Rikki Nelson Lumban Gaol
INDIGENOUS PROVERBS AS PEDAGOGICAL TOOLS FOR CONFLICT RESOLUTION: EDUCATIONAL USES OF XITSONGA PROVERBS IN SOUTH AFRICAN HOME LANGUAGE CLASSROOMS
This study examined how Xitsonga proverbs can cultivate conflict resolution skills in the South African Home Language classroom. It addressed rising interpersonal conflicts among learners and the limited use of indigenous oral traditions in classrooms. The study noted that emphasis on academic performance reduced opportunities for developing learners’ social and emotional competencies. Grounded in Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, the study emphasized integrating culturally familiar content to enhance engagement, moral development, and social cohesion. A qualitative design was employed, using classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, and learner artefact analysis. The study was conducted in selected Further Education and Training (FET) Phase secondary schools offering Xitsonga Home Language and involved Xitsonga Home Language teachers and learners. Purposive sampling was used to select participants with direct experience relevant to the study. Thematic analysis was used to interpret the findings. Learners improved in interpreting figurative meanings of proverbs and applying them to peer conflict resolution. Teachers observed enhanced empathy, restorative dialogue, collaborative problem-solving, moral reasoning, respect, and participation when proverbs were integrated into teaching. The study concluded that Xitsonga proverbs are effective pedagogical tools for promoting conflict resolution and affirming cultural identity. Findings highlight the importance of integrating indigenous knowledge into formal education to support both academic achievement and social development. This study contributes to discourse on culturally relevant pedagogy by demonstrating how indigenous oral traditions can foster conflict resolution and social cohesion in classrooms.
TRANSLATION TECHNIQUES AND TRANSLATION IDEOLOGIES OF CULTURE SPECIFIC ITEMS IN THE NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY STREET FOOD: USA
This study investigates and classifies culture-specific items in the Netflix documentary Street Food: USA, along with the translation techniques and ideologies applied. This research employed a descriptive qualitative method. The data source was the Netflix documentary Street Food: USA, using English and Indonesian subtitles as target language. A total of 164 data containing culture-specific items were analyzed. The study draws on Newmark’s (1988) theory for culture-specific items, Molina and Albir’s (2002) framework for translation techniques, and Venuti’s (2004) concept of translation ideology. Data were analyzed using translation equivalence and distributional methods. All categories of culture-specific items were identified in the subtitles. Material culture dominated (95 instances), followed by social organization (39), social culture (28), and ecology (1). Nine of eighteen techniques were identified. Pure borrowing was most frequent (78), followed by literal translation (36), adaptation (10), reduction and amplification (3), and particularization and calque (1). The dominant couplet technique was literal + pure borrowing (12). Foreignization dominated (145), while domestication appeared in 19. These findings contribute to audiovisual translation studies by demonstrating how subtitle translators negotiate cultural preservation and audience accessibility in documentary contexts.
Copyright (c) 2026 Feby Apriola, Andy Bayu Nugroho
ECOCRITICAL REPRESENTATIONS OF DISASTER IN DENNY JA’S ESSAY POEM, THE NAME OF DISASTER
This study investigates the representation of the human–nature relationship in the essay poems of Atas Nama Bencana by Denny JA through the lens of Lawrence Buell’s ecocritical theory. While previous studies on Denny JA’s essay poetry have predominantly examined social, political, and humanitarian concerns, ecological dimensions and environmental representations remain insufficiently explored. Moreover, the application of Buell’s ecocritical framework to contemporary Indonesian essay poetry has received limited scholarly attention. Addressing this gap, the study explores how ecological values and environmental criticism are articulated within the poems. Employing a descriptive qualitative design with a content analysis approach, the research examines words, phrases, lines, and stanzas related to ecological issues across ten essay poems in the collection. Data were gathered through close reading, note-taking, and classification techniques and analyzed using Buell’s four ecocritical principles. The findings reveal that ecological disasters are portrayed not merely as natural occurrences but as consequences of anthropocentric exploitation and environmental negligence. Two dominant patterns emerge: nature is represented as an active agent capable of responding to human actions, and environmental degradation is depicted as both a moral and social crisis. Through the interconnected imagery of forests, rivers, rain, floods, and landslides, the poems challenge anthropocentric perspectives and promote ecological awareness. The study demonstrates the relevance of Buell’s ecocritical framework in uncovering environmental ethics embedded in contemporary Indonesian literature, positioning Atas Nama Bencana as both an aesthetic work and a vehicle for ecological critique.
Copyright (c) 2026 Kartika, Hidayatun Nur
RECONSTRUCTING THE CHOSEN ONE ARCHETYPE IN FRANK HERBERT’S DUNE: A JUNGIAN READING OF COLLECTIVE BELIEF AND INDIVIDUATION
This study explores the archetype of the Chosen One in Frank Herbert’s Dune through Carl Jung’s concepts of archetype and individuation. While previous studies have largely focused on Paul Atreides as a heroic or messianic figure, they have given limited attention to how his identity is constructed through collective belief and how this process affects individuation. Using a qualitative approach and textual analysis, this study focused on the development of Paul Atreides as a messianic figure shaped not only by internal transformation but also by myths, prophecies, and collective belief within the narrative. The findings reveal that Paul’s position as the Chosen One emerges through the influence of the ‘Bene Gesserit’, the expectations of the Fremen, and the continuous interpretation of his actions within a prophetic framework. This construction also serves as a story engine, driving the story and shaping the novel's ideological dimension of power. The study also finds that Paul’s individuation does not develop according to Jung’s ideal model, as his identity becomes increasingly shaped by collective expectations rather than personal integration. These findings suggest that Jungian literary criticism may benefit from greater attention to the role of collective belief in shaping archetypal identity and disrupting individuation. Through the main character, Frank Herbert presents a critique of messianism and the dangers of placing excessive faith in a savior figure.
Copyright (c) 2026 Muhammad Rajendra Widyadhana, Rahayu Puji Haryanti
THE VAK METHOD FOR QUR’ANIC VOCABULARY MEMORIZATION IN A CHILD WITH SEVERE DYSLEXIA AND DYSPRAXIA: AN EMBEDDED CASE STUDY
This study analyzes the application of the Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic (VAK) method to improve Quranic vocabulary memorization in a child with severe dyslexia, dyspraxia, and superior intellectual ability. The primary focus was comparing the subject’s ability to memorize concrete versus abstract nouns in Surah Al-Fīl. Employing an embedded mixed-method single-case design, data were collected using the Observe-Participate-Discuss technique. This involved participatory observation with interactive PowerPoint slides and audio recitations as learning media while directly tracking the subject's responses. The results indicate that the VAK method helps twice-exceptional children discover new ways to store and recall information. Vocabulary concreteness heavily influenced the method's effectiveness. Concrete nouns (al-fīl, hijārah, and sijjīl) were memorized more easily, achieving a "very good" rating with an N-Gain score of 0.70. Conversely, the abstract noun taḍlīl yielded an N-Gain score of 0.16, falling into the "poor" category. Imaginative kinesthetic learning emerged as the most prominent modality aiding memorization. Ultimately, integrating the VAK method enhanced cognitive processing and provided crucial affective support, boosting the subject’s self-confidence. These findings highlight the importance of multisensory, meaning-oriented instruction for Quranic learning among students with neurodevelopmental differences.
Copyright (c) 2026 Wahidah Safinatunnajah Yusuf, Mohamad Zaka Al Farisi, Nalahuddin Saleh
ILLOCUTIONARY SPEECH ACTS IN NETIZENS’ RESPONSES TO THE “INDONESIA GELAP” POLITICAL DISCOURSE ON X
This study examines illocutionary speech acts in netizens’ comments on X regarding the President’s “Indonesia Gelap” speech and explains their functions in constructing criticism, satire, opinions, and emotional expressions. This study employed a descriptive qualitative approach. Data were drawn from netizens’ comments on X about the President’s speech on migration abroad. The data consisted of written utterances containing illocutionary speech acts and were collected through observation and note-taking. The data were analyzed using Miles et al.’s (2014) interactive model. The findings show that expressive speech acts were the most dominant type, accounting for 75.53% of the data, followed by assertive speech acts (17.02%) and directive speech acts (7.45%). Expressive speech acts were primarily used to express anger, satire, criticism, and dissatisfaction toward public figures and socio-political conditions. Assertive speech acts functioned to convey opinions, evaluations, and claims, whereas directive speech acts appeared in the form of suggestions, commands, and prohibitions directed at particular parties. Commissive and declarative speech acts were absent from the dataset. These findings indicate that political communication on X tends to be spontaneous, emotional, and confrontational. Social media thus serves as a space for emotional expression, social criticism, and public opinion formation. This study contributes to digital pragmatics by demonstrating how expressive language functions as a dominant mechanism for political criticism and emotional engagement in online public discourse.
Copyright (c) 2026 Artika Salsa Bila Ashari, Regina Aysha Edlyn, Yasir Mubarok
BEYOND AWARENESS: COERCIVE CONTROL AND RESTRICTED AGENCY IN MORIARTY’S BIG LITTLE LIES
This study examines coercive control in Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies, analyzing how victim awareness did not guarantee freedom from abuse. This study applied Evan Stark’s theory of coercive control to analyze how abuse worked through systematic strategies that restricted the victim’s autonomy and decision-making capacity. A qualitative approach was used, with data drawn from narratives, dialogues, and internal monologues in the novel. Data were categorized into coercive control strategies such as violence, intimidation, manipulation, and micro-regulation. The findings showed that manipulation and micro-regulation were the most dominant strategies used by the perpetrator. Manipulation manifested in gaslighting and love bombing, distorting the victim’s perception of reality and reinforcing dependency. Meanwhile, micro-regulation was evident in the control of household routines, financial access, and emotional expression. Together, these strategies formed a system of control that eroded agency and independence. The study concluded that the victim’s agency remained constrained by the absence of external support, despite her awareness, education, and privilege.
Copyright (c) 2026 Septiani Ummi Lif’atin Nasiha, Karina Hanum Luthfia
DISABILITY HIERARCHIES AND INTERNALISED ABLEISM IN FLANNERY O’CONNOR’S THE LIFE YOU SAVE MAY BE YOUR OWN
Flannery O’Connor’s The Life You Save May Be Your Own examines the ableist and exploitative attitudes affecting persons with disabilities. The text demonstrates how disability hierarchies intensify marginalisation based on the severity of impairments. It presents two characters with distinct disabilities: one physically impaired and the other psychologically impaired, whose experiences converge through shared marginalisation and exploitation. Through this convergence, O’Connor exposes not only ableism pointed at persons with disabilities by the able-bodied community, but also intra-community ableism, where individuals with lesser impairments marginalise those with more severe disabilities. Accordingly, this study employs a qualitative close reading approach to explore hierarchies within the disabled community and their impact on victimisation and marginalisation of persons with disabilities. The study finds that differing social valuations attached to disability contribute to the reproduction of internalized ableism. Less severely disabled characters exploit and marginalise those with greater impairments, perpetuating othering, systemic discrimination, and lived struggles within the disabled community. The analysis of these findings is grounded in Critical Disability Theory.
Copyright (c) 2026 Malesela Edward Montle, Moleke Heritage