OKARA: Jurnal Bahasa dan Sastra

A Preliminary Study on Characterizing Syntactic Processing and Pause Patterns in Bilingual English-Bahasa Indonesia Specific Language Impairment

Harwintha Y. Anjarningsih, Nurul Huda, Angkita Wasito Kirana — Mon, 20 May 2024 00:00:00 +0700

A 12-year-old boy received a diagnosis of an unspecified "language disorder," suggesting the possibility of Specific Language Impairment (SLI) along with atypical pausing behavior. Interested to find out the possibility of incorporating pausing behavior into SLI diagnosis, this research sought to explore the distinctions in pause patterns between the spoken Bahasa Indonesia (BI) and English of Indonesian children, utilizing data from the child with suspected SLI (sSLI) and a control group for comparative analysis. Employing a quantitative approach and analyses related to phonology, syntax, and bilingual language production, the study revealed that the child with sSLI tended to display longer and more frequent pauses than the control group, particularly during communication in BI. Despite multiple influencing factors, pause patterns had the potential to serve as an indicative tool and a means to integrate bilingualism into the diagnosis of SLI.

Examining Biases in ABS-CBN Online News: A Framing Analysis of Reporting about President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Jeanard Anthony M. Robiego, Danna Karyl Jane C. Talde — Mon, 20 May 2024 19:33:18 +0700

ABS-CBN, a leading media entity in the Philippines, has often found itself embroiled in controversies surrounding accusations of bias, particularly in its coverage of President Ferdinand "Bong-Bong" Marcos Jr., commonly known as BBM. Various entities have often criticized the media for exaggeration, framing, and misinformation, whereas others have praised the media for fulfilling an informative and educational function for the public. To address this dilemma, this study specifically examined its linguistic devices and language bias to discern patterns of news framing. This was done using the Linguistic Devices Analytical Framework, the Epistemological and Framing Bias Tool, and Goffman's Theory of Framing. Findings reveal the exclusion of the inclusive language 'we,' and language bias reveals linguistic devices, such as factive verbs, entailments, assertive verbs, subjective intensifiers, and one-sided terms. With the interplay of these outcomes, ABS-CBN headlines exhibit a combination of positive, negative, and neutral news coverage, which aligns with the norms of balanced reporting, essential for audiences to understand the story from various perspectives. Generally, findings reveal an impartial framing of news headlines. Future research may conduct a longitudinal study with a comprehensive dataset of news headlines to explore the media’s intentions revealed through framing strategies.

Speak More, Students! Harnessing Technology for Active Students' Engagement in EFL English-Speaking Classes

Natalia Christy Emy Lokollo, Yustinus Calvin Gai Mali — Mon, 20 May 2024 20:01:21 +0700

One of the factors that causes EFL speaking challenges is students’ lack of engagement in their English-speaking classes. In that situation, technology might have the potential to help EFL teachers engage their students to speak more enthusiastically. This study explores technology tools used by teachers in EFL speaking, how they use the technology to teach EFL speaking to different levels of students, and to what extent the use of technology by the teachers can engage their students when learning EFL speaking. To achieve those research objectives, the researchers approached the study qualitatively by conducting a semi-structured interview with three EFL teachers from a non-formal school in Salatiga, Central Java, related to the purposes of the study. Through a rigorous peer debriefing process between the researchers, the data analysis results indicated that the participants used simple and common technology tools (e.g., PowerPoint, an online website, Google Docs, and Zoom) to teach EFL speaking. Notably, the technology tools could support the participants in engaging their students in the class by providing authentic and interesting materials that are completed with pictures and related to the students' lives. Questions for future research explorations are presented.

Influence of English and Filipino as Assessment Languages in Word-Problem Performance

Mon, 20 May 2024 21:17:41 +0700

Second-language learners frequently encounter challenges when solving word problems that are not written in their first language. This study compares the mathematics word-problem performance of 5th-grade learners using English and Filipino as the languages of assessment. The study consists of 32 5th-grade students from a public elementary school in the Philippines. The lesson delivery focused on problem-solving learning competencies, delivered by an experienced teacher using English-language instruction. Employing a quasi-experimental design, the researchers utilized a researcher-made 30-item test comprising questions expressed in English and 15 questions expressed in Filipino. Each student responds to questions in both languages. It was administered at the beginning and the end of a week-long lesson. Analyses of test scores yielded no significant difference between learners’ performance in English and Filipino items; however, results reveal students’ very low competency in solving word problems. Nonetheless, this study supports the utilization of bilingual instruction and the inclusion of Filipino translations in assessments aside from offering research points for further explorations.

Exploring the Ethical Dimensions of Testing and Assessment: An Investigation Into Grade Inflation Among EFL Teachers

Tue, 21 May 2024 18:14:33 +0700

Concerns over grade inflation have been raised since teachers tend to give students higher grades than they should. If the level of achievement does not correspond to an appropriate improvement in quality, it can raise concerns about the value of grades as a meaningful measure of academic achievement as well as the integrity and effectiveness of the education system. This research aims to find out how EFL teachers perceive grade inflation and what procedures and ethical considerations they follow in the grade inflation process. A descriptive qualitative study was employed using structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with two high school EFL teachers in Bandung. The result showed that although academic performance remains a central consideration, unconscious biases may influence grading when student behavior is factored into assessments. Moreover, teachers acknowledge the dilemma of doing grade inflation where they actually get pressure implicitly from the assessment system, which often takes the form of minimum competency standard (KKM/KKTP). However, they approach it positively, viewing it as an opportunity to enhance student abilities. Despite employing different procedures and assessment criteria in their grade inflation practices, both teachers incorporate ethics. This highlights the need for all teachers to understand and implement ethical grading practices.

Gender Patterns in Indonesian: A Corpus Study of Personal Pronoun References “Ia” and “Dia”

Hernina, Yenny Karlina, Devi Ambarwati Puspitasari — Sat, 25 May 2024 04:56:34 +0700

Indonesian is a language that does not have a grammatical gender feature, and this absence extends to the third-person singular pronouns. In English and many European languages, there are distinct second-person for addressing genders: male and female. The grammatical structure of Indonesian remains unchanged despite temporal shifts and the absence of gender-specific distinctions. The official Indonesian dictionary (Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia or KBBI) does not designate ia and dia with explicit gender distinctions, such as masculine and feminine. This research aims to discuss the masculine and feminine contextual patterns of the pronouns ia and dia within the Indonesian Corpus (Korpus Bahasa Indonesia or KOIN). The study used a dataset comprising 121.098 tokens selected from literature, national, and social categories. Identifying gender patterns in using the second-person pronouns gets the research focus on the data of 19.697 concordances of the word ia and 10.031 concordances of dia. The findings indicate that dia has a reasonably equal association with both genders, but the word ia prefers feminine references more. It clarifies the nuances of gender expression in Indonesian and explains how linguistic decisions communicate gender information.

Grammatical Errors in Using Adverbial Clauses of Reason as Modifiers in Some Indonesian Journalistic Headlines

Sun, 26 May 2024 00:00:00 +0700

This journal article examines the grammatical construction of some TV news headlines, highlighting the issues that arise due to their structure. The primary concern is that the headlines use adverbial clauses or phrases of reason before the main clauses which inadvertently cause some confusion about the subjects and the actions of the news stories. That is because the adverbial clauses or phrases often function as appositives to modify the subject of the main clause. When used as clauses of reason as in the headlines, this grammatical construction creates ambiguity in understanding who is then performing the described actions. The study finds that these headlines are structurally complex and misleading, making them fail to convey their intended meaning. To address this issue, the article suggests that the headlines be rephrased to eliminate ambiguity. Improved headline construction not only enhances communication but also ensures that potential confusion for the audience is minimized.

Continuity vs. Discontinuity: A Case of Home Language and Literacy Socialization in Indonesia

Layli Hamida, Aditya Nur Patria, Girindra Putri Ardana Reswari — Mon, 27 May 2024 14:44:00 +0700

The present study explores the language and literacy socialization (LLS) of Indonesian children from low- to middle-income families. The Indonesian government has never truly involved home and family as the base for literacy socialization in its programs, affecting the nation-state's low rank in literacy proficiency. This paper aims to describe the LLS of low- to middle-income Indonesian families and examine how the language used by caregivers and parents stimulates the issue of continuity or discontinuity between home and school literacy practices. The study used an ethnographic approach in which the researchers observed the LLS events of 6 families in Surabaya, Indonesia. Conversations between caregivers/parents and children during literacy events were recorded. The findings suggest that every family has different patterns of literacy practices depending on their beliefs and culture at home and that parents' or caregivers' language and style of communication may facilitate or hinder children's access to literacy. Two socialization patterns were identified, including reference to past experience and collaborative negotiation of meaning. It is argued that not only the background of education but also caregivers' literacy culture and educational beliefs play a role in their strategy of language and literacy socialization at home.

Tracing the Linguistic Roots of Malay and Batak Languages in Sumatra Island: A Historical Comparative Study

Riska Meliana, Manna Maria Sopiana Manalu, Sulis Triyono — Mon, 27 May 2024 07:33:21 +0700

Previous research in comparative historical linguistics has traditionally focused on languages within a single region, overlooking cognate languages in other areas. This study seeks to rectify this by quantitatively and qualitatively describing the kinship between Rejang, Serawai, Lembak (Bengkulu), and Toba, Mandailing, and Nias (North Sumatra) languages. It aims to unearth empirical evidence regarding the timing of divergence between Malay and Batak languages, as well as the grouping of languages and the percentage of kinship between Bengkulu Province and North Sumatra Province. Utilizing Morris Swadesh's lexicostatistics and glottochronology methods, the research evaluates word kinship based on a fundamental 150-word list. Results indicate significant differences among the six languages, particularly with Rejang and Nias displaying low similarity levels, falling below 30% and not even reaching 10%, respectively. The percentage of kinship between local language pairs in Bengkulu and North Sumatra Province averages at 22.66%, classifying them under the "Family stock" category, indicating identical word correlations despite differing phonetic elements. Glottochronological calculations estimate the separation time between Malay and Batak languages to range from 419 to 3,289 BC. This research significantly enhances understanding of regional language kinship and linguistic diversity.

Personal Deixis in the Madurese Translation of Surah Yaseen

Thu, 30 May 2024 00:00:00 +0700

Accurately interpreting the Qur'an is always challenging, especially within the Madurese translation of Surah Yaseen. Given the linguistic intricacies and the cultural context of Madura's devout Muslim community and its Tahlil tradition, it is necessary to identify and understand personal deixis accurately to avoid misunderstandings and ensure faithful interpretation of the sacred text. This study focuses on various personal deixis in Madurese to identify its forms and references in Surah Yaseen. By employing a qualitative descriptive approach and observational method with advanced note-taking, the study scrutinizes verses bearing personal deixis in the Madurese translation. The research findings reveal several forms of personal deixis: Sèngko' (I/Allah), sèngko' (me/other than Allah), kaulâ (me), Sèngko' (We/Allah), sèngko' kabbhi (us/other than Allah), bâ'na (you), bâ'na kabbhi (all of you), (orèng) jâreya (him), and (rèng-orèng) jâreya (them). Those personal deixes refer to Allah, the Prophet Muhammad, the Arabs, residents of the land of Intakiyah, the apostles of Allah, the unbelievers, Habib an-Najar, and Allah's creatures. The researcher highlights the presence of the same personal deixis form, Sèngko', in both singular and plural first person in Madurese, referring to Allah, which may lead to confusion in comprehension, thus suggesting future translation teams distinguish between the singular and plural forms of "Sèngko'" to avoid confusion among readers.