Abstract: This study investigates the influence of learners’ mother tongues on the acquisition of English as a First Additional Language (EFAL) among Grade 1 learners in South Africa’s rural Klein Letaba Circuit, Limpopo Province. Guided by Cummins’ Interdependence Hypothesis and Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory, the study employs an interpretivist qualitative design involving eight purposefully selected Grade 1 teachers from multilingual classrooms.... More

Abstract: How do we know we used the right word in a sentence? The standard answer invokes grammatical rules, context, usage, and logic—but this article argues that the process of reasoning is guided by sensations. Human individuals experience sensations—not the molecular or neural mechanisms that produce them. Therefore, meaning arises from the sensations that words prompt, not from words themselves. Thinking operates through patterns of sensations, most... More

Abstract: Motivational factors play an important role in language learners’ learning and achievement. While a lot of research has been done on various motivational aspects of second language learning, less research has been done on motivation and mindsets specific to the pragmatics of second language learning. This study investigated the effect of collaborative learning, as compared with individualized instruction, on Iraqi EFL learners' pragmatic... More

Abstract: Malta’s localization practices largely rely on inclusive subtitles in English or Maltese, a combined translation–accessibility solution that delivers linguistic, cultural, and sensory access in line with a universalist approach. This article reports an in-depth reception study designed to gauge Maltese viewers’ tolerance thresholds for taboo and other categories of sensitive language in inclusive subtitles, with the aim of corroborating or... More

Abstract: This article presents a linguistic and cultural analysis of the representation of women in selected Setswana proverbs, utilizing Womanism as the theoretical lens. The study explores whether these proverbial expressions function to reinforce patriarchal ideologies or alternatively reflect empowering constructions of womanhood rooted in African cultural contexts. Grounded in the principles of Womanism—as articulated by Alice Walker—the framework... More