The subtitling of humor presents a significant challenge in audiovisual translation as it demands of the translator both linguistic skills and cultural understanding of the language pair involved. This study aimed to (i) identify the obstacles that translators encounter in the translation of humor in Friends into Arabic, and, (ii) the strategies used to accommodate the target viewers' cultural sensibilities. Nida’s framework was employed in this study to examine the subtitles. The dataset comprised a corpus of popular scenes whose humorous content was classified and the subtitles were evaluated by professional translators to identify problem areas and examine the efficacy of translation strategies used in the subtitles. The findings indicated that situational and character-based humor was mostly transferred successfully across languages while linguistic humor and culture-specific jokes could not be rendered as effortlessly. The study concluded with the observation that effective subtitling depends on flexible strategy selection while keeping in mind functional adequacy and cultural sensitivity of the audience. The psychological reaction of the viewers to the humor was measured using a structured rubric that was applied by three certified Arabic-English translators who have 5 to 10 years of experience in audiovisual translation to determine whether the humor was likely to be humorous to the Saudi viewers.
This study suggests that multimodal discourse analysis is a valuable method for examining portrait-based BBC news reports. However, there is insufficient exploration of how portraits are structured and function alongside their accompanying texts, particularly in shaping portrayals of refugees. To address this, the research employs a qualitative approach, conducting a multimodal analysis of the BBC’s image-based coverage of the Israel-Gaza conflict that began on October 7, 2023. The analysis integrates both visual and textual perspectives to investigate the depiction of displaced Palestinians. The visual component applies Kress and Van Leeuwen’s (2006) visual design grammar framework, emphasizing interactional and compositional elements. The textual analysis, meanwhile, utilizes Halliday and Matthiessen’s (2004) transitivity framework. Findings from the visual analysis highlight how visual elements are used to positively frame displaced Palestinian Gazans, fostering global empathy and support. As well as the findings of the textual analysis show a prevalence of material processes, underscoring the media’s role in emphasizing the realities faced by Palestinians in Gaza to garner sympathy and assistance, as evidenced in BBC reports.
This article models proverb use as an inference architecture: a conventionalised form–function configuration through which recognisable proverbial form compresses reasoning, invokes collective authority, and projects accountable uptake. Although paremiological and pragmatic accounts show that proverbs are culturally dense and contextually interpretable, they less fully specify how proverb form organises default inference and shapes alignment. Drawing on a controlled English–Vietnamese corpus of 300 proverb-as-utterance templates and a contextualised vignette subcorpus of 40 three-turn sequences, the study examines heuristic type, inferential target, alignment outcome, humour uptake, and defeasibility. Because the data are controlled and author-constructed rather than naturalistic, the analysis is exploratory and model-building. The findings suggest that projected obligation is most visible in advice and warning contexts, that epistemic and deontic alignment are separable, and that humorous uptake is associated with mixed alignment rather than immediate deontic closure. Within this dataset, English and Vietnamese templates display broadly comparable heuristic repertoires, whereas variation appears more clearly in inferential target distribution. The article contributes to inferential pragmatics, alignment theory, humour-in-interaction research, and intercultural pragmatics by treating proverb talk as a defeasible, humour-modulated system of default reasoning.
This study explores the effectiveness of using guided self-assessment checklists to improve IELTS Writing performance among advanced learners, particularly those at around band 6.5. A quasi-experimental mixed-methods design was adopted, involving 75 participants divided into an experimental group (n = 37) and a control group (n = 38). Over an eight-week period, the experimental group engaged in a structured feedback cycle that incorporated self-assessment checklists, peer feedback, and teacher input, while the control group received only teacher feedback. The findings indicate that learners in the experimental group made noticeably greater improvements in writing performance compared to those in the control group. The most notable gains were observed in Task Response and Coherence and Cohesion, with a higher proportion of students reaching band 7.0 or above. Qualitative data further suggest that the intervention enhanced learners’ metacognitive awareness, goal-setting practices, and sense of autonomy. These results highlight the value of transforming abstract assessment criteria into practical, learner-friendly tools. Overall, the study demonstrates that integrating structured, learner-centered feedback approaches can play a meaningful role in improving IELTS writing outcomes, particularly in high-stakes testing contexts.
This study aims to identify lexicons related to traditional Balinese food and cooking utensils. The method used is a mixed method with an exploratory sequential design. Qualitative data were collected through interviews with 18 traditional leaders in eight regencies in Bali. Quantitative data were collected through tests administered to 320 elementary school students (160 from urban and 160 from rural areas) to assess their understanding of the lexicon. Qualitative data were analyzed using an interactive analysis model, while quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and an independent t-test. The qualitative data analysis revealed 126 lexicons related to traditional Balinese food. The lexicon was dominated by nouns, followed by verbs and adjectives. Quantitative data analysis revealed a significant difference in understanding between students in rural and urban areas, indicating that residence location influences understanding. Although the difference in understanding levels was significant, their understanding was still considered low overall. These findings indicate that the lexicon of traditional Balinese food serves not only as a linguistic element but also as a representation of local wisdom passed down through traditional literature, such as folktales, oral traditions, and cultural practices. The low level of understanding of the lexicons among the younger generation indicates a potential disruption in the transmission of cultural values contained in traditional Balinese literature. The younger generation of Balinese does not fully understand the lexicon. Therefore, efforts are needed to preserve this lexicon as part of the preservation of the Balinese language and culture.
