International Journal of Social Sciences and English Literature

Lobbying practises in Slovenia: A comparative analysis between mayors and members of parliament

Stefan Sumah, Cvetka Sesko, Gregor Kokal Golcer — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This study closely examines the influence of lobbyists on the decision-making processes of policymakers in Slovenia. It specifically looks into the processes that concern drafting and adopting legislation and public policies. The aim of the research is to determine whether the influence of lobbyists can lead to the domination of a specific sector or even an entire country. By conducting an empirical study, this paper offers a new perspective on the practices of lobbyists in Slovenia, shedding light on the less visible processes that often directly impact policy outcomes. The research targets decision-makers regularly approached by lobbyists—Members of Parliament (MPs) and mayors. The results reveal a significant lack of understanding of lobbying among these decision-makers. Less than half of the participants successfully recognized informal lobbying practices. This raises many concerns as decision-makers who reported interacting with lobbyists most likely interacted with both registered and informal lobbyists. Conversely, those who reported no contact with lobbyists may have encountered informal lobbying but failed to recognize it as such. Somewhat paradoxically, the study shows that most respondents agreed with the claims that informal lobbying is the greatest threat and that certain sectors are already under the control of specific interest groups. This study may serve as a valuable resource for legislators working on lobbying law. Additionally, the study should serve as a reminder of the frequently undertheorized area of informal lobbying and should encourage further research.

Nestlé's role in global food security, climate change and consumer health

Umar Iqbal Butt — Sat, 05 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Nestlé, as a global leader in the food and beverage industry, plays a pivotal role in addressing critical challenges related to food security, climate change, and consumer health. This paper examines Nestlé's strategies and initiatives aimed at contributing to global food security by enhancing sustainable agricultural practices, reducing food waste, and promoting responsible sourcing. The study also explores the company's efforts to mitigate the impact of climate change through carbon reduction initiatives, sustainable packaging, and energy-efficient operations. Additionally, Nestlé's focus on consumer health is analyzed, highlighting its commitment to offering nutritious products, promoting healthy lifestyles, and reducing harmful ingredients such as sugar and salt in its offerings. By evaluating Nestlé's multi-faceted approach, this paper underscores the company's potential to influence positive change at the intersection of food security, environmental sustainability, and public health, while also identifying areas for future improvement and broader impact.

Examination on translation universals and evaluation through corpora

Xu Yuemeng — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This article explores the profound impact of corpora on Translation Studies, particularly in uncovering translation universals and enhancing evaluation methods. Corpora, which are collections of authentic language data, serve as an objective foundation for translational research. The article delves into four key universal characteristics of translated texts: simplification, explicitation, normalization, and leveling out. Simplification refers to the tendency of translated texts to use less complex language, explicitation involves spelling out implicit information, normalization emphasizes conformity to target language patterns, and leveling out suggests a convergence towards typical target language features. Through corpus-based approaches, the objectivity of translation evaluation is significantly improved, as they provide concrete criteria for assessing translation quality, thereby addressing the subjectivity inherent in the field. The article emphasizes the enrichment that corpora have brought to Descriptive Translation Studies and highlights their potential to foster more objective evaluation and teaching methods. Looking towards the future, the integration of corpora in translation studies promises continued interdisciplinary advancements, propelling innovation in translation research and education.

Developing listening skills for high school students through songs: An empirical study

Thang N H, The N H, Du T T — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The current study concentrates on listening, one of the four basic language skills. According to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, listening is frequently overlooked, and students almost tend to struggle to learn through it. This study’s objective is to evaluate the effects of songs on students’ listening skills and motivation. The participants included two groups of 11th grade students from a high school in Binh Duong province of Viet Nam, who learned English as a foreign language. Questionnaires and interviews were utilized to acquire both quantitative and qualitative data. A pre-test and a post-test were also prepared to assess both how far the students progressed after implementing the study project and their motivation in learning English through songs. At the end of the treatment, the average post-test score was greater than the pre-test score within experimental group. Research results indicate that music and songs may not only be entertaining, but also give students several benefits, a specially in developing their listening skills. Students’ motivation in their language learning in general and in learning listening skills also increased considerably.

Reading Comprehension Module and Students’ Achievement in Literature

Love Lita J. Fernando, Cristobal M. Ambayon — Thu, 31 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This experimental study aimed to find out the extent of acceptability of the Reading Comprehension Module in terms of the content, relevance, mechanics, instructional aspect, acceptability, usability, design and layout, readability and reliability as a learning tool to enhance and improved the reading ability of Grade 7 students who belong to frustration level at Lambayong National High School for the School Year 2021-2022. The findings of the study revealed that the Reading Comprehension Module was excellent based on its acceptability and has passed the qualities expected by the teachers to students and where it cater their needs that could enhance as well their learning skills and abilities. With the design and content of the module, it unveil that it is consonance to the level of abilities of the respondents. Furthermore, it can be concluded based on the results determined of this research, the use of the Reading Comprehension Module in Teaching Philippine Literature is effective as most of the objectives have been met. Hence, it was recommended for further research the use of Reading Comprehension Module in Teaching Philippine Literature and develop a reading module based on the literature of the different tribes in the locality.

A Pragmatic Analysis of Vague Language in China Daily News

Wu Caixia — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

News report, as a widely distributed medium in the information era, plays a crucial role in people’s daily lives. Its dissemination is widespread and its impact profound. While accuracy is a cornerstone of news reporting, vague language is inevitably present in news reports. This is because vagueness is an inherent characteristic of natural language, used across various literary forms, including news reporting. The present paper delves into the phenomenon of vague language in news reporting. Utilizing the Cooperative Principle and Adaptation Theory as frameworks, this paper analyzes the occurrence of vagueness in news reporting through theoretical explanations and illustrative case studies. By examining news articles from China Daily, the paper discusses the appropriate use of vague nouns in news reporting. The judicious use of vague language in news articles can enhance communication effectiveness, ultimately boosting the credibility of the news.

Concept Analysis of Adaptive Learning Strategy in English Language Teaching (ALS-ELT)

Saldivar, John Mark N., Fernandez, Bernadeth L. — Sat, 21 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Adaptive Learning Strategies (ALS) are revolutionary forces in the ever-changing educational landscape, where varied learning contexts and technological breakthroughs converge. This study aimed to acquire a nuanced understanding of the concept while providing empirical support and new information on the usefulness and effects of ALS on language learning outcomes. Research articles from open-access databases such as Google Scholar, CrossRef, and OpenAlex published from 2019-2024 were carefully analyzed using Walker and Avant’s eight-step analysis. Keywords utilized were adaptive learning, knowledge translation, and English language teaching. The 17 research articles analyzed determined five attributes of adaptive learning pedagogy: enhanced motivation and involvement, personalization and customization, improvement in language proficiency and communication skills, support for autonomous and independent learning, and technological integration and innovation. Antecedents included five themes: learner needs and context, availability of technology and resources, teacher training and proficiency, administrability support and policy alignment, and student motivation and engagement. Consequences also generated five themes: personalized learning experiences, enhanced technological integration and innovative learning tools, effective implementation of ALS, institutional commitment to ALS adoption, active student participation, and improved learning outcomes. Adaptive learning strategy in English language teaching (ELT) effectively engages students by aligning content with their interests and providing relevant challenges, fostering active participation and motivation. Individualized learning paths and real-time feedback enhance learning outcomes, improving language proficiency and communication skills. The seamless incorporation of technology, such as language learning apps and AI-driven tools, enables personalized experiences and data-driven adaptation, promoting student autonomy and independence.