The object of this paper is to situate simultaneous interpreting (SI) as textually strategy-specific (micro level) and discursive practice (macro level) drawing on Norman Fairclough’s (1989) critical discourse model in Language and Power. Considering its diverse nature, this article treats UN interpreted discourse as a form of particularised organisational discourse where -taxis relations are surface features of language at the micro level. On a deeper level, it contributes to the collective ideological framing at the macro level. A micro-macro continuum substantiates a more unified representation of SI through collaboration across a myriad of approaches and that is where originality lies. SI is incorporated with CDA and Corpus-based methods to make it possible for valid simultaneous interpreting strategies (SISs)to be identified. This model helps to reveal (i) the patterns expert interpreters establish to simultaneously interpret textual features, namely, hypotaxis and parataxis (micro level); and (ii) the functions of interpreted textual features and whether they keep original ideologies or depart from them (macro level).

Insubordination describes the phenomenon that a subordinate clause is used independently as a main clause. Insubordinate clauses endorse discourse functions alone without connecting with any apodosis. Many researchers studied this phenomenon from a typology perspective, clarifying the discourse functions and forming mechanism. However, those studies pursuit the cross-language features too much, investigating large numbers of languages and source constructions. As a result, their conclusion may not fit a specific language or construction. This paper aims to verify and complement the classification of one of the typology studies: Evans (2007), based on the investigation of the insubordinate conditional clauses formed by Japanese conjunction -ba, through the Balanced Corpus of Contemporary Written Japanese (BCCWJ). The investigation result showed that Evans’ (2007) classification fit the insubordinate -ba-clauses to some extent with a slight adjustment. Specifically, the types of “indirection and interpersonal control” and “modal insubordination” were combined as Type A, which was named “modal insubordination”. Meanwhile, a new discourse function, “requirement of further information” was added to the other type, “signaling presupposed material” to compose Type B, which was named “signaling presupposed material”. In Type A, the insubordinate -ba-clauses function as two subtypes, which are “epistemic and evidential meanings” and “deontic meanings”. Those two subtypes relate to each other by expressing or requiring evaluation towards the conditional clauses. Meanwhile, Type B has two subtype functions as well, which are “disagreement with assertions by the previous speaker” and “requirement of further information”. Both subtypes are formed by the process of providing a contrastive condition and requesting a response. Two further related issues were also discussed. The insubordinate -ba-clauses endorsing Type B functions appear to have some similarities with another type of insubordinate clause that was pointed out by other typology studies. However, they indeed differ from each other in their discourse functions and forming mechanisms. Moreover, as to the -ba-clauses, the distinction between Type A and Type B was found to be more apparent when analyzed from a functional perspective rather than a structural perspective. Those arguments complement Evans’ (2007) classification. This study shows its significance in verifying Evans’(2007) viewpoint by the Japanese language as a unique Asian language. Such verification is necessary because Evans’ research was carried out mostly based on Indo‐European languages. It is also implicated that a theory of general linguistics can contribute to studying an individual language in observing it from an outside perspective.

Educational games play an essential role in the life of the new generation. Although there are many criticisms, many studies focus on the importance of educational games in improving EFL vocabulary learning of early childhood students with learning disabilities in the target language. Researchers have begun to research how games are used in class to enhance vocabulary learning. This paper investigates the effects of educational games on EFL vocabulary learning of early childhood students with learning disabilities based on a literature review. Many studies focus on educational games' effect on various aspects of education. This concept paper aims to shed light on some of the benefits of games and the challenges teachers and early childhood children face in using educational games. This paper's results show that games are used not only for the success of early childhood students with learning disabilities in EFL classes but, more importantly, to motivate them and increase cooperation between children. Additionally, the results indicate that there are advantages and disadvantages of using games to learn English vocabulary.

Learner autonomy is considered as one of the most important factors contributing to lifelong learning for language learners studying at university. This is primarily because learners were likely to feel motivated and engaged when they were given the freedom to take charge of their learning. Higher Education in Oman has been relatively a recent phenomenon that was introduced three decades before. Ministry of Higher Education in Oman emphasis developing lifelong learning and self-study skills in learners studying at a higher educational institution in Oman. Most of the learners studying at higher educational institutions were taught by the native Arab speakers in schools, and they were mostly dependent on their teachers for the completion of different academic tasks in schools. Learner autonomy is now not desired but the obligatory aspect of learning under the current unprecedented circumstances where learners were required to take control of their learning, complete their tasks, assignments and projects on their own and where teacher intervention is minimal due to ‘remote teaching’ situation. The prevalent situation where technology has now taken the pivotal role in shaping the 21st century teaching and learning process, it is high need for the EFL learners studying at tertiary level at the university should be autonomous and critical thinkers who can control of their learning process and aware of the necessities of learning. Therefore, considering the learners’ spoon-feeding learning attitude at school and fast-changing learning requirement, the researcher aimed at identifying learners’ understanding and perceptions to achieve autonomy in learning in an EFL Context. This study also aims at finding out learners’ belief on the role of peers, teachers and social media in achieving autonomy in learning. By using mixed method approach, the researcher designed a 35-items Likert scale questionnaire and semi-structured interview questions to record the perceptions of 135 EFL learners studying at tertiary level in a private university in Oman. The results of the current study revealed that students were aware of the concept of learner autonomy and they believe that teacher’s scaffolding, peer intervention and use of social media platforms can not only help them to foster autonomy in them but also to gain confidence, motivation, self-esteem, sense of responsibility and self-determination in an EFL language learning environment. The implications of this research will assist the EFL teachers and the administration to consider EFL learners learning needs and learners’ self-efficacy and attitude towards their own learning.

‘Lexical Invisiblity’ or failures in perceiving metadiscourse signs could impact students’ comprehension of text, especially academic ones. In the Tunisian educational system which divides Tertiary level students into broad specialisms, teachers adopt various reading approaches accordingly to students’ needs and requirements of their professional careers. This might lead to a focus on some linguistic aspects at the expense of others, and might prevent learners from understanding the conveyed message at its fullest. The current research aims to determine to what extent Tunisian University learners (N=12) are aware of the presence of stances, while reading an academic text. Echoing Low’s (1996) and Hyland’s (2003) studies, a Think- Aloud Protocol permitted to identify students’ shortage in perceiving interactional items, such as hedges and boosters. Findings indicate that students tend to focus on the overall content and make a total abstraction of the linguistic signs of certainty and uncertainty. The investigation stresses the importance of highlighting the linguistic means that enhance the comprehension of academic texts. As overlooking interactional devices could affect students’ accurate understanding of academic texts, EFL instructors are strongly suggested to raise learners’ awareness of Metadiscourse items by teaching them explicitly and drawing their attention to them.

The field of English translation and interpretation has shown an increasing popularity in Vietnam in the context of globalization. However, translation in the target culture still has a certain number of problems in transferring the equivalence between two languages, which causes some ambiguities and misunderstandings for readers (House, 2015). Hence, translation quality assurance is significant in ensuring the degree of suitability of the texts as a post-translation process (Munday, 2016). This paper aimed to investigate the difficulties of English majors of translation and interpretation in assessing the quality of texts translated from English to Vietnamese during the learning process on an independent basis. The study employed the mixed method with 50 fourth-year students at Nguyen Tat Thanh University via questionnaires. The findings revealed that those majors had to deal with five main groups of troubles including (1) time constraints, (2) non-equivalence between English and Vietnamese, (3) insufficient cultural understandings, (4) inadequate supports from lecturers, and especially (5) the lack of official framework for translation quality assessment. This paper also proposes the fundamental for university curriculum developments from the learners’ perspectives.

The paper analyzes grotesque literary caricature of the exotic Orientals in Tariq Ali and Howard Brenton's play Iranian Nights. The focus is to elucidate how the writer market margins by creating caricatural and exotic characters that generate laughter and comical wit for the international readership. The research has two folds i.e. on one level it will discuss the caricatural features in characters to understand the underline meaning for the use of such distorted and exaggerated art form in a modern play. On the other hand, the paper will have an investigative stance into the dramatic techniques used ancient grotesque plays to find out the significance of such a dramaturgy in the business of exoticism. The research broadens the scope as it presents an art form that depicts a grotesque caricature exoticizing the third world's other Orientals to market margins.