Research
Foreign Languages
Sohrab Azarparand
Volume 16, Issue 41 , January 2017, Pages 1-21
Abstract
The present study is an attempt to introduce and review primary education of Japanese language textbook “Minna no Nihongo” that was republished after almost15 years in 2012 by 3A corporation with some changes in content and revision of previous edition. At the present time, foreign ...
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The present study is an attempt to introduce and review primary education of Japanese language textbook “Minna no Nihongo” that was republished after almost15 years in 2012 by 3A corporation with some changes in content and revision of previous edition. At the present time, foreign language version of this work is prepared in English, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, German, Chinese, Korean, Thai, Indonesian, and Vietnamese languages and is used very widely in universities and language education centers around the world included department of Japanese language and literature in university of Tehran. As a matter of fact, characteristics such as drawing up by group work, revision of previous edition, and drawing up of various supplementary books for covering four skills of language are the main factors that this work is one of the essential textbooks in the world. However, there are still some weak points for this work. The present article attempts to examine the characteristics, strong points and weak points of the work.
Research
Foreign Languages
Alireza Amraee
Volume 16, Issue 41 , January 2017, Pages 23-43
Abstract
Four major criteria for evaluating a textbook include evaluation of achievements with regard to the theoretical principles in the field in question, comparison with related books, assessment in the context of the system that is intended to use the book, as well as assessment against the author's implicit ...
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Four major criteria for evaluating a textbook include evaluation of achievements with regard to the theoretical principles in the field in question, comparison with related books, assessment in the context of the system that is intended to use the book, as well as assessment against the author's implicit or explicit presuppositions. With a view to the above criteria, this paper seeks to review Hassan Hashemi-Minabad'sAmoozesh-e Tarjomeh [Learning Translation] (1394). In the first section, the theoretical foundations of developing translation textbooks are discussed. Section two briefly deals with the issue of translation textbooks in Iran. Within this context, Hashemi-Minabad's book is reviewed in the next section. As discussed in the conclusion, the major advantage of the book is that it is based on the author's experience of teaching translation in an academic context. Moreover, the formal features of the book seem to have been prepared with great care and precision. Also the translation materials are presented in a logical easy-to-difficult order. The major drawback, however, is lack of a solid translation-theoretical basis so that the learner is not given the opportunity to infer a set of systematic principles for themselves. In conclusion, the book does not meet the requirements of an academic textbook and should be rather used as a complementary material which is rich in practical examples.
Research
Linguistics and Ancient Languages
Reza Amini
Volume 16, Issue 41 , January 2017, Pages 45-67
Abstract
This is a review article of the book “Sociolinguistics (Language Planning of Persian and Linguistic Attitudes)’’ by Negar Davari Ardakani, with the cooperation of Azardokht Jalilian. To do so, form and content of the book are reviewed critically. In those parts of the book which contain ...
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This is a review article of the book “Sociolinguistics (Language Planning of Persian and Linguistic Attitudes)’’ by Negar Davari Ardakani, with the cooperation of Azardokht Jalilian. To do so, form and content of the book are reviewed critically. In those parts of the book which contain results of the fieldworks of the main writer of the book, there seems to be important and useful points and findings for language planning of Persian. Regarding the form, some of the important shortcomings of the book are lack of attention to the conventions of orthography and punctuation of Persian and ignoring rules of giving reference to the resources. Regarding the content, lack of attention to the cohesion and coherence of whatever is discussed in the book can be easily understood. In addition, there are several cases of repetitions of the same materials in different parts of the book. Also, some parts of the texts being like a translated text, questionable equivalents selected for some of the non- Persian terms and words, and in some cases, unacceptable quantity of the materials quoted from other writers are among the other shortcomings of the book.
Research
Foreign Languages
Kaveh Bahrami
Volume 16, Issue 41 , January 2017, Pages 69-82
Abstract
The Foreign Language Teaching textbook contains 140 articles by lecturers and researchers from universities around the world in foreign language teaching. In this work, the latest topics and subjects related to the field of foreign language teaching, especially in the area of teaching German to ...
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The Foreign Language Teaching textbook contains 140 articles by lecturers and researchers from universities around the world in foreign language teaching. In this work, the latest topics and subjects related to the field of foreign language teaching, especially in the area of teaching German to non-German speakers, are reviewed and evaluated until the year of publication (2007). This book, which covers a wide variety of topics, can be used at postgraduate level by professors and students in the field of German language and literature and German language teaching at Iranian universities. However, it is worth noting the physical, structural and content aspects of this work. This review attempts to show the audience the strengths and weaknesses of this book. The results of this study can familiarize teachers of German language teaching in Iran with new aspects and topics in teaching German.
Research
Linguistics and Ancient Languages
Reza Pishghadam; Atena Attaran
Volume 16, Issue 41 , January 2017, Pages 83-97
Abstract
One of the major sources of psychology in the field of teaching English as foreign language in Iranian universities is a book named The Psychology of the Language Learner: Individual Differences in Second Language Acquisition written by Zoltan Dornyei. The book was first published in 2005 and ...
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One of the major sources of psychology in the field of teaching English as foreign language in Iranian universities is a book named The Psychology of the Language Learner: Individual Differences in Second Language Acquisition written by Zoltan Dornyei. The book was first published in 2005 and was later revised in 2015 and published by Routledge. This study thus aims to analyze this book critically due to the importance of psychological issues in teaching English as foreign language. The findings suggested that although Dornyei established a coherent framework for his book, he ignored the socio-cultural effects of society on learners’ psychological aspects. Additionally, they were some concepts, including emotional intelligence, which were left untouched in his book. Finally, the philosophical aspects of concepts being discussed within the book were not addressed or even challenged. Generally speaking, the books limited itself to western studies ignored, the social and cultural elements, and avoided challenging the concepts which can limit readers’ understanding.
Research
Foreign Languages
Seyed Ayat Hosseini
Volume 16, Issue 41 , January 2017, Pages 99-120
Abstract
The present article attempts to introduce and review Modern Persian-Japanese and Japanese-Persian Bilingual Dictionary by Tsuneo Kuroyanagi, and to evaluate it according to modern lexicographical criteria. This dictionary is a compact version of author’s previous bilingual dictionaries ...
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The present article attempts to introduce and review Modern Persian-Japanese and Japanese-Persian Bilingual Dictionary by Tsuneo Kuroyanagi, and to evaluate it according to modern lexicographical criteria. This dictionary is a compact version of author’s previous bilingual dictionaries and is widely used among students, researchers, and translators in both Iran and Japan in the absence of any notable alternative. As the author states in the preface, the learners of Persian language in Japan are supposed to be the main users of this dictionary. Consequently the book is designed to meet the needs of this particular group, and its users in Iran face some difficulties when referring to it. However, in the introduction of Japanese-Persian part, the author expresses his expectation that his book will also be used by Japanese learners in Iran. In this review paper, we will mainly concentrate on the needs of Iranian students of Japanese language, and evaluate both form and content of this dictionary from their point of view.
Research
Linguistics and Ancient Languages
Masood Khoshsaligheh; Abdullah Nowruzy
Volume 16, Issue 41 , January 2017, Pages 121-136
Abstract
Making a systematic inquiry and applying appropriate methods and approaches to investigating a phenomenon are among the main academic concerns. Within translation studies, endeavors have been made to illustrate different aspects of related methodology. In this regard, Research Methodologies in Translation ...
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Making a systematic inquiry and applying appropriate methods and approaches to investigating a phenomenon are among the main academic concerns. Within translation studies, endeavors have been made to illustrate different aspects of related methodology. In this regard, Research Methodologies in Translation Studies aims to cover a wide range of interdisciplinary methodologies and contribute to the cross-fertilization of diverse research practices that inform translation studies. In this book, Saldanha and O'Brien emphasize the priority of understanding epistemology and ontology of research to engaging in any research. They explain the main elements and principles of a systematic research and try to deal with the main issues of research in descriptive translation studies such as product, process, participants and context. This paper aims to critically discuss the content and structure of the book. The paper begins with a brief review of the chapters at the first step and then continues by reasoning and exemplifying the potential strengths and weaknesses. Considering the aims of authors and the strengths and weaknesses, the paper discusses its appropriateness for using it as a textbook at MA and PhD levels in Iranian universities, as it has been used for the purpose immediately after publishing.
Research
Linguistics and Ancient Languages
Reza kheirabadi
Volume 16, Issue 41 , January 2017, Pages 137-152
Abstract
Media linguistics and studying linguistic elements of news have been in the center of attention for both (applied) linguists and media experts for some decades. This research trend has evolved and flourished considerably after the emergence of (Critical) Discourse Analysis (CDA) approach. In Iran the ...
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Media linguistics and studying linguistic elements of news have been in the center of attention for both (applied) linguists and media experts for some decades. This research trend has evolved and flourished considerably after the emergence of (Critical) Discourse Analysis (CDA) approach. In Iran the study of media linguistics and analyzing news discourse, mainly within CDA framework, has been a prevalent trend. In this article, “the Linguistics of Newswriting” (2013) by Daniel Perrin is critically reviewed. The main premise of the book is that in order to analyze a media product, chiefly a news text, the analyst needs to holistically scrutinize the process of news production and not to limit himself to pinpoint the final product. To do so, the analyst needs to enter to the heart of the newsrooms and observe the process up the shoulders of the journalists. This ethnographic approach to media study, previously launched by Cotter (2010), seems to be totally new for Iranian researchers, and consequently, introducing this seminal work can pave the way for fruitful applied studies in future.
Research
Linguistics and Ancient Languages
Atoosa Rostambeik Tafreshi; Mohammad Aref Amiri
Volume 16, Issue 41 , January 2017, Pages 153-173
Abstract
Using Corpora in Discourse Analysis by Paul Baker is published by Continuum, in 2006 and consists of 207 pages. The book focuses on two main subjects, trying to create a connection between discourse analysis and corpus linguistics. Discourse analysis which is an interdisciplinary field by nature, ...
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Using Corpora in Discourse Analysis by Paul Baker is published by Continuum, in 2006 and consists of 207 pages. The book focuses on two main subjects, trying to create a connection between discourse analysis and corpus linguistics. Discourse analysis which is an interdisciplinary field by nature, has recently been the focus of many linguistic studies, especially the ones that are related to sociolinguistics. A corpus is a collection of written or spoken texts that can be used as data in linguistic descriptions and analyses. Analyzing a linguistic corpus which is usually done by computers, can be very comprehensive and can cover a lot of textual facts. The main objective of this book is to show that it is possible to combine a proper analysis of linguistic elements with a socio-critical interpretation of these features. Some of the strong points of the book are as follows: comprehensive account of methodological aspects, using real examples, displaying the procedures using figures and diagrams, and explaining the advantages and disadvantages of the suggested methods. Baker introduces different and various data analysis methods, which can be used in corpus-based discourse analysis. In this article, Using Corpora in Discourse Analysis by Paul Baker is reviewed, and its strong and weak points are discussed
Research
Linguistics and Ancient Languages
Ahmad Ramezani; Sasan Asadpour
Volume 16, Issue 41 , January 2017, Pages 175-197
Abstract
This paper aims at depicting the importance of research on core vocabulary and reviewing critically “Farsi Core Vocabulary of Iranian Children” and “Identifying Farsi Core Vocabulary: a National Project” through psychological, linguistic, methodological and educational ...
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This paper aims at depicting the importance of research on core vocabulary and reviewing critically “Farsi Core Vocabulary of Iranian Children” and “Identifying Farsi Core Vocabulary: a National Project” through psychological, linguistic, methodological and educational viewpoints. At first, the importance of core vocabulary and the history of developing the book are mentioned. Then, the description and analysis follow. The chapters are reviewed very briefly. Then, the methodology used for estimating the core vocabulary (the subtests administered in the main project) and the philosophy of their classification are analyzed in details.
Research
Foreign Languages
janolah karimi Motahhar; Mehrnoush Shabani
Volume 16, Issue 41 , January 2017, Pages 199-220
Abstract
Human’s aspirations and wishes have been always promising to the life and future because human without hope and wish is not able to continue the life. This is an intrinsic part of human life that has been appearing in the literature, too. In the play "The Seagull" which has been called the most ...
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Human’s aspirations and wishes have been always promising to the life and future because human without hope and wish is not able to continue the life. This is an intrinsic part of human life that has been appearing in the literature, too. In the play "The Seagull" which has been called the most personal art work of Chekhov, we faced to heroes who have high wishes and aspirations in their mind; they talk about their ideal very well and dream a better life, but do nothing to achieving the desired objectives. In this play, Chekhov also describes human beings who do not have the ability to face the truth and the life and accept their fate, but on the other hand, he describes heroes who by all the suffering and setbacks of life do not stop and find their way to happiness and victory.
Research
Linguistics and Ancient Languages
Hossein Mohammadi
Volume 16, Issue 41 , January 2017, Pages 221-238
Abstract
In this study we have a look on Ghalat Nanevisim[1]; written by Abolhasan Najafi. By reviewing the previous critiques, it is recognized that most of the critiques are based on two contradictory thought movements; first a linguistic glance which shows language as a live and dynamic system and denies the ...
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In this study we have a look on Ghalat Nanevisim[1]; written by Abolhasan Najafi. By reviewing the previous critiques, it is recognized that most of the critiques are based on two contradictory thought movements; first a linguistic glance which shows language as a live and dynamic system and denies the prescriptivism; the second glance emphasizes the literal and social applications of language, and according to cultural backgrounds, it accepts only those changes which are in the framework of grammatical rules and language background. By reviewing the book disregarding the previous critiques, after so many prints, again we can see some problems which are unsolved. Some of them are typographical problems, the phonetic transcription method of inventories, system of referencing, inventories containing same rules etc. throughout the book. Some others are related to those special inventories which are presented in the alphabetical order. After all of these critiques and its problems, again it is an applied book which has so many problems in the modern Persian. And, it can prevent the arrival of some unnecessary loan words and grammatical structures of foreign languages
Research
Foreign Languages
Marzieh Yahyapour
Volume 16, Issue 41 , January 2017, Pages 239-254
Abstract
Talisman is a constant motif of global culture, recognized by symbols like ring, bracelet, necklace or things like these, which contain incantations, prays, or symbols. The subject of talisman also covers a part of literature, and writers and poets throughout the world, including the Russians, have used ...
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Talisman is a constant motif of global culture, recognized by symbols like ring, bracelet, necklace or things like these, which contain incantations, prays, or symbols. The subject of talisman also covers a part of literature, and writers and poets throughout the world, including the Russians, have used it in their works. Aleksandr Kuprin, Alexander Pushkin, Mikhail Lermontov and Anna Akhmatova, who have been in contact with eastern religions and cultures in some ways, brought talisman in their works with some eastern characteristics and relations with eastern cultures. In this study, after a short introduction about the root of the word “talisman”, and referring to the works of some Russian writers and poets with the subject of talisman, we take a look at three works of Alexander Pushkin: “In the Hidden Cave, on the Day of Following and Persecution”, “Be my Protector, my Talisman” and “The Talisman”, in which the poet has referred to this subject. In each of these poems, talisman has an extraordinary power. In Pushkin’s works containing talisman motif, there is no item like ring, bracelet or necklace, and the theme of his poems is derived from eastern religions and cultures, and given his life conditions and while Tsar government were constantly threatening him, the talisman is a shelter for him.
Research
Foreign Languages
Alireza Rezaee
Volume 16, Issue 41 , January 2017, Pages 255-274
Abstract
This paper aims to discuss the background, purpose, and methodology of The Chrysanthemum and the Sword: Patterns of Japanese Culture by American anthropologist Ruth Benedict. It was written at the invitation of the U.S. Office of War Information, in order to understand and predict the behavior ...
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This paper aims to discuss the background, purpose, and methodology of The Chrysanthemum and the Sword: Patterns of Japanese Culture by American anthropologist Ruth Benedict. It was written at the invitation of the U.S. Office of War Information, in order to understand and predict the behavior of the Japanese in World War II by reference to a series of contradictions in the traditional culture. The book was influential in shaping American ideas about Japanese culture during the occupation of Japan, and popularized the distinction between guilt cultures and shame cultures.Benedict's book was based on her research carried out in war time in Washington, and this naturally limited the research methodology and techniques in several ways. The most noticeable limitation will be found in the selection of samples for the interview purpose. The majority of the sample is made up of Japanese who had been in the United States for many years, and obviously they cannot be fully representative of Japanese society. The written materials and movie films used for analysis of Japanese culture are also inadequate for the purpose of studying contemporary Japan. Also many readers think that this book is not creditable because Ruth Benedict had not lived in Japan.However, this book holds key to understand motivation and reason in why Japanese do and say things that would be hard to understand by Occidental standard.