Vivid: Journal of Language and Literature

The Impact of Songs on Vocabulary Acquisition by ESL Undergraduate Students

Cheng Lijiao — 2024-11-08

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of music on vocabulary acquisition among ESL undergraduate students at the UM School of Languages, students’ preferences for music choices, and their motivations for using music as a learning tool. By analyzing the questionnaire responses of 81 participants, the study found the following results. First, the vast majority of participants found listening to English songs helpful in learning the English language. Second, pop music was the most preferred genre of music among the participants, but rock, jazz, and rap also received a significant amount of support. A small number of participants chose other types of music. In addition, students’ motivations for using music as a learning tool mainly included singing along with songs, listening to songs repeatedly, and reading lyrics. These motivations stemmed from students’ concerns about pronunciation accuracy, vocabulary recall, and song meaning. Strengths of the study include the fact that the quantity and quality of the data were adequate and the results were well presented. However, there are some limitations of the study, such as the limitations of the study population and the subjectivity of the data. Therefore, this paper suggests further expansion of the study population, incorporation of objectivity measurement tools, exploration of the effects of different music genres, and provision of relevant training and guidance for teachers. In conclusion, the results of this study validate the effectiveness of music
as a tool for vocabulary acquisition and have practical implications for promoting students’ language learning.

The Effectiveness of Social Media in Learning English: A Systematic Review

Vonny Ardiel — 2024-11-08

The author conducted a systematic review of the published literature on the use of social media in learning English to answer two questions. These research questions are (1) How do the results of the intervention using social media affect learning achievement and outcomes such as learning motivation, interest, understanding, attitudes and skills for English language learners? (2) What are the obstacles and benefits of implementing social media by teachers? This study uses a systematic review method with the PICO technique in searching for articles to be reviewed. Reviews were written according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reporting and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA). The author also uses the Publish or Perish application and VOSviewer to determine research gaps. The author is looking for articles that discuss social media interventions in learning English as a foreign language. The results obtained were fourteen pieces of literature that met the inclusion criteria. Interventions that use social media are associated with the effectiveness and success of achieving
learning outcomes (test scores) and English language skills, and attitudes (cooperation, collaborative and cooperative). The conclusion is that social media interventions in learning English can improve students’ language skills as seen in the form of values, skills, motivational attitudes, self-confidence, ability to communicate and collaborate, critical thinking and self-efficacy in English. Benefits for teachers, social media can help promote teaching, motivate students, support and build teaching.

The Flow of Cultural Transmission Through Storytelling to the Generation Z in Vietnam

Nguyen Hoang Anh Thu — 2024-11-19

Children growing up in Vietnam have mostly heard stories from their family members. At that time, the stories contain cultural knowledge that is preserved and passed down from generation to generation. This study examines the experiences of young people belonging to the Gen Z generation in Vietnam, in the case of students of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City with storytelling and exploring the characteristics of cultural transmission from the previous generation to the following generation through the form of storytelling. To explore these issues, the authors used a mixed research design combining qualitative and quantitative research. The results from the quantitative study show data on the students’ access to storytelling from childhood to the present, while the data from the qualitative study exploit personal experiences to cross-check with the quantitative data. The results of the study show that close relatives such as fathers, mothers, grandparents, teachers or acquaintances are the ones who often transmit culture through the form of storytelling from the students’ childhood. The cultural transmission form contained in the stories is in the form of folklore, literary works, religious stories, stories related to personal experiences and some other types. Storytelling plays the role of knowledge products for the purpose of cultural transmission through the generations. Through that, Gen Z students are provided with spiritual motivation for their own lives. And from there, they also become the ones who continue to transmit culture to the next generation.

Strategies for Translating Vietnamese Culture-specific Terms in Tourism Materials into English

Khanh-Ngoc N. Tran — 2024-11-19

Tourism plays a crucial role in economic growth, especially in countries which boast rich cultural and natural attractions like Vietnam. With the development of the tourism sector, the role of tourism materials is increasingly pivotal in building destination image and attracting more visitors. The rise of international tourism further necessitates high-quality translation of tourism materials to reach a wider audience. Culture-specific terms (CSTs), which are prevalent in the language of tourism, need to be carefully rendered into the target language to effectively convey the persuasiveness of this genre. On this basis, this study is undertaken to explore the strategies used to translate Vietnamese CSTs into English in tourism materials, particularly an online article. To fulfill this objective, the research employs a mixed method design with a corpus extracted from the online article. Qualitative analysis is applied to identify the translation strategies based on Newmark’s (1988) procedures to translate culture, while the frequency of each strategy is counted for quantitative proceedings. Results indicate that among all the individual strategies, Transference is the most prevalent, followed by Synonymy, Functional equivalent, Cultural equivalent, Adaptation and Through-translation. The most common couplets also involve Transference in combination with other strategies. Besides, detailed analysis shows that there are losses of cultural elements during the translation process, calling for increased attention to the transfer of cultural elements in general and translation of tourism materials in particular. The findings further encourage the development of both linguistic and cultural competences among translators to improve the overall quality of tourism translation.

A Comparative Analysis of Lexical Variation of Verbs in Minangkabau and Banjar Languages

Ulil Amri — 2024-11-21

The aim of this research is to analyze lexical variations of isolects in Banjar and Minangkabau languages and to calculate the relationship percentage of the two languages. The method used in this research is a comparative method with a qualitative and quantitative approach to find phonemic and lexical correspondences of the relative lexemes. The data consists of 115 action verbs (glosses) at four observation points of Minangkabau language and two observation points of Banjar language. The data was collected by using non-participation method through notetaking and recording techniques. The Lexicostatistic calculation method is used to calculate inter-language relationships. The results of the analysis show that there were 265 total lexemes of 241 etymons with: 9 cognate (exact-similar), 79 inheritance (minimal-pairs), and 182 different variations of lexemes (considered as borrowing and by chance). The result of the lexicostatistic calculation indicates that the two languages are related by 66.38% and is classified as languages in the same language based on 116 verbs analyzed.

Chinese Immigrant Cultural Identity Acceptance in Turning Red Film

Khoirotul Attiba — 2024-11-08

This research aims to reveal the portrayal of Chinese cultural identity acceptance in Turning Red film. The writer employs qualitative research and content analysis as the method in conducting this research. It is also analyzed by using the theory of cultural identity by Stuart Hall. The result shows that Turning Red film portrays the third-generation Chinese immigrant as someone who preserves cultural values through her unwavering devotion to traditional Chinese eating practices, respect for her parents, preservation of the family’s great reputation, and regard for her ancestors. The film also portrays Meilin’s journey in accepting her Chinese roots. Meilin initially perceived the red panda as a curse due to its impact on her desire for independence and personal freedom. However, as time passed, Meilin’s acceptance grew due to the unwavering support of her peers and family. A moment of acceptance occurred when Meilin’s
family ultimately settled with her choice to keep the red panda amidst chaotic arguments. As a conclusion, Meilin as a third-generation Chinese immigrant, proves that Stuart Hall’s theory of cultural identity, which states that identity is going to keep adapting to a variety of situations, is valid.

Visualizing Lifestyle and Fashion Behavior in Kevin Kwan’s Novel Crazy Rich Asians, Represented in the Film by Jon M. Chu

Audesza Rizkia Zahra — 2024-11-21

This study compares the novel Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan (2013) and the film adaptation of the same title, Crazy Rich Asians, by director Jon M. Chu (2018). Using the adaptation theory by Linda Hutcheon, this thesis examines how Jon M. Chu describes lifestyle and fashion behavior by looking at the three points of social stratification proposed by Max Weber. This research was carried out using a qualitative method. We argue that the lifestyle of upper-class people and fashion behavior in the novel are illuminated luxuriously on the screen. The atmosphere in the film of the lifestyle and fashion behavior strengthens the arrogant manners of the elite class. The novel’s social dynamics and romantic drama have been exposed with a strong ambiance for the cinematic experience for the audience.

The Failure of Bartleby Politics in Orwell’s 1984

Sulistya Ningtyas — 2024-11-21

This study aims to provide a contemporary interpretation of Orwell’s masterpiece, 1984, through the lens of Žižek’s radical violent Act and political withdrawal. Using textual analysis with a psychoanalytic approach, the research examines the failure of Bartleby politics within the protagonist’s journey living in a totalitarian society. Initially, the protagonist commits a radical Act by seeking to rebel against the Party. However, due to the overwhelming power and control exerted by the Party, the protagonist ultimately practices a political withdrawal. Yet, his political withdrawal, commonly referred to as Bartleby politics, is not a mere act of retreat. Rather, it is a strategic decision aimed at preserving his physical existence in the face of imminent destruction. The findings of this study contribute to a deeper understanding of the complexities surrounding political resistance and survival in Orwell’s dystopian world