Journal of Linguistics and Communication Studies

Affixal Processes in Ogba and English Languages

Fashion Giobari Zabbey — 2026-03-13

This paper contrasted the affixal processes in in O̩gba and English languages. The aim of the study is to identify the areas of similarities and dissimilarities between the affixal processes in both languages. The study adopted the Contrastive Analysis Theory (CA). The data used in this study were elicited through the use of unstructured oral interview of L1 and L2 users of O̩gba and English languages respectively. The data for the study were analyzed through the use of descriptive and contrastive methods of data analysis. The data were presented using the Leipzig glossing pattern. It was observed that prefixes, suffixes and suprafixes exist in both languages. This study also found out that prefixes are segmental phonemes in both languages. However, it was noticed that whereas the prefixes in O̩gba have either V or N (where N represents syllabic nasal) syllabic structure, the prefixes in English language have irregular syllabic structures which include: VC, CV, VCCV, CVCV and CVC. This study further observed that it is only the verb that host prefixes in O̩gba while nouns, adjectives and verb can host the prefixes in English language. Again, it was affirmed that English language has more suffixes than the O̩gba language. Only four suffixes were identified in the O̩gba while the English language has several suffixes. Additionally, whereas suffixation is inflectional in O̩gba, it is both inflectional and derivational in the English language. It was noticed that the suprafixes in O̩gba are tone (variation in the pitch of the voice) and nasalization while the suprafix in the English language is stress. In view of that, this study recommended that English language teachers within O̩gba speech communities should focus on other forms of nominalization and stress in the English language.

The Interactional Function of “Hǎo Lei” in the Sequence Organization of WeChat Interactions

Qingjiao Fu — 2026-03-13

As a common conversational practice in Mandarin Chinese, “hǎo lei” is often employed to express the speaker’s acceptance or agreement with its prior turn. Based on data of WeChat interactions and using Conversation Analysis as the research methodology, this study analyzes the sequence organization and interactional function of “hǎo lei” in WeChat interaction. Observation reveals that “hǎo lei” typically occurs in the responding position and the sequence-closing position, which express the speaker’s positive attitude or commitment to the action implemented by the previous turn. “Hǎo lei” performs a range of interactional functions, depending on different sequential situations and contexts, including expressing acceptance, giving receipt tokens, and granting the request.

The Effects of Noise on English Vowel Perception by Chinese EFL Learners of Different Proficiency Levels

Bingyi Wu — 2026-04-01

Daily communication usually occurs in various kinds of noise backgrounds. Noise interferes with the process of recognizing the target sounds, thus affecting the accuracy of speech perception. In the present study, three speech perception environments were set up: quiet, English babble noise and Chinese babble noise. 60 undergraduate English majors were selected as subjects and divided equally into a higher proficiency level group and a lower proficiency level group. By measuring and calculating their correct identification rates of twenty English vowels in three different listening conditions, the study investigated the effects of second language proficiency and noise type on Chinese English learners’ vowel perception. The results showed that learners at the higher level showed a significant advantage over those in the lower level group in identifying English vowels in both quiet and noisy environments, indicating a positive correlation between L2 proficiency and English vowel perception. In contrast, the results of the higher and lower level groups showed different trends in English and Chinese noise. The accuracy of the higher proficiency level group in English babble and Chinese babble are almost the same, while the lower proficiency level group performed significantly better in Chinese babble than in English babble. This suggests that both L2 proficiency and the types of noise have an effect on English vowel perception, and that there is an interactive effect between the two factors.

The Construction of Virtual Intimacy: A Multimodal Discourse Analysis on the Interactive Mechanism in Virtual Livestreaming

Yuxuan Liu — 2026-05-11

The emerging phenomenon of virtual livestreaming has garnered academic attention. However, there remains limited multimodal analysis addressing its interactive mechanisms. Grounded in the interpersonal metafunction of systemic functional linguistics and the interactive meaning framework of visual grammar, the present study employs a corpus-based approach to investigate how virtual streamers on YouTube construct a sense of virtual intimacy through verbal, visual, and their integrated multimodal resources. Results show that: (1) verbally, virtual streamers primarily use declarative sentences, medium-value modality, and probability to demonstrate a highly formulaic pattern of emotional expression; (2) visually, they foster an immersive, face-to-face-like interactive atmosphere through frontal, eye-level close-up shots combined with frequent level demands and smiles; (3) correlation analysis reveals a positive correlation between the offer contact and declarative sentence, also between level demand and low-value modality, but a negative correlation is found between smiles and declarative sentences, downward demands and interrogative sentences; (4) the multimodal coordination enables virtual streamers to effectively transform emotional interactions into sustained consumption engagement with virtual symbols. This study offers a novel perspective for research on the virtual streaming industry and digital consumption culture.

Dimensional Differences in English Speaking Anxiety Across Physical and Online Contexts: A Study of Chinese EFL Undergraduates

Yang Xiaoying — 2026-05-11

While previous research has established that online learning reduces language anxiety, less is known about how different dimensions of speaking anxiety respond to the shift from physical to digital classrooms. Grounded in foreign language classroom anxiety theory and situated within a communication studies framework, ESA is deconstructed into three dimensions: Communication Apprehension, Fear of Negative Evaluation, and Test Anxiety. This study employed survey design with 507 undergraduates in Shandong Province using parallel questionnaires for both contexts and paired samples t-tests. The findings show a significant contextual difference in overall ESA levels. Online classrooms (M=2.291) exhibit markedly lower anxiety than physical classrooms (M=2.791), with a mean difference of 0.500; Dimensional analysis reveals varying contextual sensitivities. Fear of Negative Evaluation shows the greatest contextual disparity (mean difference=0.579), descending from moderate to low levels across contexts. Test Anxiety follows closely with similar reduction patterns. Communication Apprehension exhibits the smallest contextual difference (mean difference=0.360), maintaining consistent moderate levels across contexts. This indicates its stability as a cognition-based construct; The digitally mediated environment proves particularly effective in alleviating social-evaluative anxiety linked to audience presence and immediate judgment. Yet it does little to reduce ability-focused cognitive anxiety. This study reveals the complex relationship between communication medium, learner psychology, and language performance. It provides empirical evidence for implementing “context-aware, dimension-sensitive” pedagogical frameworks in technology-enhanced language education. The study contributes to both linguistic and communication scholarship by demonstrating how media characteristics reconfigure specific affective components of language learning.

Projecting Trajectories and Regulating Relations: Address Terms in Mandarin Initiating Actions

Ruiyang Ma — 2026-05-13

This study employs Conversation Analysis (CA) to explore the usage patterns and interactional functions of address terms in initiating actions in Mandarin Chinese telephone conversations. Based on naturally occurring audio recordings and transcriptions, the research focuses on the deployment of address terms at turn-initial, mid-turn, and turn-final positions, analyzing their roles in managing conversation progression, expressing stance and emotion, and regulating interpersonal relationships. The analysis reveals that at the turn-initial position, address terms are often used to project a shift in the sequence trajectory, indicating disalignment with the prior action. At the mid-turn position, address terms primarily function to intensify the speaker’s affective stance and regulate the emotional tone. At the turn-final position, they are frequently used to construct specific identities and consolidate interpersonal solidarity. These findings reveal that address terms serve as complex interactional resources in Mandarin conversation. This study contributes to the interactional study of Mandarin address terms based on naturally occurring data, enriching the literature in CA and providing practical implications for cross-cultural communication and language teaching.