Acta Globalis Humanitatis et Linguarum (3030-1718) is a peer-reviewed, international journal dedicated to advancing knowledge across the fields of humanistic and linguistic sciences. The journal publishes innovative, interdisciplinary research that bridges literature, philosophy, linguistics, cultural studies, history, and the social sciences. We welcome contributions that challenge conventional theories, encourage cross-cultural dialogue, and explore both theoretical and practical dimensions of human experience. Our mission is to provide an academic platform for researchers, educators, and practitioners committed to enhancing scholarly inquiry and understanding in the global humanistic tradition. Acta Globalis Humanitatis et Linguarum is devoted to promoting high-quality research with worldwide relevance and invites submissions from scholars across the globe, fostering a diverse and inclusive academic conversation.
University Students’ Patriotic Education Through an Interdisciplinary Approach
This study examines the role of an interdisciplinary approach in strengthening patriotic education among university students in Azerbaijan. Interdisciplinary integration has recently gained increasing importance in higher education as an effective pedagogical model for developing critical thinking, creativity, and social responsibility. By combining knowledge, methods, and skills from different academic disciplines, this approach enables students to address real-life challenges more effectively and supports their intellectual as well as civic development. The study is based on observations and surveys conducted in teacher-training faculties at higher education institutions in Nakhchivan. The findings indicate that interdisciplinary teaching helps future educators understand the relationship between subject areas and their shared contribution to the formation of civic awareness, national identity, and patriotic values. The study also draws on international experience, particularly the Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) model, which demonstrates the effectiveness of integrating subject knowledge with language learning. The article concludes that the broader implementation of interdisciplinary integration in higher education requires stronger methodological support, targeted teacher training, and improved institutional resources.
Copyright (c) 2026 Acta Globalis Humanitatis et Linguarum https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Does Watching Netflix Teach Better English Than Textbooks?
This article examines whether watching Netflix can teach English more effectively than traditional textbooks. It compares the pedagogical strengths of textbooks with the authentic and immersive qualities of audiovisual media in English language learning. Textbooks provide structured grammar instruction, organized vocabulary development, and systematic practice of the four main language skills. By contrast, Netflix exposes learners to real-life dialogues, natural pronunciation, idiomatic expressions, diverse accents, and culturally meaningful contexts. The article also discusses the role of subtitles, learner motivation, active versus passive viewing, and the challenges of unsystematic media-based learning. It argues that although Netflix offers valuable support for listening comprehension, vocabulary growth, and socio-cultural competence, it cannot fully replace textbooks because it lacks clear progression, explicit explanation, and corrective feedback. The study concludes that the most effective model of English language learning is a balanced approach that combines textbook-based instruction with purposeful audiovisual exposure. Such integration can improve both linguistic accuracy and communicative competence in contemporary language education.
Types of Fermatas and Their Expressive Techniques in Conducting Practice
A fermata is a musical sign placed over a note, chord, or rest to indicate that the sound or silence should be held longer than its written value. Because its duration is not fixed, the fermata becomes one of the most flexible and powerful means of musical expressiveness, especially in choral and ensemble performance where timing must be coordinated collectively. This article analyzes the main types of fermatas and explains their expressive and technical realization in conducting practice. The study differentiates between cut-off (final) fermatas, where the conductor ends both sound and musical movement, and non-cut-off (continuation) fermatas, where the release simultaneously functions as an upbeat for further motion. Fermatas over barlines and over rests are also examined as devices that create caesura, contrast, tension, and rhetorical emphasis. Special attention is given to expressive preparation through ritardando, gradual tempo reduction, and dynamic shaping, which often make the fermata feel emotionally inevitable. The article also discusses how articulation (legato, non-legato, staccato) and dynamic technique interact with fermata execution. Methodologically, the work combines analytical description, comparative interpretation, and pedagogical observation to support practical recommendations for conducting training.
The Concept of Human Education in the Works of L. N. Tolstoy: A Pedagogical and Psychological Analysis
The article analyzes the concept of human education in the works of Leo Tolstoy from pedagogical and psychological perspectives. The aim of the study is to identify the stages of moral formation in the writer’s works What Men Live By, The Death of Ivan Ilyich, Youth, and Master and Man, and to scientifically explain the role of love, compassion, and conscience in the educational process. Methodologically, the research applies a comparative-analytical approach, pedagogical-psychological interpretation of the literary text, and characterological analysis of the protagonists. The analysis demonstrates that Tolstoy interprets human education not merely as the transmission of knowledge but as the awakening of inner moral potential. The writer presents the human life path—from childhood to death—as a continuous process of moral development and emphasizes that true human value is embodied in conscience and compassion, regardless of social status. The study concludes that Tolstoy’s humanistic worldview possesses significant theoretical and practical relevance for modern pedagogy and psychology and serves as a conceptual model defining the main directions of moral education.
Neural Networks as Artists: Exploring AI in Contemporary Painting
The integration of neural networks into contemporary painting represents a profound transformation in artistic production, aesthetic theory, and creative authorship. This study examines how artificial intelligence (AI), particularly deep learning architectures such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs), generative adversarial networks (GANs), and diffusion models, functions within modern painting practices. Employing an interdisciplinary IMRAD framework, the research combines technical analysis of neural architectures, case studies of AI-generated artworks, and theoretical evaluation of creativity, authorship, and aesthetic agency. The findings indicate that neural networks enable stylistic emulation, generative image synthesis, semantic text-to-image translation, and large-scale visual recombination, thereby expanding both the visual and conceptual boundaries of painting. However, their outputs reflect procedural and statistical creativity rather than conscious intentionality. The study further demonstrates that AI reshapes artistic workflows by shifting emphasis from manual execution toward prompt engineering, system configuration, dataset curation, and algorithmic mediation. While AI-generated paintings have achieved institutional validation and market recognition, they simultaneously raise significant ethical and legal concerns regarding copyright ownership, dataset consent, artistic labor displacement, and cultural appropriation. Ultimately, neural networks function not as autonomous artists but as transformative creative media that redefine collaboration between human imagination and machine computation in contemporary art.
Proverbs As Linguistic Units Preserving the Value of Words
Proverbs represent condensed expressions of collective wisdom that embody the ethical, cultural, and communicative values of a society. Among their thematic classifications, proverbs concerning the value of words occupy a distinctive position within the moral philosophy of speech communities. These proverbs articulate cultural perceptions of language, silence, and verbal responsibility, reflecting an understanding of speech as both a cognitive instrument and a moral force. The present study examines the linguistic, semantic, stylistic, pragmatic, and cognitive features of proverbs that emphasize the value of words. Drawing on cross-linguistic examples, the research demonstrates that across cultures, words are perceived as indicators of intellectual capacity, reflections of moral integrity, and powerful agents capable of creation, healing, or destruction. Proverbs addressing speech behavior, communicative ethics, and the social consequences of language form a significant layer of intangible cultural heritage. The findings suggest that such proverbs reveal a universal awareness of language as a transformative social force and highlight the enduring relevance of verbal responsibility in human interaction.
Media Representation and Sponsorship of Women's Sports in Azerbaijan: Challenges and Opportunities
This study investigates the factors influencing the sponsorship of female athletes, examining the role of athlete-related, media-related, consumer-related, and external factors. Through a survey of participants within the sports industry, the research highlights the key challenges and opportunities for female athletes in securing sponsorships. The findings emphasize the importance of performance perception, media exposure, fan engagement, and societal attitudes towards gender equality in sports. While performance and media coverage are identified as crucial elements in attracting sponsorship, the research also reveals the challenges posed by cultural stereotypes and consumer perceptions. Recommendations are made for increasing media visibility, fostering greater fan engagement, and addressing gender biases to create a more equitable environment for female athletes. The study contributes to the existing literature on sports sponsorship and gender equality, offering insights for sponsors, sports organizations, and policymakers in promoting female sports.
The Role of Infrastructure Innovations in Regional Development: Evidence from the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic
In the modern global economy, infrastructure innovation has become a crucial determinant of regional competitiveness, economic resilience, and long-term sustainable development. This is particularly relevant for geographically constrained, landlocked, or peripheral regions, where innovative infrastructure can alleviate structural disadvantages, strengthen connectivity with external markets, and enhance the efficiency of resource allocation. By reducing transaction costs, accelerating the movement of goods and information, and improving institutional and technological capacity, infrastructure innovation contributes to both economic growth and social cohesion. This study examines the role of infrastructure innovation in promoting regional economic development in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, a region characterized by its unique geopolitical position and limited transport corridors. Using an econometric time-series modeling framework, the research analyzes the long-run and short-run relationships between innovation-oriented infrastructure indicators and regional economic growth. The empirical findings reveal a statistically significant and positive relationship between infrastructure innovation and economic performance, confirming that innovation-driven infrastructure policies serve as a key pillar of sustainable and competitive regional development.
Geometric Ornamentation in Chalcolithic Pottery from Nakhchivan
Geometric patterns on Chalcolithic ceramics from the Nakhchivan region are a stable visual component of local material culture. Despite a limited range of motifs, these patterns show strong compositional regularity, technical consistency, and typological continuity. Typological analysis indicates that the decorative elements form a coherent visual system grounded in standardised forms and production practices. From a cognitive perspective, this stability may be linked to repetitive gestures and motor routines in ceramic manufacture, supporting the stabilization of form and visual order. Simple, rhythmic geometric configurations further offer advantages for motor control and attentional organisation. Regional comparisons suggest that Nakhchivan’s ceramic ornamentation developed in close interaction with the Urmia basin and the wider Near Eastern cultural sphere. Painted assemblages from Nakhchivan Tepe show affinities with the Dalma Tepe tradition, while material from Bülövqaya indicates connections with Halaf and Ubaid contexts. Overall, Chalcolithic ceramic ornamentation in Nakhchivan reflects processes shaped by both local continuity and interregional interaction.
The Concept of Traditional Aesthetics in Theatre
The article elaborates the concept of traditional aesthetics in theatre. Traditional aesthetics in theatre constitute foundational systems through which performance communicates cultural values, philosophical ideas, and collective memory. This article examines the concept of traditional aesthetics in theatre by analyzing its theoretical origins, defining characteristics, and continued relevance in contemporary performance practice. Using a qualitative, literature-based methodology, the study draws on classical aesthetic treatises such as Aristotle’s Poetics and Bharata Muni’s Natyashastra, alongside modern performance scholarship, to explore how traditional theatrical forms structure meaning. The analysis reveals that traditional aesthetics are characterized by codified performance techniques, symbolic and non-realist representation, ritual and mythic foundations, and an integrated relationship between text, movement, music, and space. These elements establish a shared aesthetic language between performers and audiences, enabling theatre to function as a culturally embedded and reflective practice rather than a mere imitation of everyday reality. The discussion further demonstrates that traditional aesthetics continue to inform contemporary theatre through preservation, adaptation, and intercultural experimentation, offering alternative models of creativity grounded in discipline and embodiment. The study concludes that traditional aesthetics remain a vital framework for understanding theatre as an artistic, cultural, and philosophical phenomenon in both historical and modern contexts.
Differentiating Criminal Responsibility in Offenses Against Life and Health: Problems of Qualification and Complicity
Crimes against life and health represent the most socially dangerous category of offenses in criminal law, as they directly affect the fundamental and irreplaceable value of human existence. Despite the priority accorded to the protection of life, practical and doctrinal difficulties continue to arise in the differentiation of criminal liability for such crimes, particularly in cases involving complicity and special subjects. This article examines the problems of differentiating liability for crimes against life and health through the analysis of the objective element of the offense, the forms of perpetration, and the legal status of participants involved in criminal activity. Special attention is paid to issues of co-perpetration, instigation, and aiding, as well as to crimes committed by special subjects, including the intentional killing of a newborn by the mother. The study also addresses contemporary challenges related to surrogate motherhood and the determination of criminal liability in the context of modern medical technologies. Based on an analysis of criminal legislation, legal doctrine, and judicial practice, the article identifies gaps and inconsistencies in the qualification of participants’ actions. The findings emphasize the importance of a differentiated approach to criminal liability as a means of ensuring justice, legal certainty, and the correct application of criminal law norms.
Collection Management in Museums: Conservation, Risk Management, and Climate Control Protocols
Collection management is increasingly defined by an operational triad: conservation decision-making, structured risk management, and evidence-based climate control. This analytical review synthesizes current standards and institutional guidance on preventive conservation and collection care, focusing on (a) climate parameters and monitoring protocols, (b) risk assessment and emergency preparedness, and (c) sustainability and ethics in stewardship. A narrative, criteria-driven synthesis was conducted across international standards (e.g., EN/ISO), professional handbooks used in museum engineering practice, and authoritative institutional guidance from museum and heritage bodies. Findings highlight that effective collection management depends less on universal “ideal” setpoints and more on (1) collection-specific vulnerability and acclimatization histories, (2) reliability and interpretability of monitoring data, and (3) integrated governance that connects facilities management with registration, conservation, security, and public access. The study proposes two practical tools for implementation: a comparative climate-control parameter table by material class and a role-based risk management matrix. Recommendations emphasize tiered, risk-based climate control; energy-aware environmental strategies; formalized incident response workflows; and ethical collection governance addressing provenance, repatriation, and access-versus-preservation trade-offs.
The Matrix of Postmodern Fragmentation in Ian McEwan’s Atonement
Postmodernist writers are known for their experimentation with modernist techniques, and among the ones that they expanded on and played with is the technique of fragmentation. McEwan instills the implementation of that concept in his work Atonement (2002). Thus, the text will be approached in this paper by highlighting and analyzing the utilization of fragmentation by the author. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine how the author used fragmentation so as to express his ideas, in addition to seeing how he dealt with temporal linearity (forward/backward techniques) and spatial linearity, plot structure, episodic structure, events, etc. The significance of this study lies in the contribution the paper shall make to the body of English literature by providing a critical input to the literary data related to McEwan’s narrative. The results revealed that McEwan has employed fragmentation almost throughout the text in a manner that makes the readers confused and perplexed in understanding the text smoothly because of distorting and fragmenting his narrative through the above-mentioned list
Metadiscourse Patterns in Human-Written vs. Generative AI-Authored Research Abstracts: A Comparative Corpus-Based Analysis
This study examines how metadiscourse markers differ in research article abstracts written by human authors and those generated by AI (ChatGPT). We compiled a balanced corpus of human-written abstracts from peer-reviewed journals and AI-generated abstracts using the same titles and publication contexts. Using Hyland’s interpersonal metadiscourse framework, we annotated interactive (text-organizing) and interactional (reader-focused) devices and compared their frequencies across corpora. Quantitative analysis (frequency counts normalized per 1,000 words; chi-square tests) revealed systematic differences: AI abstracts contained more structural (interactive) markers (e.g. transitions, frame signals) but significantly fewer stance and engagement markers (e.g. hedges, boosters) than human abstracts. Qualitative analysis of exemplar abstracts confirmed that AI-generated abstracts adopt a clearer, more impersonal tone, while human abstracts show richer personal voice and reader engagement. These findings align with recent studies showing ChatGPT’s abstracts are coherent but lack nuanced authorial presence. We discuss implications for academic writing, noting that AI can mimic formal structure yet may omit the rhetorical subtlety valued in scholarly communication. Limitations (e.g. single AI model, one genre) and future work are identified. Overall, this comparative corpus analysis highlights characteristic metadiscourse profiles of AI vs. human authorship in scientific abstracts and informs discourse research in the AI era.
Hyperbole, Repetition, and Metonymy in Donald J. Trump’s Davos 2026 Special Address: A Discourse-Stylistic Analysis
This study presents a rigorous stylistic analysis of President Donald J. Trump’s Davos 2026 special address, concentrating on the use of metonymy, hyperbole, and repetition. Using the full speech transcript, we manually annotated instances of these devices according to standard definitions. Our findings show that Trump heavily employs hyperbolic exaggerations (e.g. “hottest country anywhere in the world”, “largest wave of mass migration in human history”) and repeated constructions (e.g. multiple “Instead of … we’re …” clauses) to emphasize his points, while using few metonymic phrases (e.g. “Washington and European capitals”, “White House” for the presidency). Scholarly sources note that such repetition builds cohesion and emotional intensity in political rhetoric, and that hyperbole amplifies key messages and arouses audience engagement. This analysis (summarized in Table 1) suggests that Trump’s use of these devices serves to spotlight his achievements and contrast them with opponents’, creating a persuasive and forceful speaking style.
Issue of Negation from a Stylistic Perspective: Litotes, Irony and Paradox
This study investigates negation as a salient stylistic resource in literary and linguistic discourse, emphasizing its semantic, pragmatic, and expressive potential. Rather than functioning only as a grammatical marker of denial, negation operates as a meaning-shaping mechanism that modulates tone, constructs authorial stance, and guides reader interpretation. In stylistic use, negative forms frequently encode evaluation and affect, enabling speakers and writers to communicate implicit judgments and nuanced attitudes that are often less accessible through direct affirmation. Particular attention is devoted to figures of speech whose rhetorical force depends on negation—litotes, irony, and paradox. Litotes, typically realized through understatement and double negation, allows writers to soften propositional content while strengthening implicature, producing indirect affirmation and refined evaluative emphasis. Irony often exploits negation to widen the gap between literal wording and intended meaning, foregrounding contradictions between surface appearance and underlying reality; in such contexts, negation becomes a vehicle for critique and discursive distancing. Paradox employs negation to juxtapose seemingly incompatible propositions, destabilizing straightforward logic and prompting deeper interpretative work, thereby intensifying textual complexity. The analysis argues that stylistic negation enhances textual depth by introducing ambiguity, activating inference, and generating productive cognitive tension. By disrupting linear interpretation and encouraging multilayered readings, negation emerges as a dynamic strategy of meaning-making that links linguistic form to thought and artistic expression, extending well beyond its conventional grammatical boundaries.
Implementation of the Law of Inheritance and Acceptance of Inheritance
This article examines the implementation of inheritance law and the legal procedures governing the acceptance of inheritance in the Republic of Azerbaijan. As each legal system reflects national legal traditions and principles, inheritance law in Azerbaijan also possesses specific characteristics. The regulation of inheritance relations and the procedure for accepting inheritance are governed by the Civil Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan and represent one of the fundamental institutions of civil law (Movsumov & Jabbarli, 1998). Inheritance law ensures the transfer of a deceased person’s property, rights, and obligations to heirs on the basis of either statutory provisions or a will. In cases of statutory inheritance, heirs are identified according to a legally established order of priority, whereas in testamentary inheritance the expressed will of the testator is of decisive significance. The acceptance of inheritance constitutes a key legal stage reflecting the heir’s intention to acquire inheritance rights and may be realized either through actual acceptance or by submitting a formal application to a notary. Under current legislation, inheritance must be accepted within a six-month period. Failure to observe this statutory time limit may lead to specific legal consequences. The proper and consistent application of inheritance law contributes to legal certainty, stability, and justice in civil circulation.
Artificial Intelligence and the Design of Politics in the Modern World
Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly integrated into political decision-making, governance, and electoral processes, shifting politics from a human-centered, intuition-driven domain to one that is data-driven and algorithmically guided. AI technologies such as machine learning and big data analytics assist in policy planning and simulation, enabling policymakers to anticipate the social and economic consequences of decisions. AI-driven analytics can monitor public opinion, predict voter behavior, and enable micro-targeted campaigning, reshaping the dynamics of elections. Beyond domestic politics, AI models support crisis management and diplomacy by simulating scenarios to predict conflicts, assess risks, and inform negotiation strategies. Additionally, AI enhances cybersecurity and helps detect disinformation, protecting democratic processes against manipulation. However, the use of AI in politics raises significant ethical, social, and legal issues. Algorithmic decision-making may embed biases, reduce transparency, and concentrate power in the hands of those who control these systems. Concerns about data privacy, accountability, and equitable access further complicate AI’s integration into public life. Thus, while AI can make governance more efficient, responsive, and participatory, its deployment must be balanced with rigorous ethical standards, transparency measures, and regulatory oversight to preserve democratic integrity. Ultimately, AI’s rise represents a transformative shift in modern politics, offering both opportunities and challenges that society must carefully navigate.
Armenian Migrations to the South Caucasus in the Second Half of the 20th Century and Its Consequences
In the second half of the twentieth century, Armenian migration to the South Caucasus became a key factor influencing the region’s demographic and political development. Officially presented by Soviet authorities as a humanitarian “repatriation” initiative, this policy primarily pursued strategic objectives aimed at reshaping the ethnic structure of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic. Between 1946 and 1948, large numbers of Armenians were resettled from abroad to Soviet Armenia, a process that coincided with the forced displacement of the Azerbaijani population from their historical territories. These population movements significantly disrupted the ethnic balance of the South Caucasus and weakened long-standing traditions of multicultural coexistence. Over time, Armenia developed into a largely monoethnic republic, while Azerbaijan encountered serious social, economic, and humanitarian challenges related to the accommodation and integration of displaced communities. Furthermore, the long-term consequences of these demographic policies contributed to growing political tensions in the region. The escalation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in the late 1980s can be interpreted as an outcome of these sustained ethno-demographic transformations, which ultimately undermined regional stability and interethnic relations.
Copyright (c) 2025 Acta Globalis Humanitatis et Linguarum https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
The Ancient and Religious Roots of the Idea of Human Rights
This text examines the historical and philosophical development of the concept of human rights from antiquity to modern times. It argues that human rights have evolved in close connection with social, political, cultural, and intellectual conditions of each historical period. Beginning with ancient Greek and Roman thought, the text highlights early democratic ideas, the contributions of the Sophists, and the contrasting views of philosophers such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, who prioritized the state over the individual. It further explores religious perspectives that grounded human dignity and equality in divine or natural law. Modern liberal democracy is presented as a system that limits majority rule through the protection of fundamental human rights. The text emphasizes the international character of human rights, as articulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, while also stressing the importance of cultural and historical specificity. Ultimately, it concludes that human rights can only be sustainably protected in societies that consciously understand, accept, and actively struggle for them (UN, 1998).
The Role of Gender Category in Homonym Formation in the German Language
This study investigates the role of grammatical gender in the formation, differentiation, and stabilization of homonyms in the German language. Drawing on lexicographic sources, corpus data, and theoretical literature, the analysis demonstrates that gender functions as a key structural mechanism that enables phonologically identical nouns to maintain distinct meanings. Homonymous sets such as Band, See, and Teil show that gender provides essential morphological cues that prevent lexical merger and support semantic clarity. Diachronic evidence further reveals that gender often preserves distinctions between historically unrelated roots that have converged phonetically over time. In contemporary usage, gender agreement within noun phrases offers redundant syntactic signals that facilitate efficient disambiguation, aligning with psycholinguistic findings on gender-based lexical access. The results highlight the broader linguistic, cognitive, and pedagogical significance of gender as a central organizing principle within the German lexicon.
How Music Makes You Fluent: Learning English Through Songs
This study investigates the impact of learning English through songs on vocabulary acquisition, pronunciation, and listening comprehension. Music has long been recognized as a powerful tool in language learning, combining rhythm, melody, and meaningful content to enhance cognitive and affective processes. Twenty English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners participated in a four-week intervention involving structured activities, including guided listening, lyric analysis, shadowing, and comprehension tasks. A curated playlist of pop, acoustic, soft rock, and indie songs was used, selected for clear pronunciation, repetitive structures, and appropriate lexical content. Pre- and post-tests measured vocabulary knowledge, pronunciation accuracy, and listening comprehension, while qualitative feedback captured learners’ perceptions and motivation. Results indicated significant improvements: vocabulary scores increased by 32%, pronunciation by 22%, and listening comprehension by 28%. Pop songs yielded the greatest gains in vocabulary and listening, while acoustic and soft rock songs enhanced prosodic features. Learners reported increased engagement, reduced anxiety, and enhanced motivation, highlighting the affective benefits of music-based learning. These findings support the integration of songs into language instruction as an effective, enjoyable, and culturally enriching approach. Music not only reinforces linguistic skills but also fosters fluency, confidence, and long-term retention, offering a holistic strategy for English language acquisition.
Learning Through the Lens of Realia: Expanding Language Skills with Real-World Contexts
This study explores the effectiveness of using realia—authentic, real-world objects and materials—in enhancing language skills in second language acquisition. The research investigates how real-world contexts can expand vocabulary, improve listening comprehension, and foster fluency in speaking. Data were collected through pre- and post-assessments, classroom observations, and student surveys, involving 30 language learners. Results indicate significant improvements across key language domains: a 20% increase in vocabulary usage, a 17% enhancement in listening comprehension, and a 12% boost in speaking fluency. Classroom interactions showed that realia stimulated greater student engagement, promoting more spontaneous language use and peer-to-peer communication. Survey responses revealed high levels of student satisfaction, with 85% of participants finding realia to be a useful tool in language learning. However, some learners faced challenges in relating unfamiliar objects to language concepts, highlighting the need for contextual support. The findings suggest that realia can effectively bridge the gap between classroom instruction and real-world application, making language learning more relevant and meaningful. Future research should explore the long-term effects of realia and its applicability across diverse student populations to further validate its pedagogical value.
Exploring the Translation of Colloquial Expressions: A Sociolinguistic Perspective
This study investigates the translation of colloquial expressions through a sociolinguistic lens, emphasizing the interplay between linguistic equivalence, cultural mediation, and social identity. Colloquial language—including slang, idioms, and informal speech—reflects speakers’ cultural values, group membership, and evolving communication norms. Translating such expressions presents challenges due to their cultural embeddedness, contextual variability, and rapid evolution across digital platforms. Using examples from English and Azerbaijani, the paper analyzes how translators navigate these challenges through adaptive strategies such as borrowing, paraphrasing, domestication, and contextual adaptation. It argues that translators function as cultural mediators, preserving not only semantic meaning but also social and pragmatic nuances that define colloquial discourse. The study highlights the increasing influence of social media on the emergence and diffusion of slang, underscoring the need for translators to maintain cultural awareness and linguistic flexibility in the digital age.
The Linguistic Mirror of Emotion: How Language Shapes Feelings Across Cultures
Language is more than a vehicle for communication – it is a mirror reflecting and shaping human emotion across different cultural worlds. This article explores how linguistic structures, vocabularies, and metaphors influence the way people perceive, categorize, and express their feelings. Drawing on evidence from linguistics, anthropology, and psychology, we find that languages encode emotion in culturally specific ways, from unique “untranslatable” emotion words to grammar and idioms that frame feelings differently. Cross-cultural studies show that speakers of different languages may actually perceive emotional expressions differently, supporting the view that language helps constitute emotional experience (Gendron et al., 2014; Jack et al., 2012). Moreover, bilingual individuals often report shifts in emotional intensity and expression when switching languages, highlighting the intimate link between language and feeling. While certain basic emotions may be pan-human, their linguistic labeling and interpretation are far from universal. Understanding these nuances has profound implications for cross-cultural communication, mental health, and global empathy. In sum, our emotions are not just biologically “hard-wired” responses but are also shaped and sharpened by the words and concepts our languages provide.
Challenges in the Translation of Religious Culturonyms
The translation of culturonyms—culture-specific lexical items tied to the religious practices, beliefs, institutions, or worldviews of a source culture—poses myriad challenges. This paper examines the difficulties inherent in rendering religious culturonyms from a source into a target language and culture. Drawing on prior research in translation studies and selected case examples from sacred texts and novels, the study identifies major obstacles—semantic non-equivalence, cultural invisibility, translator competence, and audience reception—and outlines strategies commonly adopted (domesticating, foreignizing, explanatory) together with their trade-offs. The findings suggest that no single strategy suffices; rather, a context-sensitive balance is required, and translators must possess deep cultural and religious literacy. The conclusion considers implications for translator training and future research.
Politics of Death and the Limits of Democracy: A Review of Achille Mbembe’s Necropolitics
This review offers a critical analysis of Achille Mbembe’s Necropolitics (2019), a text that redefines the relationship between power and death in modern political life. Building upon Michel Foucault’s notion of biopolitics, Mbembe conceptualizes necropolitics as the exercise of sovereignty through the creation of “death worlds”—spaces where populations are rendered disposable. The review highlights Mbembe’s central argument that liberal democracy is inseparable from the colonial and racial regimes that underpin modernity. Drawing on examples from slavery, apartheid, and the occupation of Palestine, Mbembe illustrates how necropower operates across historical and contemporary contexts. The review emphasizes the book’s interdisciplinary breadth and its relevance to ongoing debates in political theory, postcolonial studies, and global governance. Despite its theoretical density, Necropolitics stands as an essential text for understanding how the management of death continues to define modern political systems.
Silence, Power, and the Archive: Reading Marisa J. Fuentes and Michel-Rolph Trouillot
This review examines the intersecting arguments of Marisa J. Fuentes’s Dispossessed Lives: Enslaved Women, Violence, and the Archive (2016) and Michel-Rolph Trouillot’s Silencing the Past: Power and the Production of History (1995), situating both within contemporary debates on power, epistemic violence, and the politics of historical knowledge. Trouillot’s foundational analysis reveals how silences structure history at every stage—from the creation of facts to their retrospective interpretation—demonstrating that historical production is inseparable from relations of domination. Fuentes extends this theoretical frame into the gendered and racialized domains of the colonial archive, focusing on eighteenth-century Bridgetown, Barbados, where the fragmented traces of enslaved and free women of color expose the archive as a “technology of violence.” Her method of reading against the grain uncovers both the violence and the possibilities within archival fragments, foregrounding the ethical dilemmas of representing lives marked by erasure. Read together, Trouillot and Fuentes articulate a critical practice that redefines silence not as a void but as an active condition of historiography. They compel historians to treat the archive as a contested space where power and knowledge converge, urging a reimagining of historical methodology that attends to absence, affect, and the ongoing colonial grammars of representation. The review concludes that both works illuminate the necessity of confronting the limits of what can be known, while envisioning a more reflexive and decolonial practice of reading, writing, and remembering history.
Characteristics of Theatre Language and Its Translation Challenges
Theatre language is a distinctive mode of communication characterized by its performative nature, oral orientation, and integration within a multimodal artistic context. Unlike traditional literary texts, dramatic language functions not only as written material but as a blueprint for live performance, combining dialogue, physical gestures, timing, and spatial dynamics to create a holistic theatrical experience. Translating theatre texts, therefore, presents unique challenges that extend beyond linguistic equivalence to encompass cultural specificity, performative feasibility, and audience reception. This paper investigates the essential characteristics of theatre language and explores the inherent difficulties encountered in its translation across languages and cultures. Employing a qualitative methodology that includes a comprehensive literature review and comparative textual analysis of selected dramatic works—ranging from Shakespearean classics to contemporary European drama—the study identifies key features such as colloquialism, dialectal variation, wordplay, and multimodality that complicate the translation process. The results reveal that theatre translation requires creative strategies to negotiate cultural references, humor, and performative constraints, often demanding adaptive solutions rather than literal translations. The discussion highlights the translator’s role as a cultural mediator and creative collaborator within the theatrical production process. This paper contributes to the growing field of theatre translation studies by emphasizing the interplay between language, culture, and performance, and suggests directions for future research including empirical studies on audience reception and collaborative translation practices.
The Role of Specialized Translation in Enhancing Cross-cultural Legal and Medical Communication
Translating for specific purposes, particularly in legal and medical contexts, involves complex challenges that extend far beyond achieving linguistic equivalence. These highly specialized domains demand not only advanced linguistic proficiency but also subject-matter expertise, cultural competence, and sensitivity to ethical and legal implications. Within cross-cultural communication, translators function as both linguistic and cultural mediators, ensuring that meaning is conveyed accurately across differing systems of law, healthcare, and professional discourse. This article examines the multifaceted nature of legal and medical translation by drawing upon functionalist translation theories, including Skopos Theory and discourse-based approaches, alongside real-world case studies. It explores central issues such as conceptual non-equivalence, terminological precision, pragmatic adaptation, and the ethical dilemmas inherent in translating sensitive or legally binding information. The discussion emphasizes how translation decisions can influence legal justice, patient safety, and overall communicative effectiveness in multicultural settings. By integrating theoretical insight with practical examples, the study identifies best practices and proposes ethical guidelines for translators and institutions engaged in these high-stakes fields. Ultimately, it underscores the translator’s crucial role in maintaining linguistic fidelity, cultural coherence, and professional integrity. Specialized translation, as argued, is not merely a technical act of language transfer but a vital component in safeguarding cross-cultural understanding, legal rights, and public health outcomes.
Legal translation Medical translation Terminology Equivalence Cultural mediation Translation ethics