Journal of Language and Literature

Manipulation, Socio-psychological Impact of False Promises of Marriage to Shona Women in Selected Shona Novels

Caroline Chiumburu — 2025-10-02

This article discusses the victimisation of women who were promised false marriage by men in selected Shona literature. It unravels why women fall prey and quizzes why men manipulate the marriage institution for personal satisfaction. The article utilises the feminist literary theory to interrogate two novels, Makudo Ndomamwe (Men are All the Same) (2004) by R. Makaya and Imbwa Nyoro (1982) (Innocent Ones are Often Guilty) by R. M. Mumvuma. Patriarchy as a major tenet of the feminist literary theory is used as a key guide in the interrogation of female manipulation after they are promised marriage in these novels. A qualitative research methodology utilizing a textual analysis approach is adopted. Additionally, scholarly views are gathered through questionnaires to draw their insights on the interplay of the patriarchal system in manipulating marriage proposals by men among the Shona people. The study discovers that women in the novels succumb to suppression. They are suffering from sexual objectification, violence and male centeredness, female silencing, male domination and control. This transpires because among the Shona, marriage accords women a perceived social status and it acquires them lifelong companionship and attains them much more respect in the community where they were born. The article concludes by providing recommended solutions to women and the society in preventing and raising awareness on the manipulation of the marriage proposals.

Functions of cited sources in Indonesian research articles (RAs) in the History and Law disciplines

Warsidi Warsidi — 2025-10-02

Citation is very significant in academic writing because it may create engagements with earlier findings and improve academic reputations. Studies on this area within academic writings have been widely conducted with varied purposes, but citation functions have received a small portion of scholarly attention. Besides, studies on this area in the Indonesian context are hardly found in the literature. Understanding this need has encouraged me to analyze citation functions in Indonesian History and Law research articles (RAs) because these two disciplines have been rarely investigated in genre studies, particularly in the Indonesian context. To reach this purpose, this study analyzed 30 Indonesian RAs from the History and Law disciplines to discover whether the functions are either to provide background information, provide evidence, or present beliefs, ideas, and issues circulated. The results revealed that citations found in the present study function as background information, evidence, and to present beliefs, ideas, issues circulated. However, these functions appear differently in each section. While these findings theoretically may contribute to the literature regarding citation functions in each section, they practically may provide awareness of article authors regarding the functions of citations in writing RAs.

The Equivalence of Human Versus Google Translation: A Case Study of Translating Natural Science Writings

Aulia Addinillah Arum — 2025-10-02

Although recent advancements in machine translation have improved lexical and grammatical accuracy, assessing its effectiveness in rendering contextually and semantically accurate translations remains inadequate. This gap overlooks how systems like Google Translate handle specialized terms and subtle shifts in language style, particularly when working with field-specific texts. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of Google Translate in rendering natural science texts from English into Indonesian, with particular focus on its semantic accuracy when compared to human translation. The data consisted of 76 sentences drawn from six scientific texts, which were segmented into 41 single words as well as 35 multi-word phrases obtained from professional ProZ translator portfolios, and subsequently translated using Google Translate. The translations were analyzed for inaccuracies, classified as under-translation, over-translation, and mistranslation, drawing on Baker’s (1992) theory of propositional meaning and also Nida’s (1964) receptor-oriented framework. The analysis revealed that while Google Translate frequently produced grammatically correct structures, it often failed to generate contextually appropriate or domain-specific terms, resulting in semantic inequi-valence with human translations. The findings indicate that these limitations are not inherent to the lexical output itself, but rather emerge from the system’s inability to capture nuanced meanings, specialized registers, as well as situational contexts. Therefore, human translators remain indispensable in ensuring accuracy and reliability in field-specific translations, whereas machine translation is best positioned as a supportive tool for general comprehension.

The Baylan in Modern Detective Fiction: The Rise of a Precolonial Character in Postcolonial Time

Ruth Clare Garde Torres — 2025-10-02

This research combines the conventions set by Jeremy Black and Francisco Demetrio on Detective fiction and the Philippine shaman, setting them against Ana Micaela Chua’s ideas on Alternative epistemologies. Using these conventions as a means to analyze selected stories in Jonathan A. Baldisimo and Ferdinand Benedict G. Tan’s graphic novel series Trese to establish the characteristics of the baylan, a new, purely Filipino type of detective. The study will use Francisco Demetrio’s study on the baylan to set the conventions on this pre-colonial character. Jeremy Black’s study on Sherlock Holmes will be used to establish the traditional detective model. This model uses logic and reasoning and rejects the supernatural as a solution to the case. Both conventions will be challenged using Ana Micaela Chua’s study on alternative epistemologies which argues that the investigative methods in Trese are not a rejection of logic, but rather an expansion of it.

These studies were chosen to help establish the existence of a purely Filipino detective in the character of Alexandra Trese, a babaylan madirigma and protagonist detective of the series. The study aims to differentiate the Filipino protagonist detective from the Western Holmes model by analyzing Alexandra Trese and her role as babaylan mandirigma not only as a new form of protagonist detective but as a postcolonial version of the baylan. The main argument being that by defying the Western model of investigation and being grounded in Filipino culture, the babaylan madirigma is a new form of protagonist detective unique to the Philippines.

Terrified Girls and Furious Boys: Does the Discourse around face and eyes in British Children's Fiction Reinforce Gender Stereotypes?

Elizabeth Poynter — 2025-10-02

Language in context frequently reflects conscious or unconscious gender stereotypes. With children's literature, this may contribute to the development of a stereotypical gender identity. This study examines the linguistic context of two body parts, face and eyes, in two corpora of British children's fiction: adventure books aimed at 'boys and girls', and school and family stories aimed at girls only. Both corpora comprise texts from the mid-twentieth century, which is regarded as a period of strong gender polarisation, and specifically popular rather than prizewinning texts. Analysis employed LancsBox 6.0 corpus software. Faces and eyes may both be used to express emotion, and particular emotions have been associated with traditional binary gender stereotypes. It was hypothesised that these corpora would demonstrate such binary stereotyping. The study found considerable overlap between the two genres, but some distinctions suggesting that the literature for girls was somewhat less stereotyped than that aimed at a mixed readership. The expression of some emotions, such as fear and anger, tended to suggest stereotypical linking of these emotions with a particular gender, although less strongly than has been found in some other studies. It is hoped that these findings will contribute to our understanding of how a child's developing gender identity may be influenced.

The Representations of and the Responses toward Hybridity in Indonesia: A Systematic Review

Dono Sunardi — 2025-10-02

This study examines the pervasive nature of hybridity in Indonesia, recognizing modern Indonesia as a nation shaped by the dynamic interaction of diverse influences. Acknowledging varying acceptance levels of this reality, the research synthesizes studies on hybridity in the country from the past fifteen years (2009-2024) to map the multifaceted landscape of hybrid identity. Through close reading and observation, the project investigates three core areas: (1) identifying primary loci where hybridity manifests; (2) exploring constituent elements contributing to hybrid identities, tracing their origins; (3) analyzing the spectrum of responses to hybridity. Analysis reveals that studies of hybrid identity in Indonesia encompass nearly all forms of cultural expression, spanning literature, culinary, architecture, music, and performance. This ubiquity highlights hybridity's deep integration into Indonesian cultural life. Contributing elements are equally diverse, drawing from Indonesia's rich tapestry of ethnic communities and global interactions shaping the archipelago over centuries. This confluence of local and global influences creates a dynamic cultural mosaic. The study finds that the dominant response to hybridity in Indonesia is one of embrace and celebration. Most research emphasizes the positive aspects of cultural fusion, highlighting the creativity and innovation born from blended traditions. However, some studies express concern about hybridity potentially threatening perceived essential values within specific cultural expressions. These contrasting perspectives underscore the ongoing dialogue surrounding hybridity in Indonesia and the need for nuanced understandings of cultural evolution. This research offers a comprehensive overview of current scholarship on hybridity in Indonesia, providing valuable insights into the dynamic interplay of cultural influences shaping Indonesia’s identity.

The Commodification of Childhood: Simulacra in The Boss Baby (2017)

Ayu Kusuma Septiani — 2025-10-02

One of the consequences of postmodernity is characterized by the rapid increase in materialistic needs. Materialism fuels the production and consumption of commodities, often exploited through marketing and advertising. The film The Boss Baby later became one of the films that discussed the theme of commodity in its narrative as it tries to present the simulated reality that commodifies childhood experience, depicted through the film. This study aims to examine the commodification of childhood and how Baudrillard's simulacra theory explains this phenomenon. This research is a qualitative study focusing on the phenomenon of commodification of childhood using the film The Boss Baby as the main subject for analysis. The results of this study show that the meaning of commodification found in The Boss Baby film is that it depicts how childhood is being commodified through Baby Corp., baby formula, parental love and affection, and toys. The analysis of Baudrillard's thoughts on simulacra in The Boss Baby film and commodification shows a match between the phenomenon that exists in the reality of a postmodern society depicted in The Boss Baby film, describing the simulated reality where babies are produced and managed as if they were products. It shows how modern society commodifies human life, relationships, and values.

Food and Memory as Portrayed in Crying in H Mart Memoir by Michelle Zauner

Daniel Melano — 2025-10-02

Crying in H Mart, a memoir by Michelle Zauner, describes how Michelle, as the main character, recalls her memories through Korean food. After her mother died, she tried to keep connected with her mother through the activity that they did together related to Korean food. Some activities included cooking, eating, visiting restaurants, preparing food, etc. While reconnecting to her memory, Michelle also tried to keep connected with the heritage that her mother had given to her, which is a Korean identity. This study aims to show the connection between food, memory, and culture in the Crying in H Mart memoir. The writers use a descriptive qualitative method with a close reading of the memoir. Abarca's concept of Holistic Culinary is needed to analyze the connection between food, memory, and culture portrayed in the memoir. The result shows that the connection of food, memory, and culture enabled Michelle to reconnect to her experience with her family, especially her mother. From reconnecting to her past, Michelle's emotions were triggered. The way Michelle reconnected to her past makes her keep connected with her mother's heritage and explore the Korean culture more through interacting with Korean people, doing self-cultural exploration, and promoting Korean culture.

Speech Acts Analysis on a Companion of Child Victim of Sexual Violence Crimes in an Investigative Interview

Dhion Meitreya Vidhiasi — 2025-10-02

This research is a forensic linguistic study that concentrates on the analysis of speech acts spoken by a companion from one of the representative offices of a ministry in Cilacap during an investigative interview between an investigator and a child victim of a sexual violence crime. The purpose of this investigation is to examine the speech of a child victim and a companion during an investigative interview that occurred at a police station in Cilacap. This investigation is qualitative in nature and is structured as a case study. Speech data were collected during the investigative interview using listening and note-taking techniques. The data were subsequently analyzed in accordance with Weigand’s (2010) dialogic speech act theory. Additionally, the function and authority of a companion in the investigative interview process are clarified by the Regulation of the Minister of Women Empowerment and Child Protection of the Republic of Indonesia (Permen PPPA) No. 2 of 2022. The analysis results indicate that the code of ethics outlined in Permen PPPA No. 2 of 2022 is contravened by the companion’s dominance of the explorative speech act and the presence of the directive speech act. This implies that the companion must be re-informed about the code of ethics outlined in the Women Empowerment and Child Protection Regulation No. 2 of 2022. The findings of this research have the potential to assist the relevant ministries in enhancing the efficacy and authority of an assistant in the interview process related to the investigation of sexual violence crimes.

The Portrayal of Male Genitalia as a Symbol of Power in Djenar Maesa Ayu’s “Menyusu Ayah”

Yusuf Arimatea Neno — 2025-10-02

This study explores the short story “Menyusu Ayah” by Djenar Maesa Ayu, investigating the symbolic representation of male genitalia as a source of power within the narrative. The research examines how the story critiques gender power dynamics in a patriarchal society, focusing on the protagonist, Nayla, who experiences sexual abuse by her father. Applying Foucault’s concept of power and MacKinnon feminist theory, the study underlines how male dominance is extended through the sexualization and objectification of women, contributing to a significant gender gap. The research employs qualitative and library-based methods to explore how Nayla, in her attempt to claim power, engages with male genitalia, believing it will free her from male oppression. However, this act is framed within the context of a deeply ingrained patriarchal structure, which shapes her understanding of action and self-worth. The study reveals the complexity of Nayla’s search for power, demonstrating the ways in which gendered norms and social expectations limit women’s autonomy. The findings show how masculinity is associated with power and strength, while femininity is linked with submission. By analyzing Nayla’s actions and their symbolic meanings, this study sheds light on the broader implications of gender inequality and the cultural perpetuation of patriarchal control in “Menyusu Ayah”.

Speech Act Analysis in “Mayonaka no Doa”: A Pragmatic Study of Japanese-English Bilingual Lyrics

Wiwik Retno Handayani — 2025-10-02

Analysis of speech acts in song lyrics is crucial to understanding how language functions as a communication tool rich in meaning and emotion. The Japanese song Mayonaka no Doa (Stay with Me), sung by Miki Matsubara in 1979, has now stolen attention again in the era of social media. Its repeated popularity on various platforms makes this song an interesting topic for study based on speech act theory. This research aims to recognize and examine the statements found in the song’s lyrics while also investigating how language use conveys the emotions and scenarios faced by the singer and how it connects with the feelings and experiences of the listeners. By doing so, this study seeks to highlight the profound impact of the song’s lyrics on both the performer and the audience, showing the ways in which language serves as a powerful emotional tool for communication. This research employs a distinctive qualitative descriptive analysis with a pragmatic perspective, distinguishing it from conventional studies in the discipline. The researcher assessed each verse of the lyrics to identify locution, illocution, and perlocution. The study results show that various locutionary speech acts play a role in conveying information, emotions, and circumstances. The illocutionary speech acts in these lyrics include expressive, directive, assertive, and commitment, each reflecting a complex communication dimension. In addition, the perlocutionary speech act indicates that the lyrics of this song have a profound emotional impact on the listeners, influencing their emotions, hopes, and thoughts. This finding illustrates the beauty of language in music and the audience’s active role in the communication process. It provides insight into how lyrics can serve as a means of deep emotional expression for listeners, strengthening the connection between music and human experience.

Prompting ChatGPT for Translation: Lexical and Syntactical Customization in Translation of “The Tree Rhyme”

Ardianna Nuraeni — 2025-10-02

With the advancement of ChatGPT, scholars are delving deeper into the tool's ability to generate various texts, including literary texts. It becomes potential due to the lack investigations on prompting ChatGPT for translating children’s nursery rhymes, particularly in Indonesia, making to the novelty of this study. This article demonstrates how ChatGPT reacts to different prompts when translating a nursery rhyme “The Tree Rhyme”, by concentrating on the lexical and syntactical customization. This preliminary investigation was conducted in three phases: 1) prompt design, which includes one basic prompt functioning as a baseline for comparison and three other prompts functioning as clues to explain the case of linguistic customization; 2) text generation, which takes a level-2 nursery rhyme book entitled “The Tree Rhyme” from a digital repository, StoryWeaver; and 3) linguistic customization evaluation, which was done by comparing ChatGPT’s translations in response to the four provided prompts and observing the lexical and syntactical customization. The findings reveal that ChatGPT's lexical customization includes changing the last word of stanzas, reducing the number of syllables, subtracting words, and displaying child-friendly expressions. These modifications cannot result in translations that maintain the original text's rhyme scheme. Regarding the syntactical customization, ChatGPT generates concise structures containing aspects of children's literature by reordering, unit shifting, sentence simplification, direct construction, and phrase simplification, but still unable to replicate the ST’s rhyme scheme. In conclusion, ChatGPT changes diction and simplifies sentences when reacting to cues to translate the nursery rhyme, but it cannot preserve the ST’s rhyme scheme.

How Do These Knock-Knock Jokes Work? A Pragmatic Analysis of Humor

Indah Bunga Lestari — 2025-10-02

Humor practices have been approached using different theories. Some of the humor is universal, but it will be different when the cultural nuance interplays with it. This study aims to analyze the construction of humor in the Knock-Knock Jokes tweets on the comment section of an Indonesian base account on X, which was formerly known as Twitter, named @englishfess_, and the contribution of cultural context in creating the humorous effect in the jokes. This study used Raskin's Script-Based Semantic Theory of Humor (SSTH) to analyze the types of humor used in the data and Grice's Theory of Maxim to analyze the flouting of maxims in the creation of the jokes, as well as the cultural context theory. Using a qualitative research method, this study collected 20 data in the form of snapshots of X users' tweets in the comment section. It was found that the humor of the Knock-Knock Jokes tweets mostly comes from the use of incongruity types of humor, the flouting of the maxim of relation, and the cultural contexts. As the punchlines of the jokes frequently used certain Indonesian cultures, these Knock-Knock Jokes tweets have a unique humor, and may only be understood by those who have a similar cultural background to the tweeters of the joke.

Unveiling the Linguistic Landscape of Educational Spaces in a Remote Indonesian Area

Fransiskus Dinang Raja — 2025-10-02

The signs materialized in the linguistic landscape (LL) symbolize what people believe about the language. Hence, most studies of LL focus on both language use and language ideology. While the study of LL is quite general worldwide, it is relatively new in East Nusa Tenggara, especially for those investigating LL in the educational setting. This study aimed to 1) find what language patterns and languages are exposed in the LL of the educational setting in Maumere City, NTT province, and 2) find the language ideology as the basis of why certain language was used and other language was rarely used. This research employed a qualitative case study. Data were obtained through documentation and interviews with 9 informants from 8 high schools and 1 university. The data were analyzed in three steps of qualitative data analysis: data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing. The results indicated that there were three sign patterns, namely, monolingual, bilingual, and multilingual signs. There were 7 languages used in the three sign patterns above, namely Indonesian, English, Indigenous languages, Sanskrit, Japanese, German, and Latin. The situation represented through the school and university landscape manifested the language ideology. Interviews with informants revealed four main themes: language policy influencing language practice, language as a learning tool, language as a school identity marker, and language as a symbol of culture. These results are expected to provide a wider insight into the LL study in Indonesia.

Ambivalent Occidentalism in Mochtar Lubis’s Cold War Literature Maut dan Cinta

Muhammad Taufiqurrohman — 2025-10-02

This article revisits Maut dan Cinta (1977), a seminal Cold War-era novel by Indonesian author Mochtar Lubis, to examine how the text engages with cultural imperialism in postcolonial Indonesia through its complex portrayal of the Occident. Employing Martin Suryajaya’s “wide-close-deep” methodology—a three-pronged framework for literary analysis—the study situates Lubis’s work within Indonesia’s Cold War cultural politics, highlighting the author’s contested ideological stance. Through the lenses of Occidentalism and cultural imperialism, the analysis reveals Lubis’s profound ambivalence toward Western influence: while critiquing Western hegemony and cautioning against uncritical adoption of Western values, his works simultaneously echo the capitalist Bloc’s anticommunist rhetoric, and his cultural-intellectual networks remain entrenched in Western capital. This paradox deepens with Lubis’s selective embrace of Western liberalism, which coexists with a striking silence on capitalism’s role in perpetuating global inequality. Crucially, his vehement rejection of communist internationalism starkly contrasts with his reluctance to address capitalism’s transnational exploitation of the Global South—a contradiction epitomized by his protagonist Sadeli’s distorted view of the Occident and the characters’ failure to recognize global capitalism’s neocolonial and culturally imperialist dynamics. By unpacking these tensions, the study argues that Lubis’s ambivalence in Maut dan Cinta reflects the broader ideological fissures of postcolonial intellectual resistance during the Cold War, caught between anti-imperialist critique and complicity in hegemonic structures.

Coterminous Uppercut: An Analysis of Boxing Metaphors in Selected Ghanaian Political Cartoons

George Boakye-Yiadom — 2025-10-02

This study examines the use of boxing metaphors by Ghanaian political cartoonists to communicate socio-political issues, with a particular focus on the depiction of election outcomes and the portrayal of heated arguments or legal disputes. In order to gain a representative sample, ten political cartoons related to boxing scenes were downloaded from Tilapia of 3 News and Akosua of the Daily Guide. In terms of the theoretical framework that informs this study, Lakoff and Johnson's conceptual metaphor theory (CMT) and Fauconnier and Turner's conceptual blending/integration theory (CBT) are employed in conjunction with Šorm and Steen's VISMIP for the purposes of analysis. The application of CMT to the data led to the identification of conceptual metaphors such as "BOXING IS ELECTION", “WINNING A BOXING MATCH IS WINNING AN ELECTION”, LOSING A BOXING MATCH IS LOSING AN ELECTION and "POLITICAL PARTIES ARE SPORTS TEAMS," etc. The analysis demonstrates that cartoonists employ boxing metaphors to portray electoral outcomes, reflecting the combative and high-stakes nature of Ghanaian elections. Once more, cartoonists persistently depict the victorious candidates in elections as triumphant boxers. Moreover, the utilization of boxing scenarios in political cartoons by cartoonists facilitates the comprehension of the message, as people are both familiar with and passionate about boxing, thereby rendering the intended meaning more readily understandable. In conclusion, the universality of boxing lends a global dimension to the message, facilitating comprehension of the cartoonist's message by a global audience.

Proximity of Women Representations: Male Writers' Panorama in Selected Prose Fiction

Johniel Acala Seño — 2025-10-02

This study explores how male writers portray women in prose fiction and how these portrayals reflect or differ from real-life gendered experiences across historical periods. The study aimed to (1) analyze the differences in the portrayal of Filipino women’s representation in terms of morals and decision-making in different periods and (2) investigate how prose fiction written by Filipino male authors reveals the proximity of women’s representation to real-life gender experiences. A descriptive-qualitative research design was employed, using content analysis and narrative analysis to examine five selected prose fictions from the Pre-Colonial Period (900-1565), Spanish Period (1565-1898), Early 20th Century Period (1901-1950), 20th Century Period (1951-2000), and for 21st Century or Contemporary Period (2001-Present). Feminist literary criticism guided the interpretation of each text. Significant findings reveal that Filipino women’s morals and decision making in precolonial and late 20^th century periods were largely conformed to social norms, whereas Spanish, early 20^th, and 21^st century periods were often exhibited moral deviance and assertive decision making. The findings revealed that women were represented in distinct roles that evolved through time, from cultural leaders and nurturers to silent sufferers and survivors. While some female characters conformed to social norms, others defied them, showing inner strength and resistance. These representations reflect actual challenges faced by women, such as limited power, emotional labor, and objectification. In conclusion, the selected male-authored prose fiction closely mirrors gendered realities and highlights the gradual shift toward recognizing women’s strength and evolving roles in society.

Gender Based Adjacency Pairs Analysis Found in Barbie: the Movie and Its Translation

Deta Maria Sri Darta — 2025-10-02

Conversation Analysis is a part of Discourse Analysis that is usually used to analyze conversations in human interaction. Since movies can be considered as a piece of literature made to resemble real life, this theory is adapted to discuss how characters in the movies interact to communicate. The different styles of communication between characters of different genders is a gripping subject to explore. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to analyze conversations between female-male, female-female, and male-male characters in the movie Barbie. Since the data gathered were utterances in conversation, the adjacency pairs in the conversation were analyzed to see the pattern. The finding showed that there were differences in the types of adjacency pairs used between females and males in conversation. Female-Female conversations in Barbie tend to have more variety in types of adjacency pairs used if compared to Male-Male conversations. Meanwhile, the conversation between different genders, if initiated by a female (Female-Male conversations), was likely to have numerous types of adjacency pairs in contrast to if initiated by a male (Male-Female conversations). When the Indonesian subtitle was analyzed, there were no types of adjacency pairs modified through translation. The findings also revealed that certain types of adjacency pairs were found only in specific gender conversations. Furthermore, the discussion revealed that gender plays a role in the choice of adjacency pairs employed.

Hell on Earth 2024: Metaphors of Genocide in the Gaza Strip, Palestine

Vannisa Najchati Silma — 2025-10-02

Metaphors play a crucial role in shaping how society understands and responds to conflicts, such as the genocide in Gaza by Israel. Metaphors can illustrate the impact of events, direct global attention to injustices, and deepen the understanding of the scale and intensity of the humanitarian crisis in the region in a way that is more easily comprehensible. In the international media coverage of Al-Jazeera, metaphorical expressions are often used to describe Israel’s attacks and the suffering that occurred in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. The purpose of this study is to explain the concepts produced from the use of metaphorical expressions related to Israel’s genocide in the Gaza Strip in Al-Jazeera news articles. This study applies Lakoff and Johnson's conceptual metaphor theory and Charteris-Black's critical metaphor analysis. Based on the analysis, four metaphorical concepts of the Gaza genocide were identified: ISRAEL’S AGGRESSION IS GAZA’S GENOCIDE, THE GAZA GENOCIDE IS A CATASTROPHE, PALESTINIANS ARE NOT HUMAN, and GAZA IS A GHOST TOWN. The metaphor concepts depict a social reality schema in the form of identity, force, scale, and unity/multiplicity that reflects the social reality of violence, oppression, and dehumanization. The four metaphor concepts show the process of Israel’s attacks, a depiction of life in the Gaza Strip, the dehumanization of Palestinians, and the impact of Israel’s genocide on Gaza. These are closely related to Israel’s colonialism practices which aim to control the region through occupation, land stealing, and the erasure of Palestinian identity and rights.

Framing Analysis in the Papua Conflict in Benar News and The Guardian

Nur Hidayat Hadi Saputra — 2025-10-08

The conflict in Papua has been ongoing since 1963 due to the Papuans' intention for independence. This conflict has been reported in many news media. Two news media outlets, Benar News and The Guardian, use framing when reporting issues related to the conflict in Papua. The framing in Benar News and The Guardian shapes the perceptions toward the issue of the Papua conflict. Accordingly, this study aims to explore the use of framing analysis in Benar News and The Guardian while reporting the problem related to the conflict in Papua and the depiction shown by Benar News and The Guardian when reporting the conflict in Papua. Using qualitative methods, this study applies Robert Entman's framing analysis approach, supported by text analysis in critical discourse analysis (CDA) by van Dijk, to analyze the data taken from two news outlets about the release of the pilot as one of the conflicts in Papua in Benar News and The Guardian. The findings reveal that Benar News and The Guardian frame the issue corresponding to the news. Benar News depicts the event as the Indonesian authorities' effort to release the pilot, who is captivated and taking a side toward Indonesia. Besides that, The Guardian depicts the issue as how the Papuan separatists face a struggle to gain independence that makes them kidnap the pilot as a bargaining chip, but heroically value human rights by releasing the pilot. Then, The Guardian takes a side toward the Papuans. This brings the idea that framing analysis supported by text analysis in CDA reveals how the news media present the issue to audiences. Therefore, the application of framing analysis supported by CDA's text analysis indicates that Benar News and The Guardian examine framing when reporting the issue of the Papua conflict according to their view.

Deontic Obligations in Anti-Sexual Harassment Policies in Tertiary Institutions: A Corpus-Assisted Critical Discourse Approach

Bernard Ayine — 2025-10-08

Sexual harassment in higher education is a pervasive issue that carries serious implications for both institutional reputation and the well-being of victims. To address this, universities have developed anti-sexual harassment policies to guide in managing such incidents. However, the language of these documents can sometimes hinder victims’ willingness to report perpetrators. This study examined the use of deontic modalities in the anti-sexual harassment policies of three major Ghanaian universities: the University of Ghana, the University of Cape Coast, and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. The dataset comprised three official policy documents totaling 21219 tokens and 2675 word types, which were compiled into a specialized corpus. Using LancsBox software, we categorised the modal verbs into three deontic obligations (necessity, advisability, and possibility) and analyzed them from both institutional and victim/complainant perspectives. The findings revealed the presence of 580 modal verbs across the corpus. Deontic necessity was the most prominent, accounting for 55% of occurrences, followed by possibility (33.1%) and advisability (11.9%). Within the context of deontic necessity, institutional perspectives dominated (84.6%), framing universities as the primary agents of responsibility in combating sexual harassment, while victim/complainant perspectives were less emphasized (15.4%). Possibility and advisability were used more flexibly, offering discretionary or optional courses of action, though these too were largely framed from the institutional standpoint. By demonstrating the dominance of institutional responsibility and the limited framing of victims’ agency, this study highlights how policy language shapes institutional responses and reporting behavior. These findings contribute to the understanding of how linguistic choices in legal-institutional discourse influence power relations and victim engagement.

Mantras, Nature, and Spirituality: Ecocriticism in Traditional Healing Mantras in Karimunting Village

Hubbi Saufan Hilmi — 2025-10-10

The inclusion of the natural environment and spiritual values in traditional healing mantras has been part of the lives of traditional communities in various cultures around the world, including the Malay community in Karimunting village, West Kalimantan, Indonesia. This study aims to describe the elements of the natural environment and spiritual values in the healing mantras of the Malay community in Karimunting Village by applying Greg Garrard’s ecocriticism approach. The data in this study was collected through observation and in-depth interviews with three belian in Karimunting village. The data obtained was subsequently recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis techniques. The research findings reveal that there are ten healing mantras practiced by the belian of the Malay community in Karimunting Village. Each mantra functions not only as a medium of healing but also as a representation of the interconnectedness between humans, the natural environment, and spiritual forces. Elements of the natural environment are reflected in the use of components such as leaves, water, wood, stones, wind, and animals, which are positioned as active entities possessing healing energy and symbols of ecological balance. Meanwhile, the dimension of spirituality is manifested through religious diction, such as the invocation of the names of Allah and the Prophet Muhammad, underscoring the belief that recovery ultimately originates from Divine power. This research contributes not only as an inventory of oral literature and local wisdom of the Malay community in utilizing their natural environment but also as a reference for similar research in the future.

The Impact of Anthropocentrism on Human–Nature Relations and Its Implications for Environmental Ethics

Wahyu Dian Andriana — 2025-10-11

The escalating ecological crisis demands a fundamental shift in how humans perceive nature, including through early childhood education. This article aims to analyze the representation of anthropocentrism’s impact in Riri Cerita Anak Interaktif videos and to evaluate its implications for fostering environmental ethics in children. This study employed a descriptive-analytical approach, using flow analysis and hermeneutic techniques. Data were collected through observation and note-taking from 67 purposively selected videos on the Riri Cerita Anak Interaktif YouTube channel, based on criteria concerning the representation of anthropocentric impacts on human–nature relations and their implications for environmental ethics. The findings revealed that the videos symbolically represent the impacts of anthropocentrism through the transformation of living beings and environmental changes that emphasize ecological imbalance. The narratives embed ecocentric values such as respect for the intrinsic worth of living beings, the importance of biodiversity, limitations on exploitation, and critiques of human domination and interference with nature. Furthermore, the narratives advocate for ideological change, systemic transformation, and collective responsibility for environmental sustainability. This study concludes that Riri Cerita Anak Interaktif functions as an educational medium that conveys environmental ethics messages in an immersive manner and holds potential in shaping children's ecological awareness. The study recommends further research using audience reception approaches and extending the scope of analysis to cross-cultural children’s media to strengthen contributions to digital ecological literacy.

Indigenous Holophrasis as Ecological Poetics and Praxis in Contemporary Australian-Aboriginal and Southeast Asian Poems

Henrikus Joko Yulianto — 2025-10-26

Indigenous poetry correlates with oral form. It signifies shamanic mantra but embodies ecological wisdom since it mostly depicts human’s relationship with nature. This paper deals with contemporary English poems especially those of Australian-Aboriginal and Southeast Asian poems which make use of indigenous aspects in the form and content. The purpose of this research is to identify how the use of holophrasis is beneficial in highlighting the indigenous aspects in the poems. Among these poems include Evelyn Araluen and Lionel Fogarty, two contemporary Aboriginal poets who adopt Aboriginal phrases in their poems; Quintin Jose V. Pastrana, a young Philippine poet who was inspired by the Ambahan or the indigenous poetic form of the Hanunuo Mangyan people’s in Oriental Mindoro, the Philippines; and Mario F. Lawi, a young Indonesian poet from East Nusa Tenggara who illustrates the initiation rite of Nappu Pudi tribe in that island. This research used qualitative method by referring to holophrasis as the method and praxis in reading the native poems. By means of the holophrastic reading, I found that the use of indigenous elements in their poems serves as methods to aestheticize and indigenize the poems in order to assert native identity in the hegemony of English as the colonial language.