Sign Languages and Linguistics Convergence Research
- KOREAN
- P-ISSN3058-2644
Vol.2 No.2
Abstract
This study explores how the “X-ren (X人)” construction in Chinese Internet neologisms―particularly dagongren (打工人), weikuanren (尾款人), and shekongren (社恐人)―reconstructs generational identity and social discourse among China's young generation. Using qualitative content analysis of SNS data from Weibo, Bilibili, and Xiaohongshu (2019-2024), the research reveals that dagongren represents labor fatigue transformed into humor and self-irony, weikuanren expresses consumption anxiety through satire, and shekongren converts relational exhaustion into a language of empathy within emotional communities. The “X-ren” formation functions as a discursive arena intertwining language, cognition, and society, illustrating how young Chinese negotiate identity and solidarity through linguistic creativity under structural pressures. This study interprets Internet neologisms not merely as linguistic fads but as sociolinguistic practices of generational emotion, offering new insights for comparative East Asian discourse studies.
Abstract
This study aims to critically reinterpret the history of multimodal corpora through the lens of the epistemological tension between two key paradigms for constructing scientific knowledge: ‘control’ for pursuing internal validity and ‘naturalness’ for pursuing external validity. To this end, this paper first systematically outlines the philosophical foundations of science and methodological criteria for each paradigm. Based on this theoretical framework, it analyzes cases of the control paradigm, represented by M2VTS and IEMOCAP, and cases of the naturalness paradigm, such as FOLK, CEJC, and CANDOR. It also examines the characteristics of contemporary corpora like MISP, where the two paradigms intricately intersect. Furthermore, this analysis is extended beyond the audio-vocal channel to the field of sign language corpora, which centers on the visual-motor channel, to analyze the unique methodological dilemmas faced in sign language corpus linguistics. Finally, synthesizing the entire discussion, this study proposes an analytical framework presenting three potential design paths (maximization of internal validity, maximization of external validity, or a compromise) for future corpus researchers to consider according to their research objectives.
Abstract
This paper investigates the morphosyntactic status of Korean “particles”, which should be reanalyzed as affixes, clitics, or (regular) words. Despite their central role in Korean grammar, few studies have acknowledged the presence of clitics in the language. Building on the foundational analysis in Chae (2020), this study revises and extends previous claims in two key directions. First, following Chae (2023a), we argue that the particles -i/ka and -ul/lul, conventionally treated as nominative and accusative case markers, are more accurately analyzed as delimiters with identical meanings. This reanalysis has broad implications for constructions traditionally explained in terms of case marking. Second, we propose a new lexical category of “verbal postpositions (vPs)” to account for sentence endings, thereby eliminating the need to posit a complementizer phrase (CP) at the sentence level. We argue that the CP analysis is both conceptually and empirically problematic, since CPs are typically selected by elements within the sentence.
Abstract
This study examines how national news interpretation in Malaysian Sign Language (Bahasa Isyarat Malaysia, BIM) contributes to linguistic preservation and cultural visibility for the Deaf community in Malaysia. Since 1995, BIM has been incorporated into Malaysian television news, with expanded coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic through BERNAMA since 2021 and ASTRO since 2022. Employing an exploratory mixed-methods design, the study integrates quantitative and qualitative data from a bilingual questionnaire involving 15 participants to evaluate perceived accessibility, linguistic impact, and cultural significance of BIM-interpreted broadcasts. Findings indicate that viewers value BIM interpretation not only as a medium of accessibility but also as a symbol of linguistic legitimacy and Deaf cultural recognition. However, persistent issues―such as inadequate interpreter window size, signing pace, and synchronisation―limit effective comprehension. Respondents overwhelmingly support standardisation led by Deaf organisations to ensure accuracy and cultural alignment. The study concludes that sustained, high-quality news interpretation can reinforce BIM’s social visibility and strengthen national frameworks for linguistic preservation and inclusion.
Abstract
This study revisits Tseng’s (1992) model of translation professionalization to examine its relevance in the context of globalization, artificial intelligence, and transnational governance. While Tseng’s framework has provided a foundational sociological account of how translation seeks professional legitimacy, its original linear structure is increasingly inadequate for explaining the complexity of contemporary translation ecosystems. Drawing on sociological theories of professions and recent developments in AI-mediated translation practice, this article reconceptualizes translation professionalization as a non-linear, cyclical, and adaptive process. Focusing on Tseng’s core dimensions―competence, education and training, professional associations, and ethical institutionalization―the study proposes a hybrid model in which these components operate concurrently and are continuously mediated by technological innovation, ethical sustainability, and global governance. Comparative discussions of Malaysia and Korea further illustrate how professionalization trajectories are shaped by local policy environments, market conditions, and levels of digital adoption. By integrating sociological insight with technological and ethical perspectives, this article advances a dynamic understanding of translation professionalization and highlights its implications for translator education, professional regulation, and policy development in the twenty-first century.
Abstract
Sign languages are multimodal, integrating manual articulators such as handshape, movement, and location with non-manual elements including facial expression, gaze, and body posture to construct meaning across parallel channels. Although Kress and van Leeuwen’s Visual Grammar (VG) has been extensively applied to static visual texts, its application to dynamic, time-based signed discourse remains underexplored. This study proposes an exploratory socio-semiotic framework that maps VG’s three metafunctions―representational, interactive, and compositional meanings―onto coordinated manual, non-manual, and spatial-temporal resources in Korean Sign Language (KSL). The analysis draws on selected discourse excerpts from the National Institute of Korean Language KSL Nuri Dictionary, transcribed and time-aligned using ELAN, focusing on six focal lexical items: CAR, OIL, ENGINE, FOR LONG, CHANGE, and DANGER. Qualitative findings reveal recurring tendencies: manual parameters foreground representational meaning, non-manual features foreground interactive meaning, and spatial-temporal organization contributes to compositional meaning, while allowing functional overlap across semiotic channels. By operationalizing VG for embodied and temporally unfolding discourse, this study provides an analytic basis for extending the framework to sign languages and motivates future cross-linguistic research using larger datasets.
Abstract
This paper examines the Korean sentence-final ending -ney, focusing on its syntax, semantics, and diachronic development to assess competing theories of clause structure. Engaging recent debates between cartographic approaches (Rizzi & Cinque, 2016) and modular, interface-based models (Manzini, 2025), it argues that -ney supports a modular view of grammar rather than a densely layered hierarchy of functional projections. Historically, -ney derives from the fusion of -na, -i, and -ta, shifting from a polite declarative marker to a mirative-evidential form associated with surprise, realization, and direct perception. Syntactically, it behaves as a single portmanteau head in the Force/Mood domain, with its interpretation determined by prosody and discourse context rather than by multiple syntactic heads. Semantically, -ney encodes the speaker’s epistemic stance, yielding either mirativity (unexpected realization) or confirmatory evidentiality (recognition of expected events). These readings correlate with distinct intonation contours (LH% vs. LHL%). The analysis shows that -ney’s flexibility results from modular interactions among syntax, pragmatics, and phonology, demonstrating how fine-grained meaning can emerge from an economical clause structure.
Abstract
This study investigates the metaphorical representation of energy in contemporary news discourse. Adopting a qualitative approach grounded in Critical Metaphor Analysis and informed by an ecolinguistic perspective, the research examines how energy and energy transition are framed through conceptual metaphors. The analysis identifies six dominant metaphorical source domains and each contributes distinct cognitive, ideological, and ecological functions. The BUILDING metaphor emphasizes stability, planning, and systemic development; LIVING BEING metaphor foregrounds vitality, resilience, and interdependence; ENTITY metaphor materializes energy as a tangible and manageable object; JOURNEY and VEHICLE metaphors highlight goal-directed movement, momentum, and actionable strategies; and WAR metaphor frames energy transition as a high-stakes, competitive campaign. Collectively, these metaphors produce a multifaceted, cognitively accessible, and strategically oriented discourse, presenting energy transition as both a societal and ecological transformation. The study highlights the ecological resonance of these metaphors, demonstrating their representational and ideological implications in media discourse. These findings contribute to critical media studies, cognitive linguistics, and ecolinguistics, offering insights into the role of metaphor in shaping energy discourse and promoting environmentally responsible narratives in contemporary journalism.
Abstract
Theoretical convergence has played an important role in signed language research. Stokoe pioneered linguistic convergence of signed and spoken language by demonstrating that signed languages possess phonology. Certain problems have arisen, however, concerning the basic elements of sign phonology, specifically location. Whereas location has been defined as the location of the hand, signers refer to entities in the environment and to discourse entities outside the reach of the hand. An example of the latter is agreement or indicating verbs, where the locations at which the hands are directed have been treated as gesture. I offer a cognitive grammar account of sign phonology, focusing on the status of location. The elements of sign phonology are shown to be conceptual entities. I introduce the concept of Place, a symbolic structure consisting of a semantic pole and a phonological pole, w hich i s a spatial location. T he u se o f Place i n discourse a nd i n grammatical constructions such as indicating verbs is demonstrated with data from Argentine Sign Language. Implications of this approach for a more natural theoretical convergence are discussed.