Has the Power of Language been Compromised by the Influence of Social Media?

In discrete linguistic terminology, the power of discourse hinges on hedging together a host of key elements including conversational maxims, speech acts, situational context, reference, pragmatics, and language functions. The main instruments which lend power to these elements feature an elaborate array of lexis, grammar, phonology, and graphology. Another source of power in discourse resides in the personal characteristics of the participants/interlocutors in persuading and reaching out to their audience. In the last decade, however, the pure linguistic influence on discourse has been minimized and challenged by the growing power of social media in shaping and influencing all discourse types.This study investigates the role of social media and its networking websites such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc. in influencing discourse. The study builds on the hypothesis that the different modes of social media communication have been effective in determining an individual person’s or a party’s power of discourse. Social media can create an alternative source of power which supports the creation of ideologies, cultural attitudes, and political views.The data for the present study have been compiled from materials and information shared on You Tube, Facebook and other social networking applications. The data have also been drawn from tweets on political, social, cultural, human rights issues, presidential campaigns, recent waves of immigration, etc. The data were analyzed to show how the sharing of social media memes has done the work more efficiently than the most linguistically eloquent discourse

The participation of women in Saudi Arabia's economy: Obstacles and prospects

Low female labour force participation has been one of the main characteristics of the Saudi labour market over the last fifty years. This study is an attempt to analyse the factors affecting women's (non)employment through the perception and understanding of employed and unemployed Saudi women and Saudi policymakers. By using primary data assembled through questionnaire and interview methods, it identifies the major factors the employment and non-employment of women in Saudi Arabia. Since in order to promote women’s participation in all sectors of the economy, accurate information regarding various types of historical, financial, social, familial, cultural, religious and demographic factors explaining the prevailing lack of women's participation in the formal production of the economy is needed and this study aims to provide such a comprehensive understanding of the issues involved. The questionnaire method was conducted to collect data from employed and unemployed women samples to investigate their perceptions related to factors affecting their (un)employment and also challenges related to diversification and expansion of women participation in economic activity. In addition, semi-structure interviews were conducted to collect data regarding the perception of policy makers. The questionnaire survey and interviews were conducted in three cities of Saudi Arabia (Riyadh, Dammam, and Al Hasa) during the period of February 2004-June 2004. Assembled data were qualitatively and quantitatively analysed to provide further meaning through statistical, textual and interpretative methods. The analysis of the data indicates that demographic, financial, socio-economic, attitudinal and cultural factors as well as government policies influence women’s employment status in Saudi Arabia. The qualitative and quantitative factor analysis based on women's perception indicates that the following factors has important impact on women's participation in the labour market: distance difficulties, transportation, extended holidays, negative view towards working women, mixed working environment, labour legislations, child care facilities, par-time work and flexible working hours and promotion programs to change society attitude. Important recommendations include the need for a change in the attitudes of people towards women’s employment as well as providing the facilitators which help women cope with employment

The Blockade of Qatar: Between Legal Justice and Political Arbitrariness

 أﺻﺪﺭﺕ ﻛﻞ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﻤﻤﻠﻜﺔ ﺍﻟﻌﺮﺑﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﺴﻌﻮﺩﻳﺔ ﻭﻣﻤﻠﻜﺔ ﺍﻟﺒﺤﺮﻳﻦ ﻭﺩﻭﻟﺔ ﺍﻹﻣﺎﺭﺍﺕ ﺍﻟﻌﺮﺑﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﻤﺘﺤﺪﺓ ﻭﺟﻤﻬﻮﺭﻳﺔ ﻣﺼﺮ ﺍﻟﻌﺮﺑﻴﺔ، بتاريخ 5 يونيو 2017، ﺑﻴﺎﻧﺎﺕ ﻣﻨﻔﺼﻠﺔ ﺿﺪ ﺩﻭﻟﺔ ﻗﻄﺮ، ﺗﻀﻤﻨﺖ ﻗﻄﻊ ﻋﻼﻗﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﺪﻭﻝ ﺍلأربع ﻣﻊ ﺩﻭﻟﺔ ﻗﻄﺮ ﺑﻤﺎ ﻓﻴﻬﺎ ﺍﻟﻌﻼﻗﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﺪﺑﻠﻮﻣﺎﺳﻴﺔ، ﻭﺇﻣﻬﺎﻝ ﺍﻟﺒﻌﺜﺔ ﺍﻟﺪﺑﻠﻮﻣﺎﺳﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﻘﻄﺮﻳﺔ 48 ﺳﺎﻋﺔ ﻟﻤﻐﺎﺩﺭﺓ ﺑﻼﺩﻫﻢ، وﻣﻨﻊ ﺩﺧﻮﻝ ﺃﻭ ﻋﺒﻮﺭ ﺍﻟﻤﻮﺍﻃﻨﻴﻦ ﺍﻟﻘﻄﺮﻳﻴﻦ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺍﻟﺪﻭﻝ الأربع، وإﻣﻬﺎﻝ ﺍﻟﻤﻘﻴﻤﻴﻦ ﻭﺍﻟﺰﺍﺋﺮﻳﻦ ﻣﻨﻬﻢ ﻣﺪﺓ 14 ﻳﻮﻣًﺎ ﻟﻠﻤﻐﺎﺩﺭﺓ، وﻣﻨﻊ ﻣﻮﺍﻃﻨﻲ ﺍﻟﺪﻭﻝ الأربع ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﺴﻔﺮ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺩﻭﻟﺔ ﻗﻄﺮ ﺃﻭ ﺍﻹﻗﺎﻣﺔ ﻓﻴﻬﺎ ﺃﻭ ﺍﻟﻤﺮﻭﺭ ﻋﺒﺮﻫﺎ. كما أﻏلقت ﻤﻨﺎﻓﺬها ﺍﻟﺒﺮﻳﺔ وﺍﻟﺒﺤﺮﻳﺔ ﻭﺍﻟﺠﻮﻳﺔ ﺧﻼﻝ 24 ﺳﺎﻋﺔ ﻓﻘﻂ ﺃﻣﺎﻡ ﺍﻟﺤﺮﻛﺔ ﺍﻟﻘﺎﺩﻣﺔ ﻭﺍﻟﻤﻐﺎﺩﺭﺓ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺩﻭﻟﺔ ﻗﻄﺮ، ﻭﻣنعت ﺍﻟﻌﺒﻮﺭ على ﺠﻤﻴﻊ ﻭﺳﺎﺋﻞ ﺍﻟﻨﻘﻞ ﺍﻟﻘﻄﺮﻳﺔ ﺍﻟﻘﺎﺩﻣﺔ ﻭﺍﻟﻤﻐﺎﺩﺭﺓ، مع ﺍﺗﺨﺎﺫ ﻛﺎﻓﺔ ﺍﻹﺟﺮﺍﺀﺍﺕ ﺍﻟﻘﺎﻧﻮﻧﻴﺔ وباﻟﺘﻔﺎﻫﻢ ﻣﻊ ﺍﻟﺪﻭﻝ ﺍﻟﺼﺪﻳﻘﺔ ﻭﺍﻟﺸﺮﻛﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﺪﻭﻟﻴﺔ، ﺑﺨﺼﻮﺹ ﻋﺒﻮﺭﻫﻢ في الأجواء ﻭﺍﻟﻤﻴﺎﻩ ﺍﻹﻗﻠﻴﻤﻴﺔ ﻣﻦ ﻭﺇﻟﻰ ﻗﻄﺮ. هذه القرارات ﺗﻢّ تبريرها بأنها ﻟﺪﻭﺍعٍ ﻭﺃﺳﺒﺎﺏٍ ﺃﻣﻨﻴﺔ ﻭﺍﺣﺘﺮﺍﺯﻳﺔ، ﺫﻟﻚ أﻥ ﺩﻭﻟﺔ ﻗﻄﺮ ﻣﺘﻬﻤﺔ ﻣﻦ ﻗﺒﻠﻬﻢ بعدة أمور منها: زرع ﺑﺬﻭﺭ ﺍﻟﻔﺘﻨﺔ ﻭﺍﻻﻧﻘﺴﺎﻡ ﺩﺍﺧﻞ ﻣﺠﺘﻤﻌﺎﺕ ﺗﻠﻚ ﺍﻟﺪﻭﻝ، وإيواء أﺷﺨﺎﺹ إﺭﻫﺎﺑﻴﻦ ﻭﺪﻋﻢ ﺗﻨﻈﻴﻤﺎﺕ ﺇﺭﻫﺎﺑﻴﺔ، ﻛﺠﻤﺎﻋﺔ ﺍﻹﺧﻮﺍﻥ ﺍﻟﻤﺴﻠﻤﻴﻦ ﻭﺣﻤﺎﺱ ﻭﻃﺎﻟﺒﺎﻥ ﻭﺩﺍﻋﺶ ﻭﺍﻟﻘﺎﻋﺪﺓ. ﺗﺄﺗﻲ ﻫﺬﻩ ﺍﻟﺪﺭﺍﺳﺔ ﻛﻤﺤﺎﻭﻟﺔ ﻻﺳﺘﻜﺸﺎﻑ ﻣﺪﻯ "ﺍﻟﻌﺪﻝ" ﺃﻭ "ﺍﻟﻈﻠﻢ" ﻓﻲ ﺣﺼﺎﺭ ﺃﻭ ﻣﻘﺎﻃﻌﺔ ﺩﻭﻟﺔ ﻗﻄﺮ ﻣﻦ قبل ﺍﻟﺪﻭﻝ الأربع. وتشمل الأﻗﺴﺎﻡ الأربعة التالية: ﺍﻟﻘﺴﻢ ﺍﻷﻭﻝ: ﺑﻴﺎﻧﺎﺕ ﺩﻭﻝ ﺍﻟﺤﺼﺎﺭ ﻭﺭﺩود ﺩﻭﻟﺔ ﻗﻄﺮ ﻋﻠﻴﻬﺎ، ﺍﻟﻘﺴﻢ ﺍﻟﺜﺎﻧﻲ: ﻣﺪﻯ ﺍلأﺯﻣﺔ ﺍﻟﺘﻲ ﺧﻠﻘﺘﻬﺎ ﺑﻴﺎﻧﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﺪﻭﻝ الأربع، ﺍﻟﻘﺴﻢ ﺍﻟﺜﺎﻟﺚ: ﺍﻟﻤﺨﺎﻟﻔﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﻘﺎﻧﻮﻧﻴﺔ ﻓﻲ ﺑﻴﺎﻧﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﺪﻭﻝ الأربع، ﻭﺍﻟﻘﺴﻢ ﺍﻟﺮﺍﺑﻊ: ﺣﻘﻴﻘﺔ ﺍﻷﺳﺒﺎﺏ ﺍﻟﺘﻲ ﺣُﻤﻠﺖ ﻋﻠﻴﻬﺎ ﺇﺟﺮﺍﺀﺍﺕ ﺍﻟﺪﻭﻝ الأربع.On June 5, 2017, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Kingdom of Bahrain, and Egypt issued statements against the State of Qatar announcing the severance of ties, including diplomatic relations, with Qatar. The Qatari diplomatic mission was given 48 hours to leave those countries. Qatari nationals were banned to travel to KSA, UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt and Qatari residents and visitors were given 14 days to leave. The four countries also imposed in just 24 hours a land, air and sea blockade on Qatar claiming this a precaution due to security reasons and accusing Qatar of supporting “terrorist groups” such as the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, the Taliban, ISIS and Al-Qaeda.This study highlights the “unjust” and “oppressive” aspect of the blockade on or the boycott of Qatar. It includes four parts: the first part showcases the statements of the blockading countries and Qatar’s response to them, the second part highlights the crisis generated by the statements of the blockading countries, the third part discusses the legal irregularities of these statements, and the fourth part explores the reasons behind the actions of the blockading countries

Using tracking software for writing instruction

is what is often evaluated in the context of language teaching, the process of giving thought to linguistic form is fascinating. For almost forty years, language teachers have found it more effective to help learners in the writing process than in the written product; it is there that they could find sources of writing problems. Despite all controversy evoked by post-process approaches with respect to process writing, information technology has lately offered tools that can shed new light on how writing takes place. Software that can record keyboard, mouse, and screen activities is capable of unraveling mysteries of the writing process. Technology has given teachers and learners the option of examining the writing process as it unfolds, enabling them to diagnose strategy as well as wording problems, thus empowering teachers to guide learners individually in how to think about each of their trouble spots in the context of a specific product of writing. With these advances in information technology, metacognitive awareness and strategy training begin to acquire new dimensions of meaning. Technology lays open aspects of the writing process, offering unprecedented insight into creative text production as well. This paper attempts to explain how tracking software can influence writing instruction. It briefly examines the process and post-process approaches to assess their viability, explains the concept of tracking software, proposes methodology needed for the adoption of this technology, and then discusses the pedagogical implications of these issues

Jordanian University Students’ Views on Emergency Online Learning During COVID-19

The present study investigates the influence of digital technology, instructional and assessment quality, economic status and psychological state, and course type on Jordanian university students’ attitudes towards online learning during the COVID-19 emergency transition to online learning. A survey of 4,037 undergraduate students representing four Jordanian public and private universities revealed that personal challenges (such as economic and psychological stress) decreased students’ willingness to learn online in the future, while the quality of the online experience (including instructional and assessment quality) improved their attitudes towards learning online in the future. Students also believed that Arts & Humanities courses were better suited for online teaching/learning than Sciences courses, a difference that persisted after controlling for personal challenges and the quality of the online learning experience

Video Games Localization into Arabic: Gamers’ Reactions to Localizing PUBG and Free Fire

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has an active gaming community, with Arab gamers being reliant on games produced in Europe, America, and Japan due to the lack of significant game production companies in the MENA region. This study explores the gamers’ reactions to the localization process of two video games, namely PUBG and Free Fire. For data collection purposes, a five-point Likert scale questionnaire that consisted of 18 items and six constructs, namely need for subtitled games, technical aspects, language issues, language preference, attitudes to game localization, and future actions and recommendations, was designed to elicit the reactions of 112 participants. Upon analyzing the responses, the findings showed that the better the technical aspects and language issues of the games’ performance, the more positive participants’ attitudes to game localization. The study recommends that further research could be conducted on the localization of video games with different themes into Arabic

Optimum Median Filter Based on Crow Optimization Algorithm

يُقترح مرشح متوسط ​​جديد يعتمد على خوارزميات تحسين الغراب (OMF) لتقليل ضوضاء الملح والفلفل العشوائية وتحسين جودة الصور ذات اللون الرمادي والملونة . الفكرة الرئيسية لهذا النهج هي أن أولاً ، تقوم خوارزمية تحسين الأداء بالكشف عن وحدات البكسل الخاصة بالضوضاء ، واستبدالها بقيمة وسيطة مثالية تبعًا لدالة الأداء. أخيرًا ، تم استخدام نسبة القياس القصوى لنسبة الإشارة إلى الضوضاء (PSNR) ، والتشابه الهيكلي والخطأ المربع المطلق والخطأ التربيعي المتوسط ​​لاختبار أداء المرشحات المقترحة (المرشح الوسيط الأصلي والمحسّن) المستخدمة في الكشف عن الضوضاء وإزالتها من الصور. يحقق المحاكاة استنادًا إلى MATLAB R2019b والنتائج الحالية التي تفيد بأن المرشح المتوسط ​​المحسّن مع خوارزمية تحسين الغراب أكثر فعالية من خوارزمية المرشح المتوسط ​​الأصلية ومرشحات لطرق حديثة ؛ أنها تبين أن العملية المقترحة قوية للحد من مشكلة الخطأ وإزالة الضوضاء بسبب مرشح عامل التصفية المتوسط ​​؛ ستظهر النتائج عن طريق تقليل الخطأ التربيعي المتوسط ​​إلى أدنى أو أقل من (1.5) ، والخطأ المطلق للتساوي (0.22) ,والتشابه الهيكلي اكثر من ( 95%) والحصول على PSNR أكثر من 45dB).) وبنسبة تحسين ( 25%) .          A novel median filter based on crow optimization algorithms (OMF) is suggested to reduce the random salt and pepper noise and improve the quality of the RGB-colored and gray images. The fundamental idea of the approach is that first, the crow optimization algorithm detects noise pixels, and that replacing them with an optimum median value depending on a criterion of maximization fitness function. Finally, the standard measure peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), Structural Similarity, absolute square error and mean square error have been used to test the performance of suggested filters (original and improved median filter) used to removed noise from images. It achieves the simulation based on MATLAB R2019b and the results present that the improved median filter with crow optimization algorithm is more effective than the original median filter algorithm and some recently methods; they show that the suggested process is robust to reduce the error problem and remove noise because of a candidate of the median filter; the results will show by the minimized mean square error to equal or less than (1.38), absolute error to equal or less than (0.22) ,Structural Similarity (SSIM) to equal (0.9856) and getting PSNR more than (46 dB). Thus, the percentage of improvement in work is (25%)

Scalable and Secure Big Data IoT System Based on Multifactor Authentication and Lightweight Cryptography

© 2013 IEEE. Organizations share an evolving interest in adopting a cloud computing approach for Internet of Things (IoT) applications. Integrating IoT devices and cloud computing technology is considered as an effective approach to storing and managing the enormous amount of data generated by various devices. However, big data security of these organizations presents a challenge in the IoT-cloud architecture. To overcome security issues, we propose a cloud-enabled IoT environment supported by multifactor authentication and lightweight cryptography encryption schemes to protect big data system. The proposed hybrid cloud environment is aimed at protecting organizations\u27 data in a highly secure manner. The hybrid cloud environment is a combination of private and public cloud. Our IoT devices are divided into sensitive and nonsensitive devices. Sensitive devices generate sensitive data, such as healthcare data; whereas nonsensitive devices generate nonsensitive data, such as home appliance data. IoT devices send their data to the cloud via a gateway device. Herein, sensitive data are split into two parts: one part of the data is encrypted using RC6, and the other part is encrypted using the Fiestel encryption scheme. Nonsensitive data are encrypted using the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption scheme. Sensitive and nonsensitive data are respectively stored in private and public cloud to ensure high security. The use of multifactor authentication to access the data stored in the cloud is also proposed. During login, data users send their registered credentials to the Trusted Authority (TA). The TA provides three levels of authentication to access the stored data: first-level authentication - read file, second-level authentication - download file, and third-level authentication - download file from the hybrid cloud. We implement the proposed cloud-IoT architecture in the NS3 network simulator. We evaluated the performance of the proposed architecture using metrics such as computational time, security strength, encryption time, and decryption time