Individual Variation in L2 Study-Abroad Outcomes: A Case Study from Indonesian Pragmatics

This is a study of two Australian learners of Indonesian during a short stay abroad. It examines their contrasting success in acquiring L2 address terms, in tandem with their contrasting experiences of the L2 culture setting. It thereby helps explain th

Sociopragmatic development and L2 identity during study abroad

The study uses a multi-method approach to examine how two male Australian learners of Indonesian develop in their stance towards making complaints, during a short stay in Indonesia. One learner, Paul, adopted an initial stance of sweetnatured tolerance, whereby he was highly reluctant to complain regardless of whether native speakers would do so. However, he came to abandon that stance and assert the same rights to complain as native speakers do. The other learner, Oscar, followed a very different path of development. He came to feel strongly alienated within his L2 setting, which made him increasingly reluctant to make complaints regardless of whether native speakers would complain or not. This contrasting identity development of Paul and Oscar also affected their learning about L2 pragmatic norms. Paul developed new and more confidently-held beliefs about native norms for when to complain. By contrast, Oscar’s sense of identity as an outsider made it hard for him to form confident perceptions about those norms. These two case studies demonstrate that L2 learners’ sociopragmatic development during study abroad is closely linked to the process of constructing an L2 identity. Thus, they may become either more or less ready to adopt native pragmatic norms with increased time in the L2 culture setting, depending on the trajectory of their identity development. Also, learners’ L2 identities influence their very ability to learn about native-speaker sociopragmatic norms

Requests by Australian learners of Indonesian

This study is an investigation of how Australian learners perform requests in Bahasa Indonesia in everyday situations. Bahasa Indonesia (henceforth BI, or Indonesian), is the national language of Indonesia, and is spoken by the majority of Indonesians (cf. Nababan 1991). For most speakers it is learned as a second language, either formally at school, or informally through the community. However, there is an increasing trend for Indonesians to speak BI as a first language (cf. Nababan 1991). While speakers of BI vary in proficiency, Indonesians who have finished high school are fully proficient in the language, and for most speakers it is “the language of ordinary, everyday communication” (Worsley 1993: 7) . The main objectives of this study are as follows: to provide a detailed preliminary description of the requesting behaviour of Australian learners and native speakers of BI in everyday situations, to offer explanations for the similarities and differences between the behaviour of the two groups, and to determine what the behaviour of these learners tells us about how learners perform requests, and speech acts more widely, in a second language (L2)

Cross-linguistic media usage and attitude in the United Arab Emirates

This study, examining the relationship between different language user groups and media behavior, breaks new ground in the UAE. Emanating from a public-private consortium comprising Zayed University, the International Advertising Association, Dubai, and Dubai-based Pan Arab Research Center (PARC), partner of the Gallup organization, this research considers media usage and attitudes of individuals from different language user groups living in the UAE. The survey differentiated different language user groups in the UAE contextualizing national varieties according to the ‘Three Circles Model’ instituted by Kachru (1982 and ff.). Uncharacteristically, the tables shown in this study first take cognizance of Language User Groups relating to Arabic(s), followed by the Outer, then the Expanding and finally the Inner Circle Users of Englishes. In addition, bearing in mind the existence of different varieties similar to ‘Englishes’ might pertain to more than English language varieties, the terms “Arabics”, “Hindis”, “Urdus” and “Malayalams” are introduced. Analysis shows that media usage patterns and media penetration are tied to language background. People from particular language backgrounds use different media for the same information – ‘Al Jazeera’ is the primary source for breaking news among Users of Arabics, whereas it is ‘BBC World’ for Users of Englishes. Language facility and the perceived value of various languages vary across different linguistic groups. For example, in this Arabic speaking country, 20–32% of the Inner-Circle English Users and Outer-Circle Indian English Users agree with the statement that understanding Arabic was “not important at all”. © 2009 ALC Press, Inc

Nivolumab With or Without Ipilimumab in Pediatric Patients With High-Grade CNS Malignancies: Safety, Efficacy, Biomarker, and Pharmacokinetics: CheckMate 908

BACKGROUND: Therapeutic options are limited in pediatric CNS malignancies. CheckMate 908 (NCT03130959) is an open-label, sequential-arm, phase 1b/2 study investigating nivolumab (NIVO) and NIVO+ipilimumab (IPI) in pediatric patients with high-grade CNS malignancies. METHODS: Patients (N=166) in 5 cohorts received NIVO 3 mg/kg every 2 weeks (Q2W) or NIVO 3 mg/kg+IPI 1 mg/kg every 3 weeks (4 doses) followed by NIVO 3 mg/kg Q2W. Primary endpoints included overall survival (OS; newly diagnosed diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma [DIPG]) and progression-free survival (PFS; other recurrent/progressive or relapsed/resistant CNS cohorts). Secondary endpoints included other efficacy metrics and safety. Exploratory endpoints included pharmacokinetics and biomarker analyses. RESULTS: As of January 13, 2021, median OS (80% CI) was 11.7 (10.3-16.5) and 10.8 (9.1-15.8) months with NIVO and NIVO+IPI, respectively, in newly diagnosed DIPG. Median PFS (80% CI) with NIVO and NIVO+IPI was 1.7 (1.4-2.7) and 1.3 (1.2-1.5) months, respectively, in recurrent/progressive high-grade glioma; 1.4 (1.2-1.4) and 2.8 (1.5-4.5) months in relapsed/resistant medulloblastoma; and 1.4 (1.4-2.6) and 4.6 (1.4-5.4) months in relapsed/resistant ependymoma. In patients with other recurrent/progressive CNS tumors, median PFS (95% CI) was 1.2 (1.1-1.3) and 1.6 (1.3-3.5) months, respectively. Grade 3/4 treatment-related adverse-event rates were 14.1% (NIVO) and 27.2% (NIVO+IPI). NIVO and IPI first-dose trough concentrations were lower in youngest and lowest-weight patients. Baseline tumor programmed death ligand 1 expression was not associated with survival. CONCLUSIONS: NIVO±IPI did not demonstrate clinical benefit relative to historical data. The overall safety profiles were manageable with no new safety signals

A global horizon scan of the future impacts of robotics and autonomous systems on urban ecosystems

Technology is transforming societies worldwide. A major innovation is the emergence of robotics and autonomous systems (RAS), which have the potential to revolutionize cities for both people and nature. Nonetheless, the opportunities and challenges associated with RAS for urban ecosystems have yet to be considered systematically. Here, we report the findings of an online horizon scan involving 170 expert participants from 35 countries. We conclude that RAS are likely to transform land use, transport systems and human–nature interactions. The prioritized opportunities were primarily centred on the deployment of RAS for the monitoring and management of biodiversity and ecosystems. Fewer challenges were prioritized. Those that were emphasized concerns surrounding waste from unrecovered RAS, and the quality and interpretation of RAS-collected data. Although the future impacts of RAS for urban ecosystems are difficult to predict, examining potentially important developments early is essential if we are to avoid detrimental consequences but fully realize the benefits

Through a glass, darkly: When learner pragmatics is misconstrued

The notion of a second language native-speaker target for learners of pragmatics has been criticised on several counts. However, one problem with this target seems to have escaped notice: when a learner behaves in a native-like way the native speaker might actually misconstrue this behaviour, because he or she views it through a filter of expectations about how the learner will behave. This claim is illustrated with snippets of ethnographic data on one pragmatic problem: avoiding unwelcome questions in Indonesian

Acquiring Address Terms in Indonesian: A Diary Study

This study uses a diary method to examine the acquisition of address terms by one advanced second language (L2) learner of Indonesian, during a four month sojourn in a target culture setting. The main issue that emerges for him during the study is when to use certain kin terms which mean "older brother" and "older sister" and are sometimes regarded as markers of solidarity. He makes some striking gains in the acquisition of these terms. However, his overall path of development is marked by reversals in his ability to use this type of address term, and when the sojourn ends, his ability to use them is in fact no higher than before the sojourn began. His reversals in ability to use these terms are closely linked to psychological-emotional factors: specifically an unease about being perceived as over-familiar or presumptuous, which is related in turn to a strong sense of outsider self-identity within the target culture. The study demonstrates that substantial shaping and reshaping of pragmatic knowledge may take place from the very first days in a target culture setting. It provides indirect but compelling evidence that there is be no stable common path of acquisition for many L2 pragmatic features, because individual psychological-emotional factors largely determine how learners acquire those features and how well they do so. It demonstrates the high value of self-report data for revealing details of L2 pragmatic development