International Journal of Language and Literary Studies

When Signs are Divergent: Analysing Farmer-Herder Conflicts in Southwest Nigeria Through Biosemiotic Theory

2026-01-27T17:09:21+00:00

Since Nigeria's return to democracy in 1999, conflicts between predominantly Fulani Muslim herders and largely Christian sedentary farmers have killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands more. These confrontations intensified dramatically in Southwest Nigeria during 2020-2021, transforming the historically peaceful Yoruba region into a conflict zone. This paper argues that violence emerges when communities with incompatible meaning-making systems share space without interpretive frameworks enabling mutual intelligibility. Using Uexküll's Umwelt theory and Hoffmeyer's semiotic scaffolding concept, it analyses how different species inhabit distinct perceptual worlds that generate fatal misreadings. Through intensive analysis of four documented conflicts - Igangan (Oyo), Imeko-Afon (Ogun), Jugbere (Ondo), and Ayegbaju-Ekiti - during 2019-2021, the paper demonstrates how cattle, crops, humans, and landscapes constitute an ecology of meaning where each agent produces and interprets signs differently. A central finding is that cattle operate as autonomous agents, following species-specific foraging Umwelten that systematically cause crop destruction regardless of herder intentions, explaining why legal prohibitions and security interventions consistently fail. Findings show that semiotic breakdown interacts with material and political factors to produce violence, suggesting that conflict resolution requires physical infrastructure channelling bovine behaviour and rebuilding shared interpretive frameworks alongside addressing resource claims.

Rajeshwar Prasad’s ‘Righteousness’ as a Timeless Epic for the Human Soul

2026-01-31T02:31:46+00:00

The research article establishes that Righteousness is an essential element in comparative literary studies because it demonstrates how an Indo-Anglian allegorical epic presents two distinct aspects: individual pain and universal justice. The research shows that Rajeshwar Prasad uses a Christ-like protagonist to create a new definition of heroism, demonstrating how people can develop moral strength through their battle against oppressive forces rather than achieving success through predetermined paths. The novel uses spiritual symbols to create a structured narrative of loss, demonstrating an epic purpose that offers readers hope through a culturally specific yet worldwide-applicable template. The study demonstrates how modern allegorical fiction uses personal loss and communal moral restoration to create new pathways for research about its global reach.

A Sociolinguistic Study of Language Use and Identity in Some Selected Gospel Music in Nigeria

2026-01-08T14:39:39+00:00

This study investigates how some selected Nigerian Christian artiste use code switching and code mixing to connect with diverse audience and also showcase their ethnic identities. The theories adopted for the study are the social identity theory and the communication accommodation theory. Findings reveal that the blending of Indigenous languages with English in the selected gospel music serves as a tool for showcasing the ethnic group of the artistes as well as reaching wider audience. This result therefore emphasizes the role of language use in the Christian music industry in fostering cultural identity and its involvement in maintaining the heritage language of the people. The researcher therefore recommends the continuous incorporation of indigenous languages into Christian Gospel songs since it has demonstrated positive impacts on language maintenance, cultural visibility, and audience engagement. Future studies should investigate a larger corpus of gospel songs across more Nigerian languages to deepen understanding of multilingual practices and their sociolinguistic impacts.

From Emergent to Multiliteracies: A Review of Preschool Language Teaching Curricula in Greece (1989–2021)

2026-01-11T21:00:12+00:00

The purpose of this paper is to review the modern curricula of language teaching in Greek preschool education, tracing their evolution from the landmark 1989 syllabus to the implementation of the new 2021 curriculum. The study employs a qualitative policy document analysis of official preschool language curricula issued by the Greek Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Institute of Educational Policy (IEP), between 1989 and 2021. The review analyzes the key pedagogical and theoretical shifts that have shaped early childhood language education over three decades. It follows the progression from a didactic, skills-based model to the introduction of child-centered, interdisciplinary methods and the concept of "emergent literacy" in 2003. The analysis then highlights the formal integration of "critical literacy" as a core theoretical approach in the 2014 revision, culminating in the adoption of a comprehensive "multiliteracies" framework in the 2021 curriculum. The findings demonstrate a clear and progressive trajectory towards a more sophisticated, theoretically-grounded framework that views literacy as a complex, socially-situated practice. This evolution underscores a commitment to developing active, critical thinkers and reflects the understanding that high-quality preschool programs are a key pillar for a child's success in school and in life. This review contributes to international discussions on early childhood literacy by showing how national curriculum reforms in Greece reflect broader global trends toward emergent literacy, critical literacy, and multiliteracies approaches. The review concerns Greek public kindergarten curricula for children aged 4–6, focusing on Greek as a first language.

Critical Visual Discourse Analysis of Moroccan EFL Textbooks: Uncovering Ideological Constructs in The Spotlight Series

2026-01-25T14:41:44+00:00

There is no doubt that English language textbooks are not just pedagogical tools but powerful ideological artifacts that shape learners’ perceptions and identities through carefully designed multimodal semiotics. In Morocco’s multilingual educational landscape, the Spotlight textbook series (Volumes 1 and 2) occupies a critical space, negotiating local cultural values with global linguistic demands. This study employs Critical Visual Discourse Analysis (CVDA, henceforth), integrating Kress and van Leeuwen’s (2006) visual grammar with Fairclough’s (1992) three-dimensional CDA model, to investigate three core dimensions: (1) the representation of cultural identities, (2) the construction of gender roles, and (3) the framing of learner autonomy. Findings reveal systematic patterns of Western-centric cultural framing, where Moroccan elements are often exoticized, alongside gendered activity distribution that reinforces traditional roles. Additionally, autonomy is predominantly constructed through neoliberal self-governance paradigms, positioning learner agency as compliance rather than critical engagement. The study ultimately argues that these elements converge into a hidden curriculum that privileges certain worldviews while marginalizing local knowledge systems. By bridging visual semiotics and critical discourse analysis, this research contributes to critical applied linguistics and textbook studies, offering insights for culturally responsive and equitable material design in Moroccan EFL education and broader contexts

Constructing Resistance: A Corpus-Assisted Critical Discourse Analysis of Vernacular Agency in Cameroon’s Anglophone Digital Activism

2026-01-27T17:31:19+00:00

This study provides a rigorous sociolinguistic examination of the constitutive role of language in the ongoing socio-political conflict in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions, positing digital activism as a primary site of discursive struggle. While scholarship has addressed historical-political dimensions, a significant gap persists in the empirical analysis of the micro-linguistic strategies through which vernacular practices enact ideological resistance and counter-hegemonic mobilisation (Blommaert, 2005; Kroskrity, 2000). Employing an integrated mixed-methods framework that synergizes Corpus Linguistics with Critical Discourse Analysis (Baker, Gabrielatos, KhosraviNik, Krzy?anowski, McEnery, & Wodak, 2008), this research analyses a specialised digital corpus of approximately 1,200 text-based items from social media, activist communiqués, and transcribed audio (2020–2025)—the Anglophone Digital Activism Corpus (ADAC). Quantitative keyword and collocation analyses identify statistically significant patterns, while subsequent qualitative analysis, guided by Systemic Functional Linguistics’ transitivity model (Halliday & Matthiessen, 2014) and social actor representation (van Leeuwen, 2008), performs close readings. The findings reveal a deliberate linguistic architecture characterised by three core mechanisms: the consistent grammatical positioning of collective Anglophone actors as active agents in material processes; the strategic deployment of code-mixing and lexical innovation, using Cameroonian Pidgin English and Camfranglais to create an exclusive, authentic discursive space (Gumperz, 1982); and the use of conceptual metaphors (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980) such as EDUCATION IS SOVEREIGNTY to reframe political grievances into mobilising narratives. This paper argues that digital activism in this context is fundamentally a sociolinguistic project, contributing an empirical model for analysing the interface of grammar, digital communication, and political conflict, affirming that the struggle for power is intrinsically a struggle over representation and linguistic resource mobilisation (Bourdieu, 1991).

Examining Students’ and Perceived Teachers’ Attitudes towards Soft Skills’ Integration in Master’s Programs: A Quantitative Study

2026-02-11T10:28:37+00:00

Moroccan higher education institutions are expected to realign their objectives and implement updated pedagogical practices that promote the inclusion of soft skills. Nevertheless, the actual implementation of these skills continues to face difficulties and sparks considerable debate. This research aims to examine students’ and perceived teachers’ attitudes towards soft skills’ integration within Moroccan master’s programs of English department and explores the differences between them. To achieve these objectives, a cross-sectional design was employed; quantitative data was collected from 208 master students through the use of questionnaires. The findings indicate that students hold positive attitudes towards the integration of soft skills, whereas professors are perceived as moderately enthusiastic and constrained by practical course limitations. The results of the paired test illustrate a statistically significant difference between students’ and perceived teachers’ attitudes, with a p-value less than 0.001. Therefore, the findings of this study would imply a need for a balanced integration of cognitive and social skills, namely the practical engagement of those skills through the use of innovative approaches and methods.

Paradigmatic Lexical Relations in EFL Contexts: Theoretical and Pedagogical Approaches to Homonymy

2026-02-13T09:11:22+00:00

A comprehensive command of vocabulary is fundamental to second language development, as lexical knowledge underpins all receptive and productive skills and is therefore a key predictor of academic performance across age groups. Beyond its communicative value in enabling precise expression of ideas, emotions, and arguments, vocabulary depth supports learners’ ability to interpret meaning, negotiate ambiguity, and engage effectively in both oral and written discourse. Within this broader lexical landscape, paradigmatic lexical relations particularly synonymy, antonymy, hyponymy, polysemy, and homonymy play a crucial role in structuring the mental lexicon and shaping learners’ semantic awareness. This study examines homonymy through the lens of paradigmatic relations in EFL contexts, exploring the theoretical significance of lexical ambiguity as well as the pedagogical challenges it presents in classroom practice. Drawing on survey data from 140 primary and secondary Albanian learners of English, the findings reveal a consistent pattern of difficulty: students encounter homonyms infrequently in their lessons, perceive them as highly challenging, and show limited confidence in distinguishing and using homonymous forms. These patterns reflect a convergence of limited instructional exposure, insufficient use of multimodal teaching aids, and low learner autonomy, all of which hinder the development of deeper lexical understanding and the ability to resolve semantic ambiguity. The results underscore the need for more explicit, systematic, and context rich pedagogical approaches to homonymy within EFL instruction in order to better support learners’ lexical growth and overall communicative competence.

Fostering or Hindering? A Systematic Review on the Influence of Artificial Intelligence in Education

2026-03-08T18:43:58+00:00

This review paper aims to examine the influence of Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED) on the development of 21^st century skills. A systematic literature search was conducted using academic databases including Science Direct, Scopus, and Google Scholar, employing keyword combinations such as “Artificial Intelligence”, “AI”, “6C skills”, which cover the publications primarily from 2012 to 2024. Thematic analysis was performed following the Maximum Data Quality Assurance framework to ensure rigorous categorization and interpretation of the selected studies. The findings indicate that AIED significantly affects the 6C skills—namely character, citizenship, critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication. AI technologies are increasingly employed to address diverse educational challenges and enhance learning processes. However, the relationship between AI and skill development is bidirectional: while AI facilitates personalized learning and supports students with learning difficulties, it also presents certain risks. Specifically, overreliance on AI tools may lead to a decline in learners’ critical thinking, creativity, and moral reasoning abilities. This review highlights the dual-edged nature of AIED, underscoring the need for balanced integration that maximizes benefits while mitigating potential drawbacks to 21st century skill development.

The Metaphysics of Everydayness and Beyond: Henri Lefebvre – A Critical Reconstruction

2026-01-28T14:01:51+00:00

The Study investigates the ‘locus’ of the elusive and allusive concept of everyday and everydayness and its ‘telos’ in the fields of metaphysics, cultural study, phenomenology, Marxist socialism, sociology, consumerism and a number of other post structuralism thoughts, by focusing light on marginality and banality of its own state as well as the division of power and distribution of wealth in a particular socio-cultural, political construct in a specified era. The study also explores the conflicting notion of everydayness and questions the truth and validity of its being banal and marginal. The study adopts a qualitative approach, highlighting the fundamental concept of everydayness by drawing on major critical writings in this field, from St. Augustine through Heidegger, Lenin, Althusser, Blanchot, and others to Lefebvre. An analytical study reveals several major issues involving the theory of everydayness, including its elusive nature; conflicting and contradictory ‘locus’; Marxist, sociological orientation that paradoxically negates Marxism itself; consumerism, involving the state and its diverse machineries, and the mercantile class’s direct involvement in it to facilitate the capitalist class as well as people in power and authority. The study also lays bare the innumerable critical and theoretical threads closely linked to the nature and identity of everydayness, as explicated by Lefebvre, from a philosophical viewpoint. The paper contributes to the field of knowledge through its exploration of the idea and identity of ‘everydayness’, which introduces a new concept, although it is linked to Marxist and sociological views. The study also unveils avenues for new prospects and ways to fulfill hope, providing this everyday platform with a place of dignity, honour, and adequacy based on equality and justice. At the same time, it highlights the lacuna and shortcomings, the possible improbability of the dreams of equality and optimism in the coming days, as expected by Lefebvre. The study also contributes to basic knowledge through a keen recognition of the metaphysics of everydayness, depicting the inherent dialectical clashes of oppositions, as well as an evasive and ever-shifting paradigm of ‘transactions’ between everydayness and non-everydayness within the ideological and socio-cultural construct of a society and state in a particular time frame.

Building a Typology of Humor in Animated Comedies: Analysis of The Saudi Animated Comedy Masameer Classics

2026-02-17T07:48:19+00:00

The current study investigates the emergence of humor in the Saudi animated comedy Masameer Classics. The aim is to identify the humor techniques used to generate humor in the show. To do so, an amended typology made up of four categories (Language, Logic, Identity, and Action) and their 46 subsequent humor techniques was developed, based on two existing typologies in the literature. The coding of the data using the amended typology revealed that all four categories were used to generate humor in the show, with varying frequencies to their more specific techniques. Language dominated, followed by Identity, Logic, and Action. The prevalence of categories of humor that emerged in the animated comedy shed light on topics and themes highlighted in the show. The typology can be utilized in future research to identify how humor is generated in animated comedies, along with providing comedy creators with an insight into the specific techniques used to trigger humor in animated comedies.

Interrelationships Among Dissertation Writing Challenges: A Correlational Study of Moroccan Doctoral Students

2026-01-24T17:26:02+00:00

Doctoral dissertation writing involves a complex interplay of academic, methodological, systemic, and personal demands that collectively influence doctoral progress and completion. Drawing on data from 300 doctoral candidates enrolled in English Studies across ten Moroccan universities, this correlational study builds on prior descriptive research to examine the interrelationships among dissertation-writing challenges. Four domains were investigated: barriers to effective academic writing, difficulties in literature review and scholarly argumentation, challenges related to research planning and methodological rigor, and systemic and personal obstacles. Given the non-normal distribution of the data, Spearman’s rank-order correlation coefficients (?) were employed to assess the strength and direction of relationships among these domains. The findings reveal strong, positive, and statistically significant correlations across all categories, indicating that dissertation-writing challenges tend to co-occur and mutually reinforce one another rather than operate as isolated difficulties. Notably, systemic and personal obstacles show particularly strong associations with academic writing and methodological challenges. These results underscore the systemic and interconnected nature of doctoral dissertation difficulties and highlight the need for integrated, holistic doctoral support strategies that simultaneously address academic, structural, and personal dimensions of doctoral education.