TRANS-KATA: Journal of Language, Literature, Culture and Education

Cross-Journal Variation in Abstract Writing: Bundle-Driven Move Analysis in Applied Linguistics

Nur Rizka Kadir — 2026-05-10

This study examines how four-word lexical bundles function as indicators of rhetorical moves in research article abstracts from two applied linguistics journals representing different academic traditions: the Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics (IJAL) and Applied Linguistics (AL) by Oxford University Press. While previous studies have categorized bundles structurally and functionally, fewer have explored how they align with rhetorical moves across journal communities. Using a bundle-driven approach, with a specialized corpus, the Journal Abstracts of Applied Linguistics (JAAL) was compiled, comprising over 100,000 words from abstracts published between 2019 and 2025. Four-word sentence-initial bundles were extracted using AntConc 4.3.1 and analyzed with Hyland’s five-move abstract model. Findings show that clause-based bundles dominate in both IJAL (59%) and AL (80%), while PP-based bundles are least frequent in IJAL (7%), challenging earlier claims. Product bundles occur most often in IJAL (49%), whereas AL abstracts prioritize purpose bundles (46%) and use more flexible patterns, including self-mentions that perform multiple rhetorical roles. These differences reflect broader cultural and linguistic conventions in academic voice. The study demonstrates the link between lexical bundles and rhetorical moves and underscores implications for EFL instruction and genre-based writing pedagogy.

Students’ Address Forms for Lecturers in Spoken and Written Interactions in Indonesian University Settings: Linguistic Choices and Influencing Factors

Desylva Rima Kumalasari — 2026-05-10

Address terms play an important role in shaping social relationships and communication patterns in educational settings. Despite a growing body of sociolinguistic studies on the use of address terms in communication between students and lecturers in higher education, little research has focused on the forms of address used by Indonesian university students when interacting with their lecturers, either verbally or in writing. This study explores forms of address used by three Indonesian university students, especially those majoring in English language education, when communicating with their lecturers, as well as factors influencing these choices. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and the collection of personal documents, including WhatsApp chats, and analyzed following a thematic analytical framework. The findings reveal that students predominantly employed two categories of address terms: Indonesian kinship terms and English honorifics when addressing their lecturers. These choices were influenced by sociocultural settings, personal preferences, students’ perceptions of politeness, and the lack of explicit institutional guidelines. The findings offer insights into the dynamics of student-lecturer interactions in Indonesian higher education, highlighting the complex interplay between language, culture, and power. They also have implications for understanding communication patterns in multicultural and multilingual settings and for informing institutional policies on English language use in higher education.

Translation Ideology in Rendering Complimenet Responses in the Novel Bumi Manusia

Ilma Yullinda Rahmah — 2026-05-10

Compliment response is an important pragmatic issue in literary translation because it reflects norms of politeness, humility, and interpersonal relationship management that are deeply rooted in culture. This study aims to analyze the translation ideology underlying the translation of compliment responses from Indonesian into English in Pramoedya Ananta Toer's novel Bumi Manusia. The data consist of 20 compliment responses identified purposively from the source text and their translations in the target text. This study uses a qualitative descriptive approach because the data consists of a linguistic unit, including words, phrases, clauses, or sentences expressing responses to compliments. The data were first analyzed by classifying the types of compliment responses based on Herbert’s taxonomy, then examining the ideological orientation based on Venuti’s concept reflected in the translation techniques used at the discourse-pragmatic level. The results indicate a strong tendency toward the foreignization ideology in translating compliment responses, reflected by the predominant use of literal translation techniques with minimal adjustments. In other words, the types of compliment responses in the source text are consistently maintained in the target text, in which translation ideology plays a significant role in maintaining the pragmatic interaction patterns of the source culture in literary translation. The implications of this study emphasize the importance of both pragmatic and ideological awareness in translating compliment responses, particularly in the context of postcolonial literary translation.

Dynamics of Language Attitudes of the Community in the Lasem Chinathown Area

Zaimatul Afifah — 2026-05-10

Lasem Chinatown is widely recognized as a multicultural space that has united Javanese, Chinese, and Arab communities for centuries. This interaction has shaped diverse linguistic practices, including Indonesian, Javanese, Mandarin, and Arabic. This study aims to describe the dynamics of language attitudes toward these four languages within the context of diglossia. A descriptive qualitative approach was used. Data were collected through interviews with five respondents, field observations, and supporting sources of both direct and online documentation. The researcher became the main instrument assisted by interview guide and observation notes. Data were analyzed through reduction, presentation, and conclusion drawing. The findings indicate that the Lasem Chinatown community exhibits positive attitudes toward Indonesian and Javanese, which are used in formal and everyday communication. Conversely, Mandarin has experienced language shift, as it is no longer actively used in social interactions and remains largely symbolic. Meanwhile, Arabic, particularly at the Kauman Islamic boarding school, exhibits positive attitudes in the religious sphere. This suggests that the use of Arabic in the boarding school reflects the continuity of Islamic tradition rather than the presence of Arab ethnicity. Thus, these dynamics highlight the clear functional distribution of languages.

EFL Students’ Perspectives of Anxiety in Online Speaking Class

Firda Alvina Maharani — 2026-05-10

Speaking anxiety is one of the most common challenges faced by English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students, particularly in online learning environments where interaction is mediated by technology. Although many studies have examined foreign language anxiety, limited research has explored students’ perspectives on speaking anxiety specifically in online speaking classes and the strategies they use to manage it. This study aims to investigate EFL students’ perspectives on speaking anxiety in online speaking classes and to identify the strategies they use to cope with this anxiety. This research employed a qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews with 10 EFL students who had experience participating in online speaking classes. The interview data were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify common patterns and themes related to students’ experiences. The findings reveal that speaking anxiety in online classes is influenced by several factors, including linguistic limitations, technical challenges such as unstable internet connections and audio problems, and psychological factors such as nervousness and fear of making mistakes. The study also found that students use various strategies to manage their anxiety, including digital support tools, preparation and practice strategies, and psychological coping strategies. These findings highlight the importance of creating supportive online speaking environments and providing opportunities for preparation and technological support to help students manage speaking anxiety and improve their confidence in English communication.