Writing a topic sentence is difficult, as a variety of linguistic knowledge is required to represent the main idea of the whole paragraph. This study applies the mechanism of A-movement in generative syntax to observe syntactic structures, semantic denotations and pragmatic aspects of topic sentences in applied linguistics research articles. The…

Translanguaging in applied linguistics and foreign language pedagogy has attracted scholars' attention and interest in recent years. Myriad theoretical and empirical research on translanguaging has been conducted. However, little comprehensive science mapping exists in this field. Hence, the present study aimed to examine the academic output in…

Despite the range of varieties of Han Chinese, Mandarin is the most widely studied variety in research on Chinese as a heritage language (CHL) around the world. To better understand the role of other varieties of Han Chinese in addition to Mandarin, this article presents a synthesis of research on the learning of Chinese varieties in formal and…

In this literature synthesis, the three authors bring their embodied voices to collectively retrace the political-cultural-racialized-gendered topographies where key conceptualizations of language, mathematics, and the learner have emerged. Recognizing that they themselves have never been outside these landscapes as mere objective observers, the…

This paper reports a bibliometric analysis of two small data sets: a set of 34 papers that make up "The Routledge handbook of vocabulary studies" (Webb, 2020) and a set of papers dealing with second language (L2) vocabulary research taken from a single journal "Frontiers in Psychology." Bibliometric maps based on author…

A quarter of a century has passed since complex dynamic systems theory was proposed as an alternative paradigm to rethink and reexamine some of the main questions and phenomena in applied linguistics and language learning. In this article, we report a scoping review of the heterogenous body of research adopting this framework. We analyzed 158…

Digital games have gained significant attention in the field of language education. Among various educational applications, research on digital game-based vocabulary learning (DGBVL) has seen a marked increase in interest and exploration. This study presents a scientometric review based on bibliometric data from the Scopus and Web of Science Core…

Complex Dynamic Systems Theory (CDST), an instantiation in applied linguistics of complexity epistemology that transcends disciplinary boundaries, has gained much traction and momentum over the last decade, finding expressions in a fast-growing number of empirical second language developmental studies. However, the literature, while rapidly…

The Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) is a crucial reference framework for informing teaching, learning and assessment that has achieved worldwide prominence in language education. However, there have been concerns raised regarding the breadth of its influence across different domains and countries. Using a bibliometric approach, a…

Purpose: Studies on technology and interpreting have increasingly explored how technology influences the role and performance of interpreters in their practice; however, there is a lack of comprehensive reviews and analyses. This paper aims to synthetically review the state-of-the-art application and integration of various interpreting…

Background: The ability to understand the mental state of others (social cognition), as well as language, is crucial for children to have good social adaptation. Social cognition (SC) has been shown to be a hierarchical model of three factors (Cognitive, intermediate and affective SC) interrelated with linguistic processes. Children on the autism…

Nowadays, research in second language acquisition (SLA) is becoming increasingly interdisciplinary while many technical frontiers and research hotspots have emerged. Many studies focus on interdisciplinary topics, but few in-depth studies have been conducted on interdisciplinarity. This study examined the interdisciplinarity of SLA and the…

The Holy Qur'an, as an oral revelation by Allah to Prophet Muhammad through Gabriel, is a conveyance of the message of Almighty Allah to humanity. It takes the form of monologic argumentation which is the fountainhead of divine orientation for Muslims. Yet, the Qur'an, sometimes, offers detailed accounts of historical events and narratives in the…

Language legislation, given its importance in language rights, has received increasing attention over the past decades. This study offers a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the literature on language legislation from 2005 to 2023. By utilizing VOSViewer and CiteSpace, we have visualized and analyzed the scientific outputs, intellectual…

Structural equation modeling (SEM), as a flexible and versatile multivariate statistical technique, has been growingly used since its introduction in the 1970s. This article presents a methodological synthesis of the characteristics of the use of SEM in L2 research by examining the reporting practices in light of the current SEM literature to…