Journal of Language Development and Linguistics
Journal of Language Development and Linguistics (JLDL) is a quarterly, double-blind peer reviewed journal which publishes original research papers in the field of language development and Linguistics. JLDL publishes articles related to the nature of language acquisition and those which set bridges between language acquisition and development and other disciplines are given priority. Studies which take a descriptive approach to the nature of language acquisition and development are also welcomed. Journal of Language Development and Linguistics (JLDL) has been widely indexed and listed by: 1. SINTA 3, 2. EBSCO, 3. Google Scholar, 4. COPERNICUS INTERNATIONAL (ICI VALUE 2023: 84,56), 5. Dimensions, 6. Directory of Research Journals Indexing, 7. CrossRef (DOI), 8. BASE (Bielefeld Academic Search Engine), 8. <a href="https://journal.formosapublisher.org/index.php/jldl/management/settings/Journal%20of%20Language Development and Linguistics (JLDL) is a quarterly, double-blind peer reviewed journal which publishes original research papers in the field of language development and Linguistics. JLDL publishes articles related to the nature of language acquisition and those which set bridges between language acquisition and development and other disciplines are given priority. Studies which take a descriptive approach to the nature of language acquisition and development are also welcome. Journal JLDL publishes articles in February and September.">ResearchBib, 9. WorldCat, 10. Scilit, 11. ROOT INDEXING, 12.GARUDA, 13. IUPUI Library 14. CiteFactor 15. Eurasian Scientific Journal Index 16. Global Index for Continuing Resources 17. Sherpa/Romeo
The Influence of Motivational English Anti-Smoking Messages, EFL Communication Self-Efficacy, and Health Communication Motivation on Smoking Refusal Intention Among Senior High School Students in Pekanbaru City
Adolescent smoking remains a critical school health issue because refusal of smoking invitations is shaped by health messages, communication beliefs, and peer social pressure. This study examined the influence of motivational English anti-smoking messages, EFL communication self-efficacy, and health communication motivation on smoking refusal intention among senior high school students in Pekanbaru City. A quantitative correlational-explanatory approach with a cross-sectional survey was applied to 100 students using a four-point Likert questionnaire. The instrument consisted of four constructs, each comprising 16 items. Validity was tested using Pearson Product Moment correlation, reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s Alpha, and hypotheses were examined through multiple linear regression. All items were valid, with r values greater than 0.197, and very high reliability was obtained for all constructs, namely X1 = 0.968, X2 = 0.970, X3 = 0.972, and Y = 0.973. The model was significant, F(3,96) = 75.818, p < 0.001, R = 0.839, and R² = 0.703. Health communication motivation was the only significant partial predictor of smoking refusal intention (B = 0.588, β = 0.585, p < 0.001), whereas motivational English anti-smoking messages and EFL communication self-efficacy showed positive but non-significant effects. These findings highlight the importance of strengthening health communication motivation so that health messages and language competence can be transformed into actual refusal readiness.
Copyright (c) 2026 Fauzi Enny, Hendra Setyawan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Classroom Silence and its Meaning in English Language Learning Contexts
Classroom silence is a pervasive phenomenon in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning contexts, yet it remains insufficiently understood within mainstream language pedagogy. Classroom silence has long been perceived as a sign of disengagement or lack of competence in English language learning contexts. However, recent perspectives in applied linguistics suggest that silence may carry complex pedagogical, cognitive, and sociocultural meanings. This study aims to explore the forms, functions, and underlying meanings of classroom silence in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning environments. Employing a qualitative research design with a case study approach, data were collected through classroom observations, in-depth interviews with students and teachers, and reflective field notes.
Copyright (c) 2026 Suardi Suardi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Forms and Functions of Indonesian–English Code-Mixing on the YouTube Channel “Kok Bisa?”: A Digital Sociolinguistic Study
The development of digital media has transformed societal communication patterns, including the use of code-mixing between Indonesian and English. This study aims to describe the forms and functions of code-mixing in educational YouTube content. A qualitative descriptive method and digital sociolinguistic approach were applied, as the study examines the relationship between language use and the social context of digital communication in a bilingual society. Data were collected from 20 videos uploaded to the "Kok Bisa?" channel during January–June 2024 using non-participatory observation and note-taking techniques. Data analysis followed the Miles and Huberman model through stages of data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. The results yielded 126 code-mixing instances: word-form 72 (57%), phrase 39 (31%), clause 15 (12%). Code-mixing functions include communication effectiveness 48 (38%), closeness with Gen Z 35 (28%), modern identity 27 (21%), and emphasis of meaning in digital communication 16 (13%). The study found that code-mixing in educational YouTube content is functional and serves as a communication strategy in digital media.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ely Purwanti, Merry Lapasau, Samsinar Sambo, Putri Rahayu, Rifka Agustin https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Comparative Efficacy of English-Only Policies and Multilingual Scaffolding: A Meta-Synthesis of Language Proficiency Outcomes
This qualitative meta-synthesis aims to examine the comparative impact of English-Only Policy (EOP) and multilingual scaffolding on student language proficiency. The core concepts investigated include fluency, comprehension, learner confidence, and classroom engagement. Utilizing a document analysis framework and thematic coding, the methodology synthesizes data from peer-reviewed ESL and EFL studies published between 2015 and 2025. Results reveal that EOP significantly improves oral fluency and structural accuracy but poses affective challenges for low-proficiency learners. Conversely, multilingual scaffolding effectively facilitates conceptual understanding and engagement but may not resolve foundational language deficits. The study concludes that both approaches are complementary, advocating for a context-responsive, hybrid instructional model that integrates both strategies to foster optimal and sustainable language acquisition outcomes.
Copyright (c) 2026 Resheil Sellote, Caren Mae Duterte, Abegail Dante https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Linguistics as Geopolitical Strategy: Framing, Legitimacy, and Power in Global Discourse
This study investigates the strategic function of linguistics in forming transnational geopolitical configurations from 2015 to 2025. The paper draws from 250 purposively sampled texts official speeches, media releases, and mainstream news and media coverage, from the US, Russia, China, and the European Union. Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), semiotics, and linguistic pragmatics serve as the conceptual basis to explain how political elites employ discourse strategies to shape a global public opinion by using strategies such as framing, euphemism, delegitimising opponents' claims, and conceptual metaphors. Quantitatively, the study indicates framing (35%) and euphemism (28%) when utilised by the United States and China, respectively, served to strengthen legitimacy for foreign policy, to frame 'good' narratives, delegitimisation (22%) was used mainly by the EU and Russia to frame a good enemy, and conceptual metaphors (15%) - though the least used, were also effective in framing normative imperatives.
Copyright (c) 2026 Iskandarsyah Siregar https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Exploring Speech Acts and Common Ground in Student Corruption Discourse: Insights from Southeastern Universities in Nigeria
Using the mixed method research design, the study looks at how students use speech acts and shared knowledge to negotiate meanings around morally and legally questionable behaviours, drawing on Speech Act Theory and Common Ground Theory. The study's examination of focus groups, participant interviews, and naturally occurring conversations shows that corruption is frequently spread covertly through code-switching and uniquely grounded expressions that mainly rely on mutual understanding among peers. These pragmatic strategies assist to preserve group cohesion and steer clear of overt moral judgment in addition to reflecting underlying sociocultural attitudes regarding corruption. The study contributes to how language both reflects and reinforces institutional and pervasive corruption in higher educational institutions by revealing the influence of context, purpose, and common knowledge on corruption-related discourse.
Copyright (c) 2026 Kenneth Obinna Patrick, Amarachi Stephenie Osondu https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Ritual Body Dramaturgy in Turuk Laggai in the Pabetei Ritual of the Mentawai Community
Turuk Laggai is a ritual practice of the Mentawai people that is closely related to the Arat Sabulungan belief system, the ritual body, and the ecological relationship of the community with nature. The development of cultural tourism and social change has caused Turuk Laggai to shift in function from a sacred practice to a cultural performance, thus raising questions about the position of Turuk Laggai as a spiritual ritual or performative spectacle. This study aims to analyze the dramaturgy of the ritual body in Turuk Laggai in the Pabetei ritual of the Mentawai people through a performance studies approach. The focus of the research is directed at the Sikerei body, animal movement mimesis, Gajeuma music, and the performative atmosphere of the ritual. The study uses a qualitative method with a descriptive-interpretive approach. Data were obtained through literature studies, audiovisual documentation, and a review of previous research on Turuk Laggai and Mentawai community rituals. The analysis was conducted using a performance studies perspective to examine the relationship between the body, sound, ritual space, and spiritual experience in ritual performances. The results show that the Sikerei body works as a symbolic medium that connects humans with ancestral spirits and nature through body rhythm, movement repetition, trance, and animal mimesis. Ritual movements serve not only aesthetic functions but also represent the ecological and cosmological experiences of the Mentawai people. Gajeuma music plays a role in building a performative ritual atmosphere through repetitive rhythmic patterns that strengthen the emotional and spiritual experiences of the community. This research shows that Turuk Laggai is a form of total performance that presents an integration of body, music, space, and spirituality in a unified ritual aesthetic of the Mentawai people. This research is expected to contribute to the development of studies of ritual performing arts, particularly those related to the body, performativity, and cultural knowledge of indigenous communities in Indonesia.
Copyright (c) 2026 Dian Permata Sari,, Zulfardi Darussalam, Afifuddin, Rasyidin, Haria Nanda Pratama https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The Transformation of Indonesian on TikTok: A Pragmatic Study of Digital Space 2026
Language change within digital spaces has increasingly been observed on short video platforms such as TikTok. The use of Indonesian is no longer fully aligned with formal structures since it is shaped by fast paced and visually driven interaction. This study was conducted to examine how such transformation takes place through a pragmatic perspective. Data were obtained from TikTok content in 2026 including spoken expressions and supporting text. The analysis was carried out by tracing contextual meaning and communicative function in each interaction. The findings indicate that language forms tend to shift at the level of word choice and meaning delivery. Language use is also oriented toward expressing identity and creating social closeness. These results suggest that language transformation is not merely structural but also closely tied to the dynamics of digital communication.
Copyright (c) 2026 Mad Rohim, Yanti Nuryanti, Eros Rosmina, Dewi Rahmawati, Feri Muhamad Firdaus, Ryan Hidayat https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Multicultural Performance in the Linguistic Landscape of Sampit City, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia (Anthropolinguistic Study)
This study examines multicultural performance in the culinary linguistic landscape in Sampit City using Landry and Bourhis's linguistic landscape theory framework and Duranti's anthropolinguistics concept of performativity. Studies on linguistic landscapes generally focus on representational and symbolic functions, while the performative role of language in constructing multicultural realities remains underexplored, especially in a multicultural context. This study uses a descriptive mixed-methods approach through visual ethnography, and simple data qualification in the form of public culinary texts such as business names, menus, and signboards collected in 2025. The results show that language in the culinary linguistic landscape functions performatively through four main dimensions, namely representing cultural identity, becoming
Copyright (c) 2026 Erma Lestari, Kisyani Laksono, Syamsul Sodiq https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
An Analysis of Idiomatic Expressions Used in Percy Jackson’s Novel Entitled Greek Gods
The purpose of this research was to identify the types of idiomatic expressions and to analyze the Idiomatic meanings of idioms used in Rick Riordan’s novel Percy Jackson: Greek Gods. This study implied a descriptive qualitative research design, focusing on the interpretation of meaning, concepts, and linguistic phenomena rather than statistical measurement. The data were collected from the novel and analyzed using Makkai’s idiom classification and a pragmatic stylistic approach based on Grice’s cooperative principles. The findings reveal that there are 118 idiomatic expressions found in the novel, which are classified into six types of idioms, namely phrasal verb idioms, tournure idioms, phrasal compound idioms, incorporating verb idioms, pseudo-idioms, and irreversible binomial idioms. The meanings of the idioms lie in the novel depends heavily on narrative context rather than literal word meanings.
Copyright (c) 2026 Alif Maulana Algifari, Nuriadi Nuriadi, Muh Isnaini, Baharuddin Baharuddin https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0