English Language Teaching and Linguistics Studies
English Language Teaching and Linguistics Studies (ELTLS) is an international, Refereed, double-blind peer-reviewed, open-access journal published by Scholink. The journal aims to provide a high-level platform for scholars and researchers all over the world to share latest findings and views in the field of English Language Teaching and Linguistics Studies. We would welcome scholars and researchers engaging in the related field to submit your manuscripts which are complete unpublished and original works and not under review in any other journals to English Language Teaching and Linguistics Studies. Both of online submission and E-mail submission (eltls@scholink.org) are acceptable. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The journal includes, but is not limited to the following fields: Teaching English as a Second Language or a Foreign Language Syllabus Design and Curriculum Development English Language Testing and Assessment Linguistics Teaching and Learning Discourse Analysis Second Language Acquisition Critical Discourse Analysis Applied Linguistics Comparative Linguistics Corpus Linguistics Descriptive Linguistics Language and Linguistics Psycholinguistics Socio-linguistics Theoretical Linguistics Teaching Process Translation Studies Language Learning Education Morphology Phonology Pragmatics Literature Semantics Syntax -------------------------------------------------------- Index/List/Archive CNKI-Scholar CrossRef WANFANGDATA LinkedIn ResearchGate ResearchBib Yahoo Google Scholar Canadiana ResearchBib Base Search CrossRef Sciencegate Worldcat PKP Open Archives Harvester Lockss ISSN PORTAL Refereed Journal: English Language Teaching and Linguistics Studies is a Refereed Journal. Open access: English Language Teaching and Linguistics Studies is available online to the reader "without financial, legal, or technical barriers other than those inseparable from gaining access to the internet itself." Peer review: English Language Teaching and Linguistics Studies takes peer review policy. Peer review is the evaluation of work by one or more people of similar competence to the producers of the work (peers).
Authors who publish with this journal must agree to the following terms: Authors should promise that their works are entirely original, and all the references in their works should be appropriately cited or quoted. The works have not been published previously. The behavior of submitting the same work to other journals is unacceptable. The journal editor has the right to edit the format of works.
The Translation Study of the Contract Section of the Civil Code Based on Schema Theory
In the context of the continuous integration and development of Chinese and Western legal cultures, legal text translation has become an important topic in current translation studies. Schema theory, as a core theory in cognitive psychology, has been integrated and innovated with linguistics and various types of text translation fields, opening up new paths for legal translation research. However, current legal translation research mainly relies on functional equivalence theory and teleology as its main theoretical basis, and there is still a lack of exploration in combining specific legal texts with schema theory. This paper employs schema theory to analyze the translation of the Contract Section of the Civil Code from the perspectives of language, content, and form, revealing its significant influence on the translation strategies and connotation understanding of legal texts. The research provides practical theoretical references and practical experience for legal text translation, the dissemination of Chinese and Western legal cultures, and the drafting of cross-border commercial contracts.
Copyright (c) 2026 Lu Shi http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
A Study on the Cognition-Affect-Behavior Interaction of Non-Native Speakers from the Perspective of Sociocultural Theory: Affect Construction in English Debating Through the Lens of Dramatic Events
Framed by Sociocultural Theory (SCT), this study focuses on the context of British Parliamentary (BP) English Debate, adopts a narrative-oriented interpretative case study paradigm, and explores how the affective experiences of non-native English speakers in BP English Debate are triggered by dramatic events and guide their interactive development of cognition, affect and behavior, through video recording and semi-structured interviews. The participants are 8 English major students (4 core interviewees), all with one year of debating experience and an English proficiency of Level B2 or above. This study identifies six core types of dramatic events and three social interaction mediation paths, and reveals the differentiated interactive development trajectories of the four learners: cognitive reconstruction under social support, cognitive expansion driven by affective deepening, metacognitive awakening triggered by accumulated frustration, and strategy construction under the balance of affective tension. The study confirms that affect is not an isolated psychological response, but a core mediator constructed and regulated in social interaction that drives second language development. This study provides empirical evidence for the affective mediation mechanism to supplement Sociocultural Theory, enriches the process-oriented analytical perspective of second language affect research, and offers practical references for the optimization of English debate teaching and second language writing teaching.
Copyright (c) 2026 Yuhan Li http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
A Study on the Impact of Self-Efficacy on College Students’ Acceptance of Generative AI-empowered English Learning: Based on the Technology Acceptance Model
This study, grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), analyzes questionnaire data from 226 university students using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). It investigates the predictive effects of self-efficacy (SE) on students’ perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEOU), attitude toward use (ATT), and behavioral intention (BI). Additionally, it explores the direct and indirect mediating roles of the aforementioned three variables between self-efficacy and behavioral intention. The results indicate that university students generally show a high level of acceptance toward generative artificial intelligence in English learning. The predictive relationships among the core variables of the Technology Acceptance Model are validated, with self-efficacy having a significant positive impact on all four variables. Furthermore, the mediating effects of perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and attitude toward use between self-efficacy and behavioral intention are significant, with a continuous mediation path observed. Among these, the mediation effect of attitude toward use is the most prominent. These findings provide insights into how universities can optimize the implementation of generative artificial intelligence in English teaching practices and enhance learners’ acceptance of technology.
Copyright (c) 2026 Lijuan Liu, Jiayin Wu http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
A Study on Subtitle Translation of Science Fiction Films
Science fiction film subtitle translation, situated at the intersection of linguistic conversion, technical constraints, and fictional world construction, represents a unique translation challenge. This paper explores the theoretical frameworks, practical strategies, and emerging trends in sci-fi film subtitle translation by analyzing recent academic achievements and case studies including the Star Wars series and The Wandering Earth series. The study identifies four primary challenges facing sci-fi film subtitle translators: neologism and terminology management, handling scientific and technological discourse, cultural specificity within fictional contexts, and multimodal constraints. Drawing on Relevance Theory, Functional Equivalence Theory, and Multimodal Discourse Analysis, it evaluates translation strategies including transfer, compression, paraphrase, and creative adaptation. The research further examines the impact of modal differences between subtitling and dubbing, and the emergence of human-machine hybrid translation models. The findings indicate that optimal sci-fi film subtitle translation requires balancing source text fidelity with target audience comprehensibility, while appropriately managing the genre's inherent tension between scientific plausibility and imaginative fiction. The study concludes by proposing a comprehensive framework for sci-fi film subtitle translation practice and identifying future research directions in this rapidly evolving field.
Copyright (c) 2026 Yiming Geng http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
“Beauty Servitude” as Metaphor in Contemporary Chinese Discourse: An Invitational Rhetorical Perspective
This study investigates the contested metaphor of “beauty servitude” (fu mei yi) in contemporary Chinese public discourse, examining how women’s beauty practices are rhetorically framed in relation to labor, obligation, agency, and structural constraint. Using qualitative rhetorical analysis, the study analyzes a public debate as its primary data source. The analysis combines high-frequency word statistics with inductive qualitative coding to identify recurring metaphorical patterns and argumentative strategies. Adopting invitational rhetoric as an analytical lens, this study shows that the metaphor both enables and constrains public understanding. While it invites attention to structural power and gender inequality, it may also limit recognition of women’s embodied experiences and self-defined agency.
Copyright (c) 2026 Zhenwei Wang http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
On Subtitle Translation Strategies under the Guidance of Relevance Theory: With Evidence from the Movie Wandering Earth 2
With Chinese films increasingly reaching international audiences, the role of subtitle translation as a crucial facilitator of cultural exchange and comprehension has become paramount. This study, employing Relevance Theory as the theoretical framework, investigates the strategies in translating the subtitling of Wanderding Earth 2, a Chinese sci-fi blockbuster. The findings reveal that to achieve optimal relevance, the translator can employ a combination of textual and cognitive strategies. At the textual level, techniques such as omission, addition, and paraphrase are used to overcome space and time constraints and enhance clarity. At the (cultural) level, strategies including domestication and foreignization strategies are observed, effectively minimizing comprehension barriers while introducing Chinese cultural concepts. This research underscores the explanatory power of Relevance Theory in audiovisual translation and offers practical insights into effective subtitle translation strategies.
Copyright (c) 2026 Hengrui Zhang http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
AUTONOMOUS ENGLISH LEARNING THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE IN DIGITAL CONTEXTS WITHIN A CHINESE UNIVERSITY: PERSPECTIVES ON READINESS, DIGITAL LITERACY, AND EDUCATIONAL MANAGEMENT
In the context of digitalization, social media has become a prominent environment for informal English learning among university students, and its potential contribution to communicative competence development has drawn growing attention. However, how autonomous English learning in social media relates to communicative competence remains unclear. This study examines the relationship between autonomous English learning through social media (AEL) and communicative competence in digital contexts (CDC), with particular attention to the mediating roles of learner readiness and digital literacy and the moderating role of educational management. This study used a quantitative correlational design based on questionnaire data from 380 undergraduate students at a comprehensive university in Northeast China. Pearson correlation and mediation–moderation analyses were conducted using the PROCESS macro in SPSS. AEL was positively associated with CDC. This relationship is partially mediated by readiness and digital literacy, with digital literacy exerting a slightly stronger effect. Educational management also significantly moderates the relationship between AEL and CDC, with the association becoming stronger at higher levels of support. Overall, communicative competence in digital environments develops through the combined influence of autonomous learning engagement, psychological readiness, digital capabilities, and institutional support.
Copyright (c) 2026 Hongying Lyu http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Research on the Path of Improving the Scientific Research Ability of Foreign Language Teachers in Higher Vocational Colleges: Literature Review and Policy Enlightenment
The issuance of the Three-year Action Plan for Vocational Education, Teaching and Scientific Research (2025-2027) in 2025 (hereinafter referred to as the Plan) marks that China’s vocational education, teaching and scientific research has entered a new strategic stage of building a strong country serving education, and puts forward higher requirements for foreign language teachers’ scientific research ability in higher vocational colleges. This study adopts the narrative literature review method to systematically sort out the conceptual evolution, influencing factors and promotion paths of foreign language teachers’ scientific research ability along the academic history, and on this basis, combined with the practical difficulties of higher vocational teachers, refine the policy enlightenment applicable to higher vocational foreign language teachers. The findings are as follows: firstly, the concept of foreign language teachers’ scientific research ability has undergone three stages: general skills, practical reflection and policy response; Secondly, the development of scientific research ability is influenced by three factors: individual motivation and experience, organizational atmosphere and support, and institutional evaluation and incentive; Thirdly, the promotion path presents four generations of progressive characteristics: training and research, community building, system incentive and policy docking. However, most of the above studies focus on foreign language teachers in undergraduate colleges, and the discussion on foreign language teachers in higher vocational colleges is relatively scarce. Foreign language teachers in higher vocational colleges face practical difficulties such as heavy teaching tasks, weak scientific research foundation and insufficient institutional support. The Plan puts the ability of policy response at the core, and endows teachers with complex ability requirements such as research on integration of production and education, digital research and international research. The tension between high expectations of policies and practical difficulties constitutes the core challenge of policy implementation in the next three years. On the basis of pointing out the shortcomings of existing research, this paper puts forward the future research direction in order to provide academic reference for policy implementation and scientific research development of foreign language teachers in higher vocational colleges.
Copyright (c) 2026 Yan Li, Xueying Zhang, Wanying Meng http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Research on the Dilemmas and Countermeasures of the Incentive Mechanism for “Dual-Qualified” Teachers in Private Undergraduate Universities
Against the strategic background of the Outline for the Construction of a Powerful Country through Education (2024-2035), which clearly proposes to “deepen the integration of industry and education and build a high-quality, professional teaching workforce”, private undergraduate universities, as an important part of the higher education system, are accelerating their transformation into application-oriented institutions. The construction of a “dual-qualified” teaching workforce has become a key support to resolve the “disconnection” between talent training and industrial needs, and to improve the quality of schooling and core competitiveness. However, the incentive mechanisms for “dual-qualified” teachers in private undergraduate universities in China currently face multiple dilemmas, including insufficient material guarantees, blocked career development, single incentive methods, and unbalanced assessment and evaluation, which seriously restrict the stability, development and performance of the “dual-qualified” teaching workforce. Based on incentive theory and policy requirements for industry-education integration, this paper systematically analyzes the existing dilemmas and deep-seated causes of the incentive mechanism for “dual-qualified” teachers in private undergraduate universities by adopting the methods of literature research, questionnaire survey and case analysis, extracts feasible experience combined with practical cases, and finally puts forward targeted optimization countermeasures. It provides theoretical reference and practical paths for private undergraduate universities to optimize the management of “dual-qualified” teachers, promote the improvement of application-oriented talent training quality, and achieve connotative development.
Copyright (c) 2026 Weijie Zhou http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The International Communication of China’s “Two Mountains” Concept from Local Practice to Global Narrative
The idea that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets”, commonly referred to as the “Two Mountains” concept, has become one of the best-known expressions of China’s ecological civilization agenda. First specified in Yucun Village, Zhejiang Province, the concept conveys the mutually-reinforcing relationship between environmental protection and economic development. Although the concept has attracted increasing attention worldwide, existing work has mainly concentrated on policy discourse and macro-level communication strategies. Less attention has been paid to the role of grassroots participants. Taking Yucun as the example, this article examines how the concept moves from local practice into international discourse. As a result, this article proposes a three-layer communication mechanism, consisting of policy-level discourse, the diffusion of rural development practices, and farmer-centered storytelling. Specifically, this article argues that farmers are not only recipients of ecological transformation but also important narrators engaging in the transformation, helping turn national ecological discourse into concrete and emotionally meaningful forms. In this way, the study demonstrates the comprehensive approach of how a local ecological practice is developed into a broader global narrative through communication across multiple levels.
Copyright (c) 2026 Chenping Tao, Qiuli Mao http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Global Competence–Oriented Model for Cultivating English Literacy of International Talents
In the context of globalization and increasing international mobility, the cultivation of international talents has become a strategic priority for higher education systems worldwide. English literacy plays a fundamental role in enabling individuals to participate effectively in global communication, academic collaboration, and cross-cultural interaction. However, traditional language education often focuses primarily on linguistic knowledge and examination performance, which may not adequately support the development of competencies required for global engagement. Consequently, scholars and educators have increasingly emphasized the importance of integrating global competence development into language education. This study explores the cultivation of English literacy among international talents from the perspective of global competence. Drawing upon global competence theory, intercultural communication theory, and language literacy studies, the paper proposes a multidimensional framework that conceptualizes English literacy as a combination of linguistic competence, intercultural communication competence, global awareness, and digital communication skills. The study argues that language education should move beyond traditional knowledge-based approaches and incorporate experiential learning, intercultural interaction, and global knowledge exploration. Based on the proposed framework, the paper further develops a global competence–oriented talent cultivation model that integrates curriculum innovation, intercultural learning environments, digital communication platforms, and experiential learning opportunities. The model highlights the importance of aligning language education with global competence development in order to prepare learners for participation in global knowledge economies. The findings contribute to theoretical discussions on international talent cultivation and provide practical implications for designing language education programs that support global competence development.
Copyright (c) 2026 Qingling Li http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Domestication and Foreignization of Culture-Loaded Words in the Subtitle Translation of the Documentary The Magical Craftsmanship of Suzhou
Documentaries are an important medium for recording Chinese culture, and subtitle translation plays a key role in their cross-cultural dissemination. Chinese cultural documentaries often contain culture-loaded words with distinctive national characteristics, for which the target language lacks equivalents, creating translation challenges. Taking the intangible cultural heritage (ICH) documentary The Magical Craftsmanship of Suzhou as a case, and from the perspective of domestication and foreignization, this paper analyzes the subtitle translation of four categories of culture-loaded words and finds that ecological and material culture-loaded words predominantly adopt foreignization strategies, preserving traditional cultural imagery and regional characteristics through transliteration or literal translation; by contrast, social and linguistic culture-loaded words more often employ domestication strategies, using free translation or generalization to reduce comprehension difficulty and to accommodate the spatiotemporal constraints of subtitles. The two translation strategies exhibit a complementary relationship in practice. This paper argues that subtitle translation for documentaries should flexibly apply domestication and foreignization according to context, achieving a dynamic balance between preserving cultural information and facilitating audience comprehension, so as to enhance the international communication of Chinese culture.
Copyright (c) 2026 Rongyun Zhang http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
International Graduate Students’ Perceptions of Writing Center Support: A Qualitative Study of Academic Writing Development
International graduate students often use university writing centers for support with advanced academic writing. Yet writing center philosophies do not always align with multilingual writers’ expectations, especially when students seek language-focused feedback alongside rhetorical and process-oriented support. This qualitative study examines how international graduate students perceive writing center visits as contributing to their academic writing development and what features of those visits shape these perceptions. Guided by a social constructionist perspective, the study draws on semi-structured interviews with seven international graduate students at a U.S. university who reported regular writing center use. Data were analyzed thematically through an iterative codebook approach. Participants viewed writing center visits as contributing to rhetorical awareness, process-oriented development, greater strategic awareness of writing, increased confidence, and reduced anxiety. At the same time, they described recurring tension between the writing center’s no-proofreading philosophy and their need for support with grammar, vocabulary, and sentence-level clarity. They also emphasized that the perceived value of a session depended not only on tutor feedback but also on continuity, appointment access, session structure, and the center’s non-evaluative environment. The study argues that writing center effectiveness for international graduate students is best understood holistically, as shaped by pedagogical, affective, and institutional factors rather than by tutor performance alone. Implications are offered for writing center policy communication, tutor education, and multilingual graduate writing support.
Copyright (c) 2026 Fahad Aldosari http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
A Discussion on the Translation of Promotional Articles on Nuclear Fusion from the Perspective of the Skopos Theory
The skopos theory focuses on the purpose of a translation action, which determines the translation strategies and methods. This theory breaks with the traditional concept of equivalence and gives translators more flexibility. Promotional articles feature distinctive, syntactic and rhetorical characteristics and translators need to take full consideration of the intended purpose of the original text and young nuclear fusion researchers as its target audience. This article makes a brief analysis of the translation of promotional articles on nuclear fusion from the perspective of the skopos theory, by taking examples from nuclear fusion research units from home and abroad.
Copyright (c) 2026 Chen Lin http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Reconstructing the Grammar-Translation Method with Generative AI in EFL Teaching
The Grammar-Translation Method (GTM) has traditionally been associated with rule-based instruction, vocabulary memorization, and sentence translation. (Lu, 2023) Although frequently criticized for lacking communicative practice, GTM continues to influence teaching in many EFL classrooms where grammatical accuracy and reading ability remain central goals. The recent emergence of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools provides new possibilities for revisiting this long-standing method. This paper explores how generative AI can be practically integrated into GTM to modernize classroom procedures, increase learner engagement, and improve form-focused learning outcomes. Based on realistic classroom practices, the study proposes an instructional framework that combines explicit grammar teaching, translation activities, and AI-assisted feedback. Several teaching examples are presented to illustrate how this approach can be implemented in daily lessons. The paper argues that generative AI does not replace the teacher but enhances the effectiveness of GTM by providing abundant contextualized input, differentiated exercises, and immediate feedback. This reconstructed approach offers a feasible and efficient model for EFL teachers working in accuracy-oriented learning contexts.
Copyright (c) 2026 Yongwen Liang, Ke Zhao http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
A Comparative Study of Body Language Between Chinese and Western Cultures
The rapid development of globalization has led to the interweaving of people of different cultural backgrounds, which has not happened before. Body language is an important form of non-verbal communication, which plays an important role in the process of information sharing and emotional expression. Compared with language, body language can convey some information that can not be expressed by language through touch, eye contact, posture, facial expression and other ways, and there is no intention. However, due to the differences in cultural background, the same gesture or facial expression may have different meanings in different cultures, which is the root cause of misunderstanding and even conflict in cross-cultural communication. This paper focuses on the typical body language of the East and the West, systematically reviews the differences and similarities between the two, and puts forward reasonable suggestions for college students to use body language in cross-cultural communication, including improving their overall communication ability, mastering non-verbal skills, and enhancing their cultural awareness. In this way, this paper enriches the literature on cross-cultural communication, and also promotes theoretical research, and can provide reference for the communication between the East and the West.
Copyright (c) 2026 Linyuan Qiu http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0