Rana H. Al-Bahrani | University of Baghdad (original) (raw)

Papers by Rana H. Al-Bahrani

Research paper thumbnail of The Search for Identity in Online Chat

Internet communication is one of the most important applications of the 21 st century. College st... more Internet communication is one of the most important applications of the 21 st century. College students are among those who make use of this activity for both academic and personal interest. Students usually vary in their use, appreciation and response to this widely used activity. Accordingly, the present research paper aims at answering the following questions: to what extent college students use the instant-messaging system in initiating and developing personal and social communication? and to what extent the revealed identities are real or fake? If real, how many aspects of identity are real or fake? What is the purpose behind using fake identities? Are there any similarities and differences between gender-based identities? To what extent messages reflect the user's identity and gender? And what are the different ways of identity manifestations? To achieve the above aims, a questionnaire has been conducted on the students of Baghdad University to closely examine the relationship between online interaction and gender identities. The results showed that the highest percentage of students, 94%, agrees that chat is of great help in establishing and maintaining distant and local relationships. While the lowest percentage, 1.1%, goes with the proposition that chat is the most important application of the internet.

Research paper thumbnail of A Detextulaized Social Caricature as a Source of Plural Denotations

The sense of contradiction between Gernsheim's statement (cited in Bisi, 2015: p. 228), image lan... more The sense of contradiction between Gernsheim's statement (cited in Bisi, 2015: p. 228), image language is universal and that of Fairclough's (1992), image can be a source of ambiguity and creativity, has pushed the researchers to conduct the present study. Besides, surveying the literature review of caricature images, the researchers have found that still much work needs to be done as far as images are concerned in different disciplines in general and in linguistics in particular to bridge the many gaps there. Accordingly, the objective of the current research is to examine students' ability to identify the denotative key-signs that help access and share the intended denotative meaning and/or highlight other denotative meaning potentials from a detextualised image caricature. To achieve the objective of the study, the researchers adopted a cognitive semantic model, Domain Analysis by Ronald Langacker (1987) amalgamated with the semiotic concept of denotation by Ronald Barthes from his theory entitled Mythologies (1957). The study has revealed that only (19%) of the respondents were able to fully access the right denotative meaning. This very low percentage revealed the fact that the respondents could not invest the identified denotational key-signs in building the right denotational meaning.

Research paper thumbnail of How Language Use Stimulates Tourism

Research paper thumbnail of Language Learning Strategy Research, a Review

Research paper thumbnail of A Synthesis of Selected Language Learning Strategy Studies in Iran

O'Malley and Chamot (1990) define learning strategies as " the special thoughts or behaviors that... more O'Malley and Chamot (1990) define learning strategies as " the special thoughts or behaviors that individuals use to help them comprehend, learn or retain new information " (p. 1). In recent decades, many Iranian scholars have concentrated on learning strategies as an effective way for acquiring knowledge. This paper aims to have a profound, comparative look at the start, development and the current position of EFL learning strategy field of study in Iran.

Research paper thumbnail of Students' Ability to Diagnose Threat and Warning Act Clues in George

The obvious tension and similarity between the concepts of threat and warning has made it difficu... more The obvious tension and similarity between the concepts of threat and warning
has made it difficult to distinguish between them and has remained a challenge for
students, researchers and translators. Surveying the literature review of these two
concepts, the researcher has found that little attention has been paid to the difference
between these two acts in general and to postgraduate students’ ability to distinguish
between them in particular. Accordingly, the current thesis is dedicated to investigate
the ability of Iraqi M.A. students to differentiate between the two acts pragmatically in
George Orwell’s novel “1984”. To achieve the objective of the study and answer its
research question, the researcher adopts Searle’s version of Speech Act Theory (1971)
amalgamated with the threat and warning features supported by Allan (1983). The
study reveals that most of the M.A. students confuse between the two acts because they
believe that both threat and warning are synonyms in their usage.

Research paper thumbnail of The Search for Identity in Online Chat

Internet communication is one of the most important applications of the 21 st century. College st... more Internet communication is one of the most important applications of the 21 st century. College students are among those who make use of this activity for both academic and personal interest. Students usually vary in their use, appreciation and response to this widely used activity. Accordingly, the present research paper aims at answering the following questions: to what extent college students use the instant-messaging system in initiating and developing personal and social communication? and to what extent the revealed identities are real or fake? If real, how many aspects of identity are real or fake? What is the purpose behind using fake identities? Are there any similarities and differences between gender-based identities? To what extent messages reflect the user's identity and gender? And what are the different ways of identity manifestations? To achieve the above aims, a questionnaire has been conducted on the students of Baghdad University to closely examine the relationship between online interaction and gender identities. The results showed that the highest percentage of students, 94%, agrees that chat is of great help in establishing and maintaining distant and local relationships. While the lowest percentage, 1.1%, goes with the proposition that chat is the most important application of the internet.

Research paper thumbnail of A Detextulaized Social Caricature as a Source of Plural Denotations

The sense of contradiction between Gernsheim's statement (cited in Bisi, 2015: p. 228), image lan... more The sense of contradiction between Gernsheim's statement (cited in Bisi, 2015: p. 228), image language is universal and that of Fairclough's (1992), image can be a source of ambiguity and creativity, has pushed the researchers to conduct the present study. Besides, surveying the literature review of caricature images, the researchers have found that still much work needs to be done as far as images are concerned in different disciplines in general and in linguistics in particular to bridge the many gaps there. Accordingly, the objective of the current research is to examine students' ability to identify the denotative key-signs that help access and share the intended denotative meaning and/or highlight other denotative meaning potentials from a detextualised image caricature. To achieve the objective of the study, the researchers adopted a cognitive semantic model, Domain Analysis by Ronald Langacker (1987) amalgamated with the semiotic concept of denotation by Ronald Barthes from his theory entitled Mythologies (1957). The study has revealed that only (19%) of the respondents were able to fully access the right denotative meaning. This very low percentage revealed the fact that the respondents could not invest the identified denotational key-signs in building the right denotational meaning.

Research paper thumbnail of How Language Use Stimulates Tourism

Research paper thumbnail of Language Learning Strategy Research, a Review

Research paper thumbnail of A Synthesis of Selected Language Learning Strategy Studies in Iran

O'Malley and Chamot (1990) define learning strategies as " the special thoughts or behaviors that... more O'Malley and Chamot (1990) define learning strategies as " the special thoughts or behaviors that individuals use to help them comprehend, learn or retain new information " (p. 1). In recent decades, many Iranian scholars have concentrated on learning strategies as an effective way for acquiring knowledge. This paper aims to have a profound, comparative look at the start, development and the current position of EFL learning strategy field of study in Iran.

Research paper thumbnail of Students' Ability to Diagnose Threat and Warning Act Clues in George

The obvious tension and similarity between the concepts of threat and warning has made it difficu... more The obvious tension and similarity between the concepts of threat and warning
has made it difficult to distinguish between them and has remained a challenge for
students, researchers and translators. Surveying the literature review of these two
concepts, the researcher has found that little attention has been paid to the difference
between these two acts in general and to postgraduate students’ ability to distinguish
between them in particular. Accordingly, the current thesis is dedicated to investigate
the ability of Iraqi M.A. students to differentiate between the two acts pragmatically in
George Orwell’s novel “1984”. To achieve the objective of the study and answer its
research question, the researcher adopts Searle’s version of Speech Act Theory (1971)
amalgamated with the threat and warning features supported by Allan (1983). The
study reveals that most of the M.A. students confuse between the two acts because they
believe that both threat and warning are synonyms in their usage.