AustLit
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Notes
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Contents indexed selectively.
Contents
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The “Untranslatables” as Symptoms of Difference : From a Network of Languages to a Language of Networks,
single work
criticism
'The purpose of this paper is to address the concern for the preservation of language difference and diversity. The threat to language diversity can be found historically in the dominance given to English and more recently, in the emergent forms of digital technologies. Their point of contact is the act of translation. In taking up Cassin’s concept of the “untranslatables”,the paper provides a critical foundation for thinking through the issue of language diversity. A focus on the translation of the bible into the Central Australian Aboriginal language of Aranda underpins how universal concepts are absorbed by the singularity of languages. In are-think of the issues raised for translation practices when they are dominated by machine translation, digital technologies have also innovated new language usage exemplified by evolving forms in text messaging and the rise of image translation formats such as emojis. This raises the question as to whether specifically designed emojis for Indigenous speakers is a threat to, or a form that preserves and extends, Indigenous languages. The paper concludes with a consideration of the value of translation in a digital world where post-truth dominates the information landscape.' (Publication abstract)
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Developing Communicative Capability in Foreign Languages through Digital Storytelling,
single work
criticism
'In the instructed second language teaching context, it is important to engage students in the meaning-making process to provide them with opportunities to develop communicative capability through the creative use of language. Second language acquisition research shows that while learners go through similar developmental stages in grammatical development, the rate of development differs from one individual to the next. Therefore, a language learning task needs to foster the development of communicative capacity while considering the current linguistic resources available to learners. This paper discusses Digital Storytelling (DS) as a method to create an opportunity to encourage students to develop more holistic communicative capability. Digital stories are short multimedia productions created by students that combine a first-person narrative with image and background music. This paper draws on some DS productions by intermediate Japanese language students from the Australian National University and discusses various communicative devices employed to make their story more engaging. DS allows students to transfer language they learned in the classroom to more authentic communication situations. It is a student-centred learning experience focusing, not only on using the language but also engaging in creative thinking and effective communication, with the added advantage of developing effective technical literacy.' (Introduction)
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Positioning Asian Australian Writing : A Study of Three Australian Literary Anthologies,
single work
criticism
'This paper examines three anthologies of Australian literature: The Oxford Anthology of Australian Literature (1985), The Macmillan Anthology of Australian Literature (1990), and Macquarie PEN The Anthology of Australian Literature (2010). It focusses on the politics of inclusion in anthology-making and the mechanics surrounding theme, perception, and ideology about literature as a reflection of a nation’s culture and identity. The increasing popularity of Asian Australian writing in recent years has raised concerns about how it is perceived as part of the national literary tradition that is a relatively white space. Not much is discussed about how Asian Australian writing appears in anthologies despite increasing critical attention given to them as a literary genre. Informed by Asian Australian studies and anthology criticism, this study charts the trends in the inclusion of Asian Australian writing and how it is posited within the larger national canon.' (Publication abstract)